Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Chapter 11
As always, please respond to one of the three prompts to the right. This time though, I'd like you to connect your response to one of the six topics that we have focused on in class: education, friendship, community, femininity, judgment, prejudice. Remember to cite page numbers and proofread before you post.
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Bravery:
ReplyDelete"Jen snached my baton and ran flailing wildly up the steps into Mrs. Dubose's front yard, forgetting everything Atticus had said... he had cut the tops of every camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned, until the ground was littered with green buds and leaves" (102-103)
Taking revenge on Mrs. Dubose proved that Jem had some courage inside of him, but by doing this it also showed that he isn't that brave. When Mrs. Dubose insulted Atticus, Jem was angry and wanted to make her pay. He was only sticking up for Atticus, which was pretty brave of him, since he knew that there would be consequences from destroying her yard. But Atticus is always telling Jem and Scout to not get angry when someone insults him, so in a way Jem wasn't brave enough to just ignore the brutal comments from Mrs. Dubose. Also, she is very sick, so she probably didn't mean what she said, or if she did she wouldn't say it in front of them. Jem should have considered this before taking his anger out on her yard.
Beliefs
ReplyDelete'what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You'll grow up waiting on tables if someone doesn't change your ways-' (101)
Growing up my mom always taught me not to judge someone on appearance, especially the way that they're dressed. Honestly as long as I'm dressed appropriate my mom could care less what I'm wearing. She even encourages different styles and thinks what you wear shouldn't define you. That's why this quote stuck out to me. Just because Scout's wearing overalls Mrs. Dubose thinks Scout will become someone who waits on tables. Just because Scout's a girl doesn't mean she always will have too be in a dress. My mom never made me wear dresses and didn't want me to always be dressed up. I was the girl in school who would one day be preppy, goth, fancy, and anything else you can think of. People, especially girls are put into catagories just because the way they look and the way they dress. Scout can be who ever or what ever she wants to be and dress which ever ways she comfortable with.
Beliefs
ReplyDeleteFor a long time I have believed that you shouldn't change for anyone else and thats how Mrs Dubose 'won' in Atticus's eyes. He told Jem " Instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. Its when you know your're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarley win, but sometimes but sometimes you do. Mrs Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According her views , she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person i ever knew." (112) This quote really got to me and makes me happy that Mrs Dubose stay true to herself. Even though its sad that Jem and Scout had to learn of her death, it was in the long run, a good learning experience for them to find what real bravery is. Reading to Mrs Dubose was something Jem dreaded but Scout was there to be brave with him and face Mrs Dubose who turned out to be a decent person when he gave her the camellia and candy box. I think Mrs Dubose will be a role model for Scout since she was independent and not tied down by other people.
Center of Gravity
ReplyDelete"Most of the time you were reading to her I doubt if she heard a word you said. Her whole mind and body were concentrated on that alarm clock. If you hadn't fallen into her hands. I'd have made you go read to her anyway." (page 111)
At first Jem was not happy with the punishment of having to go to Mrs. Dubose's house and reading to her. Without knowing, a friendship developed and Jem did not realize until she had died. I think that it was just Jem being a kid and not appreciating/seeing that he is doing something good and doing the right thing. The day she died Atticus came back to the house and told Jem the whole story about Mrs.Dubose was when he really realized that his punishment really was not so bad and that something good had come out of it.
Center of Gravity
ReplyDelete"Mrs. Dubose smiled at him. For the life of me I could not figure out how she could bring herself to speak to him when she seemed to hate him so." pg 109.
When I saw that Mrs. Dubose smiled I had to reread the sentence to make sure I read it right. I never thought someone who had such a harsh and brittle shell could be warm and loving on the inside. This quote shows that you never really know a person until you spend time with them and really get to know what their life is like. I think that this quotes demonstrates community because even thought Mrs. Dubose never liked Atticus's doings she still welcomed him with an cordial smile. Community has it's rough patches but in times of need, illness, or disaster the people somehow work together and pull through.
Beliefs:
ReplyDelete"It was impossible to go down to town without passing her house..." pg . 99
Community:
I thought this was a particularly good passage that represented community. Scout explains that Ms. Dubose gives a "wrathful gaze" if you pass by her property, yet she would raise her voice at you if you tried to walk on the other side of the street. Scout often stretches the truth, but this woman is truly awful. She refers to Scout as "ugly girl", and sulks over the fact that Atticus never remarried to "a lovelier lady than mother never lived"
"'After all those things she said about you, a lady'
ReplyDelete'She was the bravest person I knew.'" (112)
It was pretty upsetting when Jem was still mad at Mrs. Dubose after he heard the condition she was in and that she was addicted to morphine. Jem was very quick to judge Mrs. Dubose just because she was saying bad things about the family. However, she was old and sick and even Atticus said "She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe." I think Mrs. Dubose was really sour because of the condition she was in and Jem should have respected her.
