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Edition:	Harper Collins (Hardcover)
Author:	Harper Lee
Published:	January 1999
Pages:	287
ISBN 10:	0060194995
New:	$11.97 (21)
Used:	$0.83 (53)
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Part 1

Chapter 1

Jean Louise Finch (Scout) lives with her brother, Jeremy (Jem), and their widowed father, Atticus, on the main residential street in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. A successful lawyer and a widower, Atticus raises Jem and Scout with the help of their black cook, Calpurnia.

Jem is almost ten and Scout is almost six, when Dill, the talkative and intelligent nephew of the Finch’s neighbor, Mrs. Rachel Haverford, comes to spend the summer in Maycomb. Dill, Jem, and Scout soon become fast friends, bonding through their almost instinctual understanding of the social complexities of their neighborhood. Maycomb is a typical small Southern town. Social rank and status is not only delineated by race, wealth, and social standing, but by status inherited from countless previous generations. Social survival is fully dependent on how well one follows the inherent rules established by such a caste system.

During this first summer, the children tread dangerously on the boundaries of these social conventions by becoming more and more fascinated by the mysterious Arthur Radley—nicknamed Boo. Boo lives in the run-down Radley Place along with his brother, Nathan although no one has seen Boo outside of this house for many years. Scout tells Jem and Dill an old story about Boo, who as a boy, got into trouble with the law and was subsequently punished by his father who prevented him from leaving the house. A decade later, Scout tells them, Boo stabbed his father with a pair of scissors. This incident shocked the community and Boo was considered by all to be insane. Boo’s father, however, refused to have Boo committed to an asylum. When the elder Mr. Radley died, Nathan returned to Maycomb to care for his brother, and Boo continued remain inside the house.

Boo’s reclusive nature feeds the children’s imaginations and they construct elaborate plans to draw Boo from his home. Dill finally dares Jem to run through the Radley’s yard in order to touch the Radley house. Jem performs this act of bravery and reports that there is no sign of movement inside.

Chapter 2

Dill returns to Mississippi at the start of the school year. Scout, who with the assistance of a telescope has vicariously shared the life of the schoolyard for years, eagerly anticipates her first real day at school. This day is a disaster from the start. Scout’s teacher, Miss Caroline Fisher, new to the profession and new to Maycomb, is affronted that Scout already knows how to read and write. Miss Caroline further alienates Scout’s potential affections by offering to lend another student, Walter Cunningham, lunch money. Scout, understands Walter’s dilemma—he cannot accept the quarter because he knows he cannot repay it. His family is very poor, but very proud. They pay Scout’s father hickory nuts, turnip greens or other goods when they need legal help. Scout attempts to explain this to Ms. Caroline but the teacher refuses to understand her and ultimately slaps her hand with a ruler.

Chapter 3

Humiliated, Scout encounters Walter on the playground and starts to punch him in an irrational retaliation for her embarrassment. Jem steps in to stop the fight, explaining to Scout that everything will eventually work out. Jem then surprises Scout by inviting Walter to share their lunch.

During this lunch at the Finch’s home, Scout is admonished by Calpurnia for criticizing Walter’s table manners. In the kitchen, Calpurnia firmly scolds Scout and tells her she must be a lady and a gracious hostess.

During the afternoon session of school, Miss Caroline publicly points out her observation of a louse, or ‘cootie’ on the head of Burris Ewell, the son of the town drunk. Burris, who for several years has only attended the first day of school in order to comply with the law, leaves Miss Caroline in tears with his vicious remarks.

Later that evening, Scout relates the events of the day to her father. She pleads with him to allow her, like Burris, to never return to school. Atticus explains to Scout that the law stipulates that she must attend school and goes on to explain why Burris is given special considerations. He then explains to Scout that, “You never really understand a person . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Scout takes these words to heart and attempts, in varying levels of understanding, to implement their meaning as the story progresses.

