Chapter+11

Chapter 11 in " To Kill A Mockingbird", written by Harper Lee
Chapter 11 in "To Kill A Mockingbird" dives readers into the exploration of the bond between the Finch siblings and Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose is a new character in the book who holds a strong hatred for the "Negros". On the other side, Atticus is a loyal and believing father who laws for the "Niggers", and gives fair judgement between fair skin people and dark-skinned people. Mrs. Dubose is actually a lovely woman deep under her heart, but she just didn't know how to treat people the right way. When Jem completely looses his mind and starts fighting against Mrs. Dubose, Atticus keeps his mind straight, saying that they must be polite, and carry on. In the book, the way Atticus is being treated doesn't change his mind about caring every single people the same way. Atticus greets Mrs. Dubose gracefully, and even ducks her head down while taking of his hat. While showing two characteristics of two important characters in the book, something along in the chapter changes their view about Mrs. Dubose. It is her request in asking Jem to read a book to her every Saturday. Although Jem holds a strong grudge against Mrs. Dubose, he chooses to agree, following Atticus's way of obeying others and listening to others. Mrs. Dubose's house is rather dark and creepy, with an odor that exists in rain-rotted gray homes fill the hollow room with silence. Scout gets a better view of Mrs. Dubose's illness, seeing all evidences that define as "horrible" and "nasty". Her cords of saliva dropping down her mouth, head moving slowly from side to side and muttering something underneath her breath makes Scout want to avoid seeing the pain she's going through. However, one day, Jem realizes that the time the alarm goes off is becoming later, and later, soon ending at a night time. One day, Jem finds out that Mrs. Dubose has passed away, and recieves a gift for him that Mrs. Dubose prepared before her death. Jem recieves a box which includes white, waxy, perfect camellia that Jem breaks in the earlier section of the book. Jem also finds out the reaason to Mrs. Dubose's horrible illness and death - addiction to morophine. It's impressing to find out that in this chapter, after everything Mrs. Dubose has done to Atticus leaves a negative impact, Atticus thinks of him as a "lady". Atticus thinks that she was somebody who had her own views about thinkings, and surely proved to Jem the idea about what a real courage is. I believe that in this chapter, the main visual pictures that can represent the whole chapter without words would be the fresh camellia flower, and morophine that somehow sums up Mrs. Dubose and her connection to Jem.
 * ﻿Plot Summary: **

**Vocabulary:** wrathful: full of wrath; intensely angry; quote: "We would be raked by her **wrathful** gaze" ruthlessness: pitiless; quote: "Subjected to **ruthless** interrogation regarding our behavior" interrogation: being interrogated; an examination; quote: "Subjected to ruthless **interrogation** regarding our behavior" melancholy: sad and depressed; gloomy; quote: "Given a **melancholy** predictio on what we would amount to when we grew up" arthritic: one with inflammation of a joint or joints; quote: "She pointed an **arthritic** finger at me" umbrage: taking offense; resentment; quote: "But i took **umbrage** at Mrs. Dubose's assessment of the family's mental hygiene" rectitude: conduct according to moral principles; quote: "And the phase of self-conscious **rectitude** he had recently entered" skulked: to move or lurk about in a stealthy, craven, or sinister manner; quote "We **skulked** around the kitchen until Calpurnia threw us out" palliation: Freedom, especially from pain; quote: 'She was a less than satisfactory source of **palliation**" devoid: completely without; empty; quote: "He would gaze at Mrs. Dubose with a face devoid of resentment" propensities: a natural inclination or tendency; quote: "Her camellias and our father's nigger-loving propensities" tirade:a long, vehement speech, esp. one of denunciation; quote: "I was expecting a tirade" undulate:to move in or as in waves; move sinuously; quote: "I could see her tongue **undulate** faintly" escapade: An adventurous, unconventional act or undertaking; quote: "Just before your **escapade** she called me to make her will" interdict: to prohibit (an action) or prohibit the use of (a thing); forbid with authority; "As a matter of course had I not been under Atticus's **interdict**" apopletic: someone with sudden impairment of neurological function, especially that resulting from a cerebral hemorrhage; a stroke. "Once she heard Jem refer to our father as "Atticus" and her reaction was **apopletic**" essence: that which makes something what it is; intrinsic, fundamental nature or most important quality (of something); essential being. "Is something that goes to the **essence** of a man's conscience" guff: foolish talk; nonsense "Jem had probably stood as much **guff** about Atticus lawing for niggers as had I"
 * Setting, background, historical items: **