Empathy-Mrs. Dubose was a mean lady who appeared to hate everyone who stepped by her abandoned house. Jem and I would come home day after day and complain about her evilness but all Aticus had to say was "you just hold your head high and be a gentleman. Whatever she says to you, it' your job not to let her make you mad."(100)Atticus was so nice to her and gave her compliments but not even from him could Mrs. Dubose put a smile on. When we were on our way down to the store to spend Jem's birthday money that was 'burning up his pockets,' Mrs Dubose stopped us and started accusing us of playing 'hooky.'Jem and I would just carry on our way until Mrs Dubose really caught Jem's attention and started calling Atticus those awful names again. Jem let lose and began to cut the tops of her camellia bushes. Jem was so livid that when Atticus came home that night, he made Jem go and apologize to Mrs Dubose but Mrs Dubose didnt want an apology, she wanted Jem to read to her for 2 hours every day for a whole month. Those days were tough due to Mrs Dubose's morphine addiction. Her medicine had been taking a toll on her life and each day Jem and I would visit, she would be in more agony. After Mrs Dubose died Jem had realized that her strange addiction had been the reason why she was so angry and mean all the time. Atticus told us that Mrs Dubose really meant well and that she was an old and sick woman who didnt know what she was doing half the time. She had even sent Atticus home with a candy box for us, I think Mrs Dubose really did mean well. It's a shame how she died and I wonder how someone could ever be that mean but Atticus told me everything. Atticus is a true gentleman and he means great for everyone no matter how they treat him back. Jem and I have realized that we think Mrs Dubose could have been our friend, we could have gotten to know her better and see her kindness deep inside.
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ReplyDeleteI could,"Hey, Mrs. Dubose," I would receive for an answer,"Don't you say hey to me, you ugly girl! You say good afternoon, Mrs. Dubose!"(99)
ReplyDelete"Don't you contradict me!" Mrs. Dubose bawled. " And you-" she pointed an arthritic finger at me-" what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady!..."(101)
"So you brought that dirty little sister of yours, did you?" was her greeting.(106)
How could Mrs.Dubose say that to me, and get away with it? All i said was,"Hey..." whats so bad about that? And she called me ugly, i swear if Atticus hadnt told me to be a good person like he was i would say something back! I mean, she's not so pretty herself, but i couldn't say that, it would make me just as bad. I'm not one to complain, except when Dill and Jim give me woman roles during our play time; but the same thing happened that same week. Mrs.Dubose commented on my outfit, what does she even care; i wasn't hurting anyone, was i? All i was doing was being comfortable in my own skin, just as Atticus says something like, don't judge a person until you walk a mile in their skin; but why can Mrs.Dubose do that to me and i cant her? Its not fair, and it ain't right! I hate being judged by Mrs.Dubose, she doesn't even know me well enough. I didn't judge her outfit, it was nice for an old lady who likes talking a lot, but its not my kinda style, i enjoy things Jim like wearing. There's nothing wrong with that. The next day when Jim and i went to her home so he could read she said another rude comment about me, and right to my forward face, and she didn't care. I felt like i wanted to jump on her, me and her together just clash, like gun shots and birds, but you can't kill a mockingbird. This old lady, Mrs.Dubose of course had called me dirty, i dont appreciate that! ......
Beliefs:
ReplyDelete"It was impossible to go down to town without passing her house..." pg . 99
Community:
I thought this was a particularly good passage that represented community. Scout explains that Ms. Dubose gives a "wrathful gaze" if you pass by her property, yet she would raise her voice at you if you tried to walk on the other side of the street. Scout often stretches the truth, but this woman is truly awful. She refers to Scout as "ugly girl", and openly tells Scout and Jem that their father should have remarried "a lovelier lady than mother never lived".
Belief
ReplyDeleteIn the chapter 11 Mrs. Dubose called Scout and Jem terrible things like "you ugly girl". What Jem did was not right but he was standing up for himself and his family. I think that Jem should not have acted this way because like what Atticus said earlier not to judge someone until you walk a mile in there shoes. Mrs. Dubose is fighting for her freedom from her addiction. Jem just thinks she is a terrible person but he just doesn't understand. She is being very brave for trying to conquer her addiction. It's not until after she dies that he finds out that she had conquered the addiction. Jem should use this as an example of bravery but I don't think she should be a role model because her brave action was only one good aspect of her life.