To Kill a Mockingbird Chapters 27-31
Bob Ewell earns a few days of gossip notoriety for actually getting a job, and then for immediately losing the job.
The judge in Tom’s trial, who had appeared to favor Tom as innocent, finds that somebody has attempted to break into his home. The intruder is not caught.
Mrs. Robinson is given a job by Mr. Link Deas, who had formerly employed Tom. However, Mrs. Robinson is harassed and threatened by Bob Ewell as she walks to and from her job at Mr. Links’ property. Mr. Link then threatens Bob with retribution unless Bob stops his harassment. This puts a stop to Bob’s antics.
The town of Maycomb seems to be getting back to “normal.” However, Halloween is different this year, as last year’s pranks by youth were apparently unacceptable to the townspeople. This year, as an activity designed to distract the youth, a festival is planned. The festival will include carnival-type attractions, as well as entertainment, including a community play. Scout is recruited to participate in the play, where she will be dressed as a ham, in order to highlight some of the local agricultural products.
In the climax of the book, Scout and Jem walk to the schoolhouse for the festival and play. It is dark, and their friend Cecil Jacobs playfully startles them while hiding in the darkness. The three continue to the schoolhouse, where Scout leaves her ham costume backstage. She and Cecil then enjoy the carnival together.
Later, during the play, Scout falls asleep inside of her ham costume, and misses her cue to cross the stage. When she awakens, she crosses the stage with great untimeliness. The audience finds this hilariously delightful, but play organizer Mrs. Merriweather is furious. Scout is humiliated, and chooses to wear her costume on the walk home, so she can hide within it.
As Scout and Jem are walking home in the dark, they sense that they are being followed. Footsteps approach them, and a violent attack ensues. Scout is unable to see what is going on from the confines of her costume, but is jostled and knocked around. She is aware that Jem is fighting, but cannot tell what is happening.
Once she is finally able to free her head from her crumpled costume, she is able to see a human form laying on the ground nearby. She feels around, but discovering whisker stubble on the face, realizes that it is not Jem. Then she sees a man under nearby streetlights. The man is carrying a limp and unconscious Jem. Jem’s arm is notably hanging at an unnatural angle.
Scout follows the man, who delivers Jem to the Finch household. The doctor and the sheriff are summoned.
Scout needs a lot of reassurance that Jem is still alive. She is assured that he is perfectly and fully alive, but is simply unconscious. His arm is broken, and the doctor gives Jem a sedative to keep him from moving around until morning, when x-rays can be made, and a cast applied.
The sheriff investigates the scene of the attack. There he finds Bob Ewell, dead on the ground, with a knife in his ribs.
Sheriff Tate asks Scout to recall what happened. She is unable to provide much information, since she had been trapped inside of her ham costume.
The man who carried Jem to the house is still present. It is Boo Radley.
Scout is reminded that this is ARTHUR Radley, and is not to be called Boo.
Atticus, Sheriff Tate, Arthur Radley, and Scout go to the front porch to discuss the evening’;s events. Atticus begins planning a defense, but the sheriff is insistent that no charges will be filed. Sheriff Tate insists that Bob fell upon his own knife, and accidentally killed himself. Atticus insists that to be fair to all, a trial MUST take place, in order to bring the truth to light, and to remove all doubts from those who might suspect otherwise. However, the sheriff puts his foot down—literally, and figuratively—and tells Atticus in no uncertain terms that there will be no charges filed against anybody. Atticus finally concedes.
This choice to not charge anybody is made because it is clear that Arthur Radley did the right thing, and should not be required to suffer the indignity of a criminal trial. Arthur is clearly reclusive, and being in the public eye would be traumatic to him. With the unpredictable nature of juries, even in light of the stabbing of Bob being clearly justifiable, a trial could still expose Arthur to the possibility of being found guilty. Thus, Sheriff Tate chooses NOT to file any charges.
Scout accompanies Arthur to his house, walking carefully with her new friend, in order to convey the dignified appearance that he is walking a lady, as supposed to Scout walking Arthur home. This is the last time she will ever see him.
As she walks back to her own home, she stops to reflect on the perspective that Arthur must have had on so many events of the past few years. He’s seen the kids playing nearby, and watched as they discovered the treasures he’d left for them in the tree. She considers this different point of view for a few moments, before continuing home.
Upon arrival, she asks Atticus to read to her. He does, and soon she falls fast asleep, He carries her to her bed, and after tucking her in, he leaves to spend the night watching over Jem.
Analysis: The children learn that hatred has no boundaries, as they become victims of iot themselves. By extension, Bob Ewell’s racism has eventually manifested itself into an attack on Scout and Jem, with the intent of having them murdered.
They are saved by Boo, who they’d previously judged to be a monster, and who, by all rights, should have despised the children for all of their harassment of him. Yet, judgment was passed to Bob, as Boo chooses right over wrong. Scout begins to understand that judging a person by rumor, by popular opinion, by race or social status is not only morally wrong, but also a terrible error in general. She marvels at the opening of her own eyes to the experiences of others.
