Chapter 11: Meaghan Mulkern

Summary:

Jem and Scout start off the chapter talking about how horrible their very old nagging neighbor is, Mrs. Dubose. Whenever they walk into town they pass by her house and she stops them and criticizes them. One day, she says that their father isn’t any better than black people. This infuriates Jem so he cuts up Mrs. Dubose’s camellia bushes and beats up Jem. When Atticus hears about this incident, he makes Jem go over to her house and apologize. His punishment was to read to Mrs. Dubose Monday through Saturday for two hours for one month. Scout decides to go with Jem every time and they find out that she is very sick. After numerous times of going over and hear Mrs. Dubose talk bad mouth about their father, Scout decides to ask Atticus what a n***** lover is. Atticus says that trashy people use this term and it just means he thinks of Negroes no lower than himself. After Jem’s punishment was over, Atticus receives a call a few days later that Mrs. Dubose passed away so he went to her house. When he returned, he came home with a candy box, and inside of it was a camellia flower. Atticus then explains to Jem that he wanted Jem to go over to Mrs. Dubose to learn what real courage is.

Major Changes and Developments

In this chapter a new character, Mrs. Dubose, is introduced. Mrs. Dubose thinks, “Besides being the sassiest, most disrespectful mutts who ever passed her way, {Jem and Scout} were told that it was quite a pity our father had not remarried after our mother’s death” (133). This shows that Mrs. Dubose was just like Aunt Alexandra in that she did not like the children or the way Atticus was raising them. The children hate Mrs. Dubose because she trash talked their father, but after she passed away and Atticus talked to them, I think they gained a little more respect for her. Scout is growing up because he was not the one to get in trouble, it was Jem. On the other hand, Jem is now getting very irritated with all the bad things he hears about his father and cannot compose himself anymore. One conflict introduced is now Atticus realizes he has to worry about Jem more than Scout dealing with all the rude remarks he hears about his father. The question is, can Jem last through the trial without breaking?

Significant Quotations

“It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what’ (149).

This quote was said by Atticus. This is his definition of true courage and he believes Mrs. Dubose has the most courage he has ever seen. This quote means that even though you know you’re going to lose, do not give up or quit.

“It’s hard to explain-ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favoring Negroes over and above themselves. It’s slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody” (144).

This quote was said by Atticus. He was telling Scout what a n***** lover is and how people think it is a negative comment to say to the Finch family when really, they are proud to be lovers.

Literary Elements

SYMBOL:

When Jem opens the candy box on page 148 and finds a camellia from Mrs. Dubose, this symbolizes that everything is alright and it is okay.

Vocabulary

Passé – something is out of style or an antique. (132)

Boo Radley became this.

Philippic - easing the severity of a pain or a disease without removing the cause. (136)

The Finch family was this.

Cantankerous - stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate. (148)

This is what Mrs. Dubose was.

Critical Thinking

What do you think the camellia is a symbol of and do you think it will come back into play?

Who do you think will compose their self better through the trial; Scout or Jem?