Key Quotes
Character #1
Ref
133
Atticus
Jem
Calpurnia
Scout
Boo
Radley
Tom
Robinson
Quotation
Analysis
Themes
“you never really understand a
person until you consider
things from his point of view until you get into his skin and
walk around in it”
This shows how wise Prejudice
education
and rational Atticus
is as a person.
“They'll do it again and when
they do it—seems that only
children weep.”
Reflection on the fact
that children have
their benefits of
morality. Jem cries
when Tommy is
sentenced.
Prejudice
Childhood innocence
“instead of getting the idea
that courage is a man with a
gun in his hand.”
Atticus shows his
strong morals and
beliefs
Morality
Society
Education
“‘It’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird”
Mockingbirds are
symbols of innocence
and Atticus invokes
religious morality to
emphasise the idea of
not harming innocent
creatures, drawing a
parallel to Tom
Robinson as he is
killed later on. Also
Miss maudie agrees
with him.
Morality
Justice
Innocence
Education
“You all know their father”
Atticus is willingly
respected by the
people of the Black
church, not because
society told them to.
Reputation
Morality
Society
“Simply because we were
licked a hundred years before
When Scout asks why
he’s defending Tom.
Shows that courage
Morality
Justice
education
we started is no reason for us
not to try to win,”
come from subtle
things not violence
It was times like these when I
thought my father, who
hated guns and had never
been to any wars, was the
bravest man who ever lived
Scout thinks this when
Atticus forces them to
go to Ms Lafayette
DuBose, and talk to
her. - auxiliary clause,
superlative, hyperbole
Courage
“When they finally saw him,
why he hadn’t done any of
those things . . . Atticus, he was
real nice. . . .”
“Most people are, Scout, when
you finally see them.”
At the end of the
book, scout tells aticus
of a story called “The
Gray Ghost”. One of
the characters appears
to be bad but turns
out he was actually
pretty nice - boo
radley. Mirrors the
events of the past.
Growth
Symbolism
Morality
“He would be there all night,
and he would be there when
Jem waked up in the morning.”
He is a point of
comfort. The previous
chapter was rather
tense and serious but
knowing that atticus
will stay with Jem
throughout
emphasises his
fatherly role and
shows his role as a
person of emotional
strength.
Morality
Relationships
140
“I’ll take it”
Declarative sentence
shows that Jem is
standing up to Society,
being more like Atticus
and respecting
Calpurnia
Society
Relationships
142
“Scratch most folks in
Maycomb and they're kin to us”
Jem has grown and
understands that most
people in this society
are his family.
Society
Relationships
42
“I swear Scout, sometimes you
act so much like a girl, it’s
mortifying”
He is easily influenced
by Society
Society
Sexism
Innocence of
Childhood
135
“Now, Cal, we can put ours in.
Gimme your dime, Scout”
He is taking on more
responsibility and also
shows his good
morals.
Society
Morality
155
“Jem was standing in a corner
of the room, looking like the
traitor he was.”
Jem is grown and now
thinking about other
people’s feelings. This
makes him seem like a
traitor to Scout and
Dill but it shows his
maturity in his
decision to call Atticus
Growth
Relationship
“Why couldn't I mash him?” I
asked.
“Because they don't bother
you,” Jem answered
Animal imagery
bringing out the
theme of innocence
and shows Jems
growth over the series
Innocence
Justice, Morality
Growth
“It was Jem’s turn to cry.”
He is sad that the jury
allowed their
prejudice to take over
Morality
Justice
growth
27
“Don't you let me catch you
remarking on their ways like
you was so high and mighty”
Calpurnia is moral and
has a good sense of
right and wrong that
she tries to impart on
Scout
Racism
Relationships
education
41
“And they don’t want to learn
there’s nothing you can do but
keep your mouth shut or talk
their language.”
The power of society.
It’s hard to escape the
shackles of society so
sometimes she has to
conform
Racism
sexism
27
“Hush your mouth.”
Since calpurnia is a
Racism
Society
Relationships
Sexism
black woman they
never had the power
to make decisions
but for calpurnia she
was given the power
to make decisions in
the house which was
appointed by atticus.
103
“Calpurnia stared, then
grabbed us by the shoulders
and ran us home”
She's protective of
Jem and
Scout,enhancing her
role as a mother
Relationships
Society
figure.
“I don’t want anyone sayin’ I
don’t take care of my children”
She has accepted her
motherly role and
reputation
Society
Relationships
Reputation.