Chapter 4

The school year passes slowly for Scout as she is frustrated that her expectations of higher learning are continually thwarted by Miss Caroline. Her dismal attitude is reinforced by having to walk home alone due to the difference of her and Jem’s school schedules. One day, during her lonely walk home, she discovers two pieces of chewing gum in a knothole in one of the Radley’s oak trees. Scout eats the gum, but is later scolded by Jem who tells her to spit it out. On the last day of school, they find two old pennies in the same knothole and agree to keep them until the following school year.

Dill returns to Maycomb for the summer and the children amuse themselves by rolling each other inside an old tire. As Scout takes her turn, she rolls right across the yard to the front of the Radley steps. This scare prompts Scout to develop a new game, “Boo Radley” in which the re-enact the Radley family melodrama and gradually becomes more complicated and involved. They are soon confronted by Atticus regarding the context of the game. Although they readily lie about it, they soon realize the game is dangerous and not very fun anymore.

Chapter 5

Jem and Dill begin to exclude Scout, who seeks refuge in the company of another neighbor, Miss Maudie Atkinson. Miss Maudie tells Scout things about Boo; relating that he was a polite and friendly child and that most of the rumors about him are false. She also tells Scout of her assumption that Boo is a victim of a harsh father, and even if Boo is still alive, he is probably insane because of it.

Meanwhile, Jem and Dill plan to lure Boo outside by offering him an ice cream. Atticus catches them as they are trying to stick their note in a window of the Radley Place. He orders them to stop tormenting the man and to stop their “Boo Radley” game.

Chapter 6

Jem and Dill do their best to obey Atticus until Dill’s last day in Maycomb when they decide to sneak a look through a window at the Radley’s Place in order to get a look at Boo. Initially, Scout tries to stop them, but eventually and reluctantly joins them. As they attempt to peer through the windows, someone inside the house comes out and fires a gun. The children, fearing for their lives, try to escape. Jem’s pants become entangled in the fence and in order to become free, he has no choice but to remove them and leave them behind.

The children return to the Finch house to find their father and several of the neighbors discussing the gunshot. Miss Stephanie informs the crowd that Nathan had shot a Negro in his backyard and was still standing guard with his shotgun should the Negro return. At this point, Atticus becomes aware that Jem is without trousers and requests an explanation. Dill immediately conjures a lie; telling Atticus that they had been playing strip poker and Jem had lost his pants just before the gunshot. Alarmed that the children were associating with such a sinful thing as a deck of cards, Atticus further questions the children and is assured by Jem that they had been playing the game with matches. Atticus tells Jem to get his pants from Dill the following day. Jem informs Scout that he is going back to fence, gun or no gun. This worries Scout but she knows Jem would rather risk his life than admit to Atticus that he had lied.

Chapter 7

Summer ends, Dill returns to Mississippi, and Jem and Scout return to school. As their schedules now coincide, they are now able to walk home together and again start to find items in the Radley’s knothole. The items are varied and do not have any cohesive connection—a ball of grey twine, chewing gum, a spelling bee medal, an old pocket watch. The most revealing item, one that convinced Jem and Scout that the items were being specifically left for them, were two soap carvings made in their image. The children decide to write a thank you note to their benefactor, but upon arriving at the tree to deliver it, realize that the knothole has been filled with cement.

Chapter 8

That winter it snows in Maycomb, an event that neither Jem nor Scout had seen in their lifetimes. With school cancelled, Jem and Scout build a snowman by first constructing a ‘mudman’ and then covering it with snow.

That night, Miss Maudie’s house catches fire. Although the fire does not spread to the neighboring houses, Miss Maudie’s house is totally destroyed. Jem and Scout were allowed to safely watch the fire from the front of the Radley house. Sometime during the chaos of the fire, someone drapes a blanket over Scout’s shivering shoulders. After the excitement, Atticus asks about the blanket but Scout cannot recall who it might have been. Jem finally realizes that it must have been Boo. Jem then tells Atticus the whole story of the knothole, the presents, and the mended pants. Atticus advises the children to keep this information to themselves but is overheard by Miss Maudie who admits she wished she could have seen Boo again.

