Chapter 1:

Summary (in less than 150 words):

The book started with an adult Scout recounting their childhood. She described the place that they grew
up in Maycomb County. She described it as an old and slow-moving place where nothing much
happened except the gossips about Boo Radley. Maycomb was obsessed with Boo Radley. Radley place
was seen as dark, sinister and Boo Radley was seen as evil. All things gone wrong were attributed to him
too. She also introduced her childhood friend, Dill who was new to Maycomb. He came to live with his
aunt as his parents were separated.

What can we understand about Maycomb County?
Quotes Inference

it was a source of shame to some members of the
family that we had no recorded ancestors on
either side of the Battle of Hastings

It is a small town where everyone knows one
another. They are suspicious of outsiders.
Maycomb was an old town but it was a tired old
town
Maycomb has a long history; same old families
have lived there for years; probably nothing much
has changed

People move slowly then A day was twenty-
four hours long but seemed longer
People lack drive or are lethargic in nature


There was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no
money to buy with, nothing to see outside the
boundaries of Maycomb County

Probably because of the Great Depression, hence
there is widespread poverty and unemployment
and there is nothing to see or enjoy.

It also means Maycomb is in its little world that
doesnt know whats happening elsewhere in the
world. They probably do not care too. This tells us
that the people are insular and do not think there
is anything to learn from others.






What can we understand about the Radleys?
Quotes Inference

The house had long ago darkened to the colour
of the slate-gray yard around it. Rain-rotted
shingles oak trees kept the sun away.

Radley place seems old, dark, and uncivilized
malevolent phantom

Any stealthy small crimes committed by
Maycomb were his work

Town unreasonably turns Boo Radley into a
scapegoat for every unfortunate incident just
because the Radleys behave differently.

This foreshadows the towns attitude towards Tom
Robinson too. They still find him guilty despite
rational evidence to the contrary.

They did not go to church, Maycombs principal
recreation

The shutters and doors of the Radley house were
closed on Sundays, another thing alien to
Maycombs ways.

The Radleys deviate from the norm or the usual
pattern thus they are seen as different from the
rest which results in the town ostracizing them.

he dined on squirrels and any cats he could
catch

there was a long jagged scar that ran across his
face

Maycomb has unreasonably imagination about
Boo Radley. They imagine him to be sinister and
monstrous but these are not verified. All these are
merely according to gossips and legends.

What can we understand about the children?
Quotes Inference

Jem threw open the gate and sped to the other
side of the house, slapped it with his palm and ran
back past us, not waiting to see if his foray was
successful

The childrens idea of courage is to dare each
other to go touch the Radley place. This is mere
false courage.