Chapter Twenty: Andrew Parker Dunne

Plot Summary:

The chapter starts off with Scout and Dill running into Mr. Dolphus Raymond outside of the courthouse and Mr. Raymond lets Dill take a sip out of his sac to calm down his stomach because Dill is not feeling well. To Dill’s surprise the sac is just filled with Coca-Cola and not whiskey like he had previously thought. Then Mr. Raymond explains to Scout and Dill how his sac is always filled with Coca-Cola and that he actually doesn’t drink that much. He then goes on to explain that he just pretends to be drunk whenever he comes into Maycomb because he wants people to believe he likes black people because he is just drunk rather than having to explain to everyone that he surrounds himself in blacks because he thinks they are nice people. After this Scout and Dill proceed to go back into the courthouse and realize they missed the rest of Mr. Gilmer’s cross-examination because Atticus had just started his closing argument. Scout asks Jem to fill them in on what they missed but he tells her to be quiet because he is trying to pay attention to what Atticus is saying. Atticus says in his closing argument that the jury should listen to the facts about what happened and the backgrounds of everyone that testified (excluding Heck Tate) and not just take a white person’s word over a black person’s word just because they are white and the other is black. He says that you shouldn’t stereotype black’s and say that they all lie, and they all have no morals, because sometimes white people lie but that doesn’t mean every single white person is a liar so why should you think differently about blacks. Atticus then goes on to quote The Declaration of Independence citing the phrase where Thomas Jefferson says “all men are created equal.” Atticus then goes on to explain how some men may not be created equal and how some may be born with advantages or born with handicaps or disadvantages but one place where men should always be treated equal is in the judicial branch. Then it ends when Atticus is wrapping up his closing argument, Calpurnia is walking up the middle aisle making her way towards Atticus.

Major Changes and Developments:

In chapter 20, there are many changes and developments. One is when we learn about Mr. Dolphus Raymond’s secret that he isn’t really a drunk and that’s why he hangs out with blacks but he just pretends that way because he doesn’t want to explain himself and why he just likes black people better than white people to the people of Maycomb. We also learn about Dill’s fragile emotions based on how he reacts (getting sick) when listening to Mr. Gilmer cross-examine Thomas Robinson. Additionally we witness Atticus act a way he has never acted before in court revealing how special and how much he cares about this case when he starts loosening his clothes.

Significant Quotations:

1. “The witnesses for the state, with the exception of the sheriff of Maycomb County, have presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption-the evil assumption- that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber.” (Page 273). This quotation is significant because it demonstrates how Atticus is trying to prove that the states only real argument is hearsay and is trying to win hoping the jury takes a white person’s word over a black person’s word. Also Atticus is trying to get the jury to believe the real evidence that was provided during the trial and not just listen to the white people’s side of the story.

2. “Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.” (Page 274). This quotation is significant because it is Atticus again trying to break the racial barrier in the court by referring back to one of the United States of America’s founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson.

Literary Elements:

A literary element used in chapter 20 is allusion. Allusion is when an author refers to another piece of writing which in this case is The Declaration of Independence when Atticus says that Thomas Jefferson said “all men are created equal”.

Vocabulary:

1. Iota (Page 271) - a very small quantity

2. Unmitigated (Page 273) - not softened or lessened

3. Temerity (Page273) - reckless boldness

Critical Thinking:

1. Suppose you were in the jury of this case back in 1935 and you had just gone through the whole trial. Would you vote Thomas Robinson, guilty or not guilty? Why or why not? Remember how people thought of blacks back then!!

2. How do you think Scout is being affected by watching and listening to Atticus’s case and then Mr. Gilmer’s case and how they differ?