Jem and Scout are slightly unnerved by what appears to be Miss Maudie’s total disregard to the calamity that has just reduced her life to ashes. Miss Maudie prattles on about how she intends to build a smaller house so she can increase the size of her garden. Understanding dawns on the children as they realize that Miss Maudie is coping with her grief in the only way she knows how, as a grand Southern woman.

Chapter 9

Soon after the fire, Scout instigates a fight with a classmate who began teasing her with the news that her father is defending a nigger. Atticus is to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. Atticus explains to Scout that he is not setting his hopes high for a good outcome of the case but that he must defend the man in order to uphold his personal convictions of justice and self respect. He asks Scout to try harder to use her head rather than her fists to resolve her conflicts. Scout gives her promise to try, but both are aware that this will be a hard line for Scout to follow.

As he does every year, Atticus’ brother Jack arrives for Christmas. Jack is upset with Scout’s newly acquired habit of cursing and makes her promise to stop. On Christmas day, the family goes to Finch’s Landing, the Finch family homestead now run by Atticus’ sister Alexandra. While there, Alexandra’s grandson, Francis, starts to tease Scout about her father defending Tom Anderson. Once again, Scout loses her head and begins to not only curse Francis, but to beat him harshly with her fists. Jack spanks Scout and refuses to listen to her accounting of the incident.

Upon their return to Maycomb, Scout confronts Jack with the true story of the fight, revealing that she was unduly punished because it was automatically assumed that she was guilty and her side of the story was ignored. Jack is angry at Francis for not telling the entire story, but Scout has him promise that he would not tell Atticus as he has already admonished her for fighting. Later, Scout overhears her father telling Jack that he sees “no light in the case” even though it is evident that Tom is innocent—an all-white jury will never acquit a black man.

Chapter 10

Scout and Jem notice that their father doesn’t fit into the mold of the other fathers in their neighborhood. He is older. Other fathers go hunting and fishing while he wears glasses and reads. This slightly disparaging attitude changes, however, when a mad dog wanders onto the Finch property. Calpurnia calls Atticus who calls sheriff Heck Tate. The sheriff brings a rifle and asks Atticus to shoot the animal. To Jem and Scout’s wonderment, Atticus’ first shot hits the dog despite the considerable distance. Ms. Maudie later tells Jem and Scout that Atticus was named best shot in the country—“One Shot Finch”—when he was young. Scout wants to brag about this new knowledge but Jem stops her; reasoning with her that if Atticus wanted them to know, he would have told them.

Chapter 11

Jem and Scout receive more hard-to-accept remarks from the people of Maycomb as the Tom Robinson trial grows closer. Atticus reminds them to keep their cool, specifically warning Jem to be a gentleman to Mrs. Dubose because she is old and sick. Mrs. Dubose makes one vile remark too many, however, and Jem deliberately destroys all of her camellia bushes. When Atticus learns of this, he has Jem go to Mrs. Dubose to not only apologize but to allow her to decide upon his punishment. The punishment allotted was to have Jem read to her every day for a month. Scout takes it upon herself to share in Jem’s sentence and daily they both endure Mrs. Dubose’s tirades and vicious comments.

Shortly after Jem’s month of duty ends, Mrs. Dubose dies. At this time, Atticus tells them that Mrs. Dubose had been battling an addiction and that reading had been part of her successful effort to fight that addiction. Atticus then gives Jem a box sent by Mrs. Dubose as a final instruction to her maid; in it lay a single white camellia.

Part 2

Chapter 12

Summer begins and Jem, now nearing adolescence, feels Scout’s constant attendance is a nuisance and tells her to “stop pestering him”. Calpurnia begins to refer to him as “Mister Jem”, an honorific reserved for adults, and Jem begins to assume a “maddening air of wisdom” which annoys and bewilders Scout. To counteract her sense of loss, Scout focuses on Dill’s arrival, positive that his presence will return her life to normalcy. To her dismay, the Finch’s are informed that Dill will be remaining in Mississippi. Scout’s unhappiness is augmented by Atticus, as a State Legislator, having to travel to the State Capital every day for two weeks. To ease Scout’s loneliness, Calpurnia decides to take Jem and Scout to her church, The First Purchase. For the most part, the two white children are accepted by the congregation, but do encounter some prejudice from some members.