**Setting- **

To Kill A Mockingbird is set in //Maycomb Country//, a district in southern Alabama. This is during the 1930's where Great Depression hit every country around the world, including America. However, the Finches were one of the elites of the local society, in which they did not have to suffer from poverty, lack of money or unemployment.

1. Mrs. Dubose's house's surrounding area Most of the narrations in the story are held in Mrs. Dubose's house. Mrs. Dubose's house is described as being placed two doors up the street from Jem and Scout's house, as well as having steep front steps and a dog-trot hall. She also has a big garden, where nature vividly surrounded the big house. The picture below well represents Mrs. Dubose's house. <[]>



2. Mrs. Dubose's room Jem agrees to read a book for Mrs. Dubose for the whole entire month as a punishment. This picture well represents the small and strong odored room, where there is a glass with teaspoon, a red ear syring, and a steel alarm clock standing on the bed-side table.



**Character profile in Chapter 11- **

 Mrs. Dubose : I believe that in this chapter, the most important character is the ill and harsh-looking old Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose is an old woman who likes enforcing things to others. She holds a strong grudge against the "Negros", which is the reason to why Scout and Jem hates her. She gives rude comments in this chapter about how Atticus is defending a Negro, when really, Atticus is trying to be a fair lawyer who has his personal moral rights. This proves that Mrs. Dubose is a strong-hearted woman who believes only of what she thinks. When she dies in the end due to morophine addiction, Mrs. Dubose prepares Jem a present that can be represented as one of the important key images - a camelia. I was thinking that maybe the flower and Mrs. Dubose had something in common, which is why it holds a valuable role in the chapter. <span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Jem: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Jem is a deep-thinking and willing character in Chapter 11 who has a negative relationship with Mrs. Dubose. He looses his temper because Mrs. Dubose talks bad about Atticus, just because he is a kind father who laws for a "Negro". This upsets him because he knows Atticus well enough to say that he is a fair man who doesn't take sides just because of their skin color. In this chapter, we also find out that Jem is not always the "courageous" type of character he seemed to be in the early chapters. In the early chapters, we think of Jem as one who protects his brother, thinks deeply of things and most of al has a heart for all he cares for. However, in this chapter, we learn that Jem is not always somebody who appears to be confident and courageous. Instead, Jem is somewhat like the ordinary kids; afraid to explore what's considered unusual and being apart of finding out about the Radley family.

Scout : Scout is a sweet young girl who acts as the voice of peace in this chapter. When Jem is pushed beyond his limits by Mrs. Dubose Scout hastily pulls him away in order to prevent an unfortunate predicament. But of course this is short lived as Jem later on ends up destroying Ms. Dubose's camellias out of rage and also physically abuses Scout. When Jem receives his punishment Scout is kind enough to accompany him on all of Jem's visits to Ms. Dubose's house. It was good that Scout accompanied Jem in his visits because she kept him under control so to speak. Jem would never do anything violent and inappropriate with his sister around <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype',serif; line-height: 14px;">**Photo bank :**



In Chapter 11, the camellia flower is valued because it represents Mrs. Duboses's way of saying she forgives Jem for cutting up her camellia bushes. In addition, Jem had earned more respect in her eyes.
 * Camellia flower, a symbol for forgiveness.**




 * Morphine -**

Mrs. Dubose passed away due to overdose of morphine. They only found out that Mrs. Dubose was addicted to taking morphine when she died.