Chapter+16

1. PLOT SUMMARY
Chapter 16 of //To Kill a Mockingbird// starts with Jem soothing Scout about the incident happened in front of the prison, and Scout appreciates Jem's courtesy. The next day, while the Finch family is having a breakfast, they discuss about the event last night. Atticus says Scout brought the mob to their senses, and “proves…that a gang of wild animal can be stopped, simply because they’re still human.” (157) He also makes a comment about Mr. Underwood, who was present in the incident in the day before, and mentions him as a racist. Alexandra protests to him about him saying the comment in front of Calpurina, and argues that his comment could ‘provoke’ the African-American. This is also a day when the trial for Tom Robinson is held. Even though Atticus tells the children not to go to the courtroom, they head for it. While going to the courtroom, they meet Mr. Dolphus Raymond, who married a Negro woman and have children of mixed blood. Because of this, he has a bad reputation; they believe that he is drinking whiskey when they see him drinking from a Coca-Cola bottle wrapped with a brown paper bottle. (This is because in the U.S, people who drink alcohol in public places are required to hide their bottle in a paper bag.) Jem also mentions that a mixed child is unfortunate because they belong to neither white people nor the colored people. They enter the court, but Scout is separated from Jem and Dill because of the crowd of people, and it is when she hears that a person saying that Atticus was appointed to defend Tom Robinson, but he doesn’t like the fact that he aims to defend him, and Scout is confused by this comment. When the children are finally together, they go to the balcony where the colored people sit, because there is no seat at the first floor. Then there is a description about Judge Taylor that although he seems sleepy, he is always alert, and that he permitted smoking in the courtroom.The chapter ends with Mr. Heck Tate starting to testify.

2. Setting
The setting of this chapter is for a short time in the Finch house kitchen, partly outside of the courthouse in the lawn area and also inside the courthouse. The courthouse is north of neighborhood about two blocks away. The courthouse is near the Maycomb Jail, the Bank and the Church. This building is a very nice building in such a bad time.

3. Character Profile
 Judge Taylor – Judge Taylor is the Judge for Maycomb county. He is a man who is always explained in a very odd way. He is given the image of a man who cares of nothing, always looking asleep during trails and infamously always chewing off a part of a cigar and making it into a brown wad. Although being profiled like this, he is the opposite of what he seems. Even though looking asleep in his chair he is paying attention and caring about what is happening. For example he wanted to give Tom Robinson a chance in court so he gave Atticus the job of defending him. Although he may seem like a slacker and a lazy man he cares about his job and is important to the trail and to the story.

Scout Finch – Shocked by what happened in front of prison, she cries, soothed by Jem. She still doesn’t understand why the mob tried to lynch Tom Robinson. In the way to the court, she is curious why Mr. Dolphus Raymond likes to be with a Negro. Later in the court, she is confused by what the members of the Idlers’ club said, who said that Atticus was appointed to defend Tom Robinson, but he doesn’t like the fact that he aims to defend him.

Atticus Finch – He is impressed by the fact that an eight-year-old child could bring the mob to their senses, and he believes that Mr. Cunningham joined the mob because he had a blind spot.







1. fey (adj.): strange; eccentric “…whose father in a fey fit of humor christened Braxton Bragg…” (156)

2. dispel (vb.): drive away “There were few women and children among them, which seemed to dispel the holiday mood. (162)

3. Mennonites (n.): members of an Anabaptist Christian sect. Mennonites favor plain dress and plain living. “Yonder’s some Mennonites,” (158)

4. probate (n.): the act or process of officialy proving a will to be valid. “…the judge of probate lived in cool dim hutches that smelled of decaying record books…” (163)

5. sunbonnet (n:): A close-fitting brimmed cotton hat that protects the head and neck from the sun, worn esp. by infants and formerly by women.

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">“amiable, white-haired, slightly ruddy-faced, he was a man who ran his court with an alarming informality.” (165)

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">9. Solicitor (n.): the chief lawyer in a government of city department <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">“The tax assessor, the tax collector, the county clerk, the county solicitor…” (163)

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">10. Prohibition (n.): the period (1920–33) when the Eighteenth Amendment was in force and alcoholic beverages could not legally be manufactured, transported, or sold in the U.S. <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">“Mr. Tensaw Jones voted the straight Prohibition ticket;” (159)

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">11. Scripture (n.): The Bible <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">“I guess that the foot-washers thought that the Devil was quoting Scripture for his own purposes…” (159)

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">12. formidable (adj.): impressive <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">“Why they objected to Miss Maudie’s yard was a mystery, heightened in my mind because for someone who spent all the daylight hours outdoors, Miss Maudie’s command of Scripture was formidable.” (159)

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">13. subpoena (n.): a written legal order directing a person to appear in court to give testimony <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">“Better be careful he doesn’t hand you a subpoena.” (160)

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">14. elucidate (vb.): explain <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">“ We asked miss Maudie to elucidate: she said miss Stephanie seemed to know much about the case she might as well be called on to testify.” <span style="font-family: 굴림;">(160)

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">15. unobtrusive (adj.): not easily noticed <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">“I found myself in the middle of the Idlers’ Club and made myself as unobtrusive as possible.” (163)

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">16. countenance (n.): a person's face or facial expression <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 13pt;">“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance!”(159)