Chapter 13

Upon returning from the services, the children and Calpurnia find Aunt Alexandra waiting on the porch. She tells them that, at the request of their father, she will be living with them for an undetermined amount of time. In actuality, Alexandra has been recruited by Atticus to provide some ‘feminine guidance’ for Scout.

Alexandra attempts to achieve this without dispatch and further takes it upon herself to more fully educate both children on the importance of their breeding and social standing within the community. In doing so, she is quite verbose on the subject of other people’s lack of breeding. Atticus uncharacteristically gives a small speech to the children that reinforces Alexandra’s opinions but almost immediately recants his statements, realizing that Alexandra’s narrow beliefs are not the entire truth.

Scout, thoroughly confused by Alexandra and unable to understand the ‘importance of being a Finch’ or the ‘importance of being a lady’, still valiantly tries to please her father, albeit by turning to Calpurnia, the only mother figure she has ever known. By observing Calpurnia, Scout decides that there actually seems to be some skill involved in becoming a woman.

Chapter 14

Jem and Scout find themselves the subject of whispers and glances whenever they go to town as the trial date goes nearer. Scout one day asks Atticus some things relevant to the case and it opens the door to discuss their trip to Calpurnia’s church. Alexandra learns this and interjects that it is time they get rid of Calpurina’s services since she is there to stay; Atticus denies his sister’s request. Jem and Scout left the adults to work out their differences but ends up in a fistfight so they are sent to bed early as their punishment. As they prepare for the night, Scout discovers something under her bed and calls for Jem to investigate. They discover it is Dill hiding and Jem informs Atticus; Dill tells them why and how he reaches Maycomb. In the end, Atticus makes arrangement so Dill can spend the night.

Chapter 15

The sheriff comes to the Finches’ house one night to alert Atticus that there’s a possibility of a lynch mob especially that Tom is to be moved to the Maycomb jail as his trial is nearing. Jem tells Scout he overhears Alexandra and Atticus arguing about the trial, Alexandra telling the latter he brings disgrace to the family by defending a black person. At about 10pm the following evening, Atticus leaves the house in his car and Jem, Scout, and Dill follow him without his knowledge. The children saw Atticus in front of the Maycomb jail and they agree that they will not bother him; Jem suggests they go home. At that same instant, four cars drive into Maycomb and park near the jail, the men emerged from their cars and confront Atticus. Scout, not realizing the danger, runs toward Atticus and Jem and Dill has left with no other choice but to follow. The men warn Atticus he has fifteen seconds to get his children to leave. Scout looks around the group and recognizes the father of one of her classmates, Walter Cunningham. As the others listen, Scout starts to talk to him about his son and asks him to tell his son “hey.” Mr. Cunningham tells Scout he will tell his son “hey” for her then leads his group away. The incident very likely saves Atticus’ life.

Chapter 16

The trial is about to begin and though Atticus warns his children to stay away from the trial, the children’s curiosity got the better of them. They go the courthouse in the afternoon and their original plan to be lost in the crowd –so Atticus won’t notice them- did not materialize. In the end, they are invited by Reverend Sykes to join them in the balcony designated to colored people. They can see the whole courtroom from their seats.

Chapter 17

The trial is in progress. The first witness is Heck Tate whom Bob Ewell, the father of Mayella, called when the rape incident happened. Heck told the prosecutor that he found Mayella bruised and beaten and she told him that Tom raped her. During cross-examination, Heck admits that no doctor has been called to examine Mayella; he also reveals that Mayella’s bruises were concentrated on the right side of her face. The next witness to take the stand is Bob. He narrates that he was coming out of the woods when he heard his daughter yelling. He reached the house in a hurry and there he saw Tom who immediately fled. When he checked his daughter and he found her alright, he ran for the sheriff. During cross-examination, he said that no doctor was summoned because it was too expensive and there was really no need. Atticus asks the witness to write his name. The jury notices that Bob is left-handed—a left-handed man is likely to bruise the right side of a girl’s face.