Aunt Alexandra was of the
opinion, obliquely
expressed, that the longer a
family had been squatting on
one
patch of land the finer it was
The word “squatting”
gives the impression
that this idea of racial
superiority, in Scout's
view, is dumb
Growth
Small town life
Morality
“Never questioned Jem’s
pronouncements”
She has strong bonds
with her family
evident by her trust in
Jem.
Relationship
Society
Atticus, you must be wrong…”
“How's that?”
“Well, most folks seem to think
they're right and you're
wrong…”
Still questioning
Atticus's ideas. Ellipses
gives the impression
that her mindset is
changing
Bildungsroman
Justice
Courage
Education
“Policy of cowardice”
She is willing to
change even though
she may not want to
Childhood
Society
152
“I don’t have to mind him now
do i?”
Now that Jem is older
and distant, she is less
likely to listen to him
Childhood
Relationship
153
“I think there’s one under my
bed. Can you come look?”
She goes to him when
there’s danger - she
taking Atticus advice
and still looks to Jem
for protection.
“Tom was a dead man the
minute Mayella Ewell opened
her mouth and screamed."
metaphor /
foreshadowing. Sout
understood bigotry
and prejudice in
standard.
Education
Racism
Society
“Summertime and his children
played(…). It was fall,(...). Winter
(...)”
When Scout drops Boo
radley off, she goes
through the entire
trajectory of the book
but through boo’s
eyes. Shows Scout’s
learning from Atticus
and her childish
Prejudice
Education
Growth
130
attempt to understand
Boo Radley
“If you had a clear conscience,
why were you scared?”
“Like I says before, it weren't
safe for any nigger to be in
a—fix like that.
Exchange between the
lawyer and Tom. Tom
keeps subtly referring
to the fact that black
people don’t get fair
chances in court but
the lawyer does not
appear to get it.
“Someday, maybe, Scout can
thank him for covering her up”
Small act of kindness
that shows that boo is
not as bad as it seems.
Takes place after ms
maudie’s house burns
down and atticus finds
her wrapped in a sheet
that is not theirs.
“His lips parted in a timid
smile and our neighbour’s
image blurred with my
sudden tears.”
At this point in time
boo becomes real, not
and idea or a myth.
Instead he is a nice
man - shows prejudice
and growth
Growth
prejudice
“Come along, Mr. Arthur,” I
heard myself saying, “you
don’t know the house real
well. I’ll just take you to the
porch, sir.”
Boo Radley is now “Mr
Arthur”. Respect adn
Scout has become less
cynical and
understands that
people cannot be
judged by stories or
looks.
Kindness
Growth
“Boo was our neighbor. He
gave us two soap dolls, a
broken watch and chain, a pair
of good-luck pennies, and our
lives.”
Adult Scout realises
that Boo Radley was
instrumental in
shaping them. He gave
them a lot, but
expected nothing in
return. She also shows
she regrets not putting
anything back in that
tree.
Growth
Kindness
Prejudice
Society
Racism
● “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can it ‘em, but remember it’s a sin
to kill a mockingbird” - symbolism of black people and innocence. it s sinful to
harm anything so beautiful and pure, when it has done nothing wrong to you, only
sing sweetly. Black people are the mockingbirds.
● “Mr Radley shot a Negro in his collard patch” - Criminal activity is associated
to Black People
● “They got their church, we got our’n” - Racism by black ppl
● “Calpurnia’s not leaving this house until she wants to”
● ‘There are just some kind of men who—who're so busy worrying about the
next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down
the street and see the results.’ - Ms maudie to Scout - prejudice and education.
Trying to explain the radley family, how religious and strict the father is
●
“You ain't got no business bringin' white chillun here” -Someone form teh black
church says it. Racism goes both ways and shows the long stemmed hierarchy of MAycomb
●
Sexism
● “Foot-washers think women are a sin by definition.” - Society’s perception
of a girl
● “Pain of being called a girl.” - Being a girl is associated with being a pain further
pushes the sexist ideology.
SOCIETYYYYY
● “The men took off their hats” - Black people still respected the white children.
● “Helen’s finding it hard work to get work these days” - Social stigma of such
an accusation bc Tom robinson’s wife cannot find work even if the case is not settled. Also no
one likes the Ewells but based of a single accusation, they act this way.
●
“Thy c’n go loose and rape up the countryside” - They would rather people
rape than a white man defend a black man.