Chapter 7: Corey Yu

Chapter Summary

In chapter 7, Dill leaves again back to Mississippi; school begins again for Jem and Scout. Not surprisingly scout hates the second grade just as much as first grade. Although scout is being tortured, Jem reassures her by saying that school will get better. On one afternoon during a walk home from school, Jem tells Scout what really happened when he went to retrieve his torn pants; they were sewn back together and were neatly folded on the fence like the person (perhaps Boo) expected Jem to comeback to them. After Jem reveals this, the kids also find a ball of grey twine in the Radly’s tree hole, again Boo may be leaving these gifts here. After Scout persuades Jem not to take it, so they wait for a couple of days. After those days are up, the twine is still there so Jem decides to take it. During October both Jem and scout are stopped by the tree hole again, but this time there is two soap carvings of children, each seeming to depict both Jem and Scout. After much debate of who left it there, Jem stores it in his trunk. Less than two weeks later, They discover a whole pack of chewing gum and the following week they find a tarnished spelling bee medal, perhaps it was Boo’s. A mere four days later, Jem and Scout find their most treasured prize a watch that may be made out of white gold. With this finding the children decide to attempt to communicate with the person leaving the stuff in the tree and send a letter. Expecting a letter back a few days later, Jem instead finds the Tree plugged with cement. The next day Jem asks Mr. Radly why the tree was plugged, and he lies to him by claiming that the tree is “dying” and it needs to be plugged with cement. Upset and sad, Jem did not come back in the house until nightfall.

Major Changes and Developments

We can infer that the children’s views of Boo are changing as they are guessing that it is him putting all of these gifts there. We also see a difference of perspective between childish Scout and a more mature Jem; When Mr. Radly seals up the tree, Scout is saddened by the lost of presents, but Jem is moping around outside at the cruelty of Mr. Radly. There also seems to be a growing tension between Mr. Radly and Jem after Mr. Radly lied about the tree. A new character introduced in this chapter is Mr. Avery, who is one person the children suspected of putting the gifts in the tree. Lastly, Boo, who as pictured as a lunatic and a vicious killer at the beginning seems to be the person behind the gifts which shows he is nice and kind if it was him behind all of these gifts.

Significant Quotations

“Jem stayed moody and silent for a week. As Atticus had once advised me to, I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walk around in it” (Pg 77)

This shows us that Scout is trying to apply Atticus’s teaching of empathy and see why Jem was so upset.

“He (Jem) stood there until nightfall, and I waited for him. When he went in the house I saw he had been crying ;his face was dirty in the right places, but I thought it odd that I did not hear him” (pg 84)

This shows that Jem has a much deeper understanding than Scout of what happened to the tree hole and realized that Mr. Radly prevented the gift giver from giving more gifts to the children.

Literary Elements

Motif-The tree hole once again plays an important part in the children’s school year this time instead of getting Indian heads or gum, they received things of value and possible use.

Foreshadowing- We may learn more about the Radlys and particularly Boo later in the book after the confrontation between Jem and Mr. Radly, and the sealing of the tree hole.

Vocabulary

Perpetual (page79) - Lasting an indefinitely long time; Enduring forever

Stark (page 83) – Rigid in death; downright or complete

Vigil (page 83) – A watch or period of watchful attention maintained at night or other times

Critical Thinking

1.) Who do you think is putting all of the items in the Radly’s tree hole and why?

2.) Do you think Mr. Radly knows about Jem and Scout’s letter, if so, is that that the reason why he sealed the tree?