Chapter 18

Mayella takes the witness stand. She says she offered Tom a nickel to help her break a dresser, and once he got inside the house he took advantage of her. During cross-examination, everyone learns that Mayella’s life consists of seven unhelpful siblings, a drunkard father, and no friends. Atticus asks her why she did not put up a better fight, why her screams did not bring her siblings running, and how Tom manages to bruise the right side of her face with his useless left hand which was torn apart by a cotton gin when he was a boy. Atticus appeals with Mayella to admit that there was no rape and that it is her father who beat her. Mayella becomes enraged she yells that the courtroom is a bunch of cowards if they won’t convict Tom; she then bursts into tears and refuses to answer any further questions.

Chapter 19

Atticus calls Tom to take the stand. Tom testifies that he always passed the Ewell house and is often asked by Mayella to do chores for her. On the evening in question, Mayella asked him to come inside to fix a door. Once inside, he found nothing wrong with the door and noticed that they were alone; Mayella told him that she had saved her money and sent the other children to buy ice cream. She then asked him to lift a box down from a dresser and when he climbed on a chair, she grabbed his legs making him jumped in the process. She hugged him around the waist and asked him to kiss her. She is struggling same time her father appeared in the window, calling Mayella a whore and threatening to kill her. Tom fled. Tom’s white employer, Link Deas, abruptly stands and declares that in eight years of employing Tom, he has never had any trouble with him; he was expelled from the courtroom for interrupting. Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor, cross-examines Tom. He asks Tom his motives for always helping Mayella with her chores. Tom declares that he felt sorry for her – an unacceptable feeling because in Maycomb community, black people aren’t supposed to feel sorry for a white person. Mr. Gilmer recalls Mayella’s testimony and accused Tom of lying about everything.

Dill feels sorry for Tom he begins to cry. Scout takes him out of the courtroom and as they walk, they encounter Mr. Dolphus Raymond, the rich white man with a black mistress and mulatto children.

Chapter 20

Mr. Dolphus is known to be a drunkard and when he learns of Dill’s feelings on the trial, he offers him a drink in his paper bag. Scout warns Dill not to take much and he reveals that Mr. Dolphus is only sipping Coca-Cola. Mr. Dolphus admits that he just pretends to be a drunk so people won’t question his acts and at the same time to cover his preference of black people over whites.

Dill and Scout return to the courtroom as Atticus is making his closing remarks. Atticus goes over the evidences and appeals to the jury. He points out that there was no medical record to support the claim of the plaintiff, the testimonies were given by two unreliable witnesses and the physical evidence suggests that it is Bob, not Tom, who had beaten Mayella. He then offers his own version of events and concludes that Mayella is so ashamed when her father caught her thus accusing Tom of rape. Atticus begs the jury to avoid stereotyping all black men to be criminals.

Chapter 21

Atticus learns that his children and Dill are in the colored balcony and have been there since afternoon. He tells them to go home and have supper; the children beg to hear the verdict but he tells them they may return after their supper. The jury appears at 11pm and Scout notices that no one looks at Tom’s direction. They deliver a guilty verdict. The courtroom begins to empty and as Atticus pass the colored balcony, the people there all rise in a gesture of respect.

Chapter 22

The Maycomb’s black population brings foods to the Finch household and everyone is talking about the previous day’s trial. Ms. Maudie rescues Jem and Scout from all the commotion and questioning of the people. She also explains to Jem –who has shattered illusions about the justice system- that there were people who tried to help, like the judge who appointed Atticus to the case in lieu of a regular public defender. She also points out that the jury’s long deliberation is a sign of progress in race relations. As Jem and Scout leave Ms. Maudie’s house, they are greeted by the news that Bob confronted their father and swore revenge.

