To Kill a Mockingbird (To Kill a Mockingbird, #1)

by Harper Lee

“There’s some folks who don’t eat like us,” she whispered fiercely, “but you ain’t called on to contradict ’em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear?” “He ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham—” “Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty!

Southern hospitality

“There are ways of keeping them in school by force, but it’s silly to force people like the Ewells into a new environment—”

Integration

My confidence in pulpit Gospel lessened at the vision of Miss Maudie stewing forever in various Protestant hells. True enough, she had an acid tongue in her head, and she did not go about the neighborhood doing good, as did Miss Stephanie Crawford. But while no one with a grain of sense trusted Miss Stephanie, Jem and I had considerable faith in Miss Maudie. She had never told on us, had never played cat-and-mouse with us, she was not at all interested in our private lives. She was our friend. How so reasonable a creature could live in peril of everlasting torment was incomprehensible.

Shades of universalism

“It’s not necessary to tell all you know. It’s not ladylike—in

Or gentleman like, as we see in the fact that Atticus never tells anyone of his skills with a rifle

“The Ku Klux’s gone,” said Atticus. “It’ll never come back.”

If he's not saying this for the children, then his wisdom has failed here, in his commitment to seeing good in everyone.

The most ridiculous example I can think of is that the people who run public education promote the stupid and idle along with the industrious—because all men are created equal, educators will gravely tell you, the children left behind suffer terrible feelings of inferiority.

Broadly conservative views from Atticus

The law says ‘reasonable doubt,’ but I think a defendant’s entitled to the shadow of a doubt.

Because everyone regards himself as reasonable

As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.” Atticus was speaking so quietly his last word crashed on our ears. I looked up, and his face was vehement. “There’s nothing more sickening to me than a low-grade white man who’ll take advantage of a Negro’s ignorance. Don’t fool yourselves—it’s all adding up and one of these days we’re going to pay the bill for it. I hope it’s not in you children’s time.”

Fear of direct revolt by blacks? Or a more distant fear that society will overcorrect in compensation?

“Under my arms, too,” he said. “Goin’ out for football next year. Scout, don’t let Aunty aggravate you.”

Man and gentleman

our neighbor’s image blurred with my sudden tears.

Truth

“Mr. Finch, I hate to fight you when you’re like this. You’ve been under a strain tonight no man should ever have to go through. Why you ain’t in the bed from it I don’t know, but I do know that for once you haven’t been able to put two and two together,

This must have to do something with his later attitudes in life. This night shook him up clearly like nothing else had, and understandably so, as any parent knows. And he must have felt in later years that his own actions had nearly gotten his children killed. He didn't see Ewell coming for his children. That had to shake him. It would shake any caring parent far beyond one night.