Literary Note

“She said I didn’t understand children much and told me why. She was quite right. Atticus, she told me how I should have treated her- oh dear, I’m so sorry I romped on her."

Uncle Jack says this to Atticus after they have arrived back from Christmas where she got into a fight with Francis because Francis called Atticus a nigger-lover. But when Uncle Jack first got there he thought it was because Scout was using swear words and as a result got mad at Scout; he later learns the truth. Uncle Jack’s assumption was based on the fact that Francis was screaming about Scout calling him rude words and the fact that she had just started swearing. This is a parallel to the assumption that most of Maycomb makes about Tom Robinson. Because Bob Ewell is screaming that Tom raped Mayella and Tom is black they automatically assume he is guilty.
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