Chapter 23

Atticus’ family is worried about his safety but he assures them that Bob won’t do anymore harm since his vengefulness is already out of his system. After awhile, he tells them that Tom has been sent to another prison while his appeal winds through the court system. Atticus feels that Tom has a good chance of being pardoned but admits that if Tom loses, he will go to the electric chair.

Chapter 24

Alexandra is enjoying tea with her missionary circle when Atticus suddenly appears and calls her to the kitchen. There he tells her, Scout, Calpurnia, and Ms. Maudie that Tom is dead; he was shot seventeen times while trying to escape. Atticus takes Calpurnia with him to tell the news to Tom’s family. Alexandra laments Atticus’ act of pursuing justice and wrecking himself in the process. Ms. Maudie consoles her with the knowledge that the town trusts his brother for doing the right thing. They return with Scout to the missionary circle as if nothing is wrong.

Chapter 25

Helen Robinson, Tom’s widow, collapses even before she hears the news of her husband’s death. Every white person in town agrees that it is typical for a black man to do irrational thing such as trying to escape. Mr. Underwood, the town’s news man, writes a long editorial depicting Tom’s death as the murder of an innocent man. Another reaction comes from Bob who said, “One down and two more to go.”

Chapter 26

School starts again and Jem and Scout already overcome the fear of the Radley Place, though Scout still wistfully wishes to see Boo Radley. One day in school, Scout’s third grade teacher, Ms. Gates, discusses the virtues of equality and democracy. On the way home, Scout asks Jem for his opinion on her lesson and further comments that the lesson is contrary to what has taken place in the courtroom – she overheard Ms. Gates tell Ms. Stephanie that it was about time the blacks in town learn a lesson. Jem, haven’t been able to recover from the blow of the trial, becomes furious. He tells Scout to stop mentioning the trial to him again. His reaction upsets Scout she seeks Atticus’ comfort.

Chapter 27

Alexandra notes that Bob seems to hold a grudge to everyone connected with the case. He blames Atticus when he lost the job from one of the Depression programs a few days after he got it. Judge Taylor hears someone prowling around his property when he was alone in his home but finds only an open screen door and a shadow creeping when he sets out to investigate. Bob also follows Helen Robinson to work, whispers obscenities to her at a distance, and stops only when Deas threatens him with a possible arrest if he continues to bother Helen.

It is already Halloween and the year’s theme is “agricultural pageant.” Jem accompanies Scout to the party; she looks like a ham in her wire mesh shaped costume.

Chapter 28

Scout enjoys the party with her classmate, Cecil Jacobs. They wander around the school, visit the haunted house in the seventh-grade classroom and buy homemade candies. When the pageant nears its start, Scout falls asleep. She awoke only after her supposed-to-be entrance and she runs onstage eliciting laughter from the audience. The woman in charge of the pageant accuses Scout of ruining the program. Scout is so ashamed that she and Jem decide to let the crowd go home first before they make their own way home.

On their way home, the children hear noises from behind. They think it is Cecil trying to frighten them again as he did earlier but they hear no reply when they call out to him. They almost reached the road when their pursuer runs after them. Jem tells Scout to run but in the dark and in her costume, she loses her balance and falls. Something tears at the metal mesh, and Jem tries to drag her. They are almost home when their assailant pulls Jem back. Scout hears a breaking sound and Jem screams; she tries to run towards him but someone grabs and squeezer her. Suddenly, someone pulls her attacker away. The noise stops; Scout feels for Jem on the ground but only finds an unshaven man smelling of whiskey. With the help of the light from the streetlamp, Scout sees a man carrying Jem towards their house.

Alexandra calls Dr. Reynolds while Atticus notifies the police of the attack. Scout learns that Jem is unconscious in his room. After Dr. Reynolds’ examination, he announces that Jem has a broken arm and a bump on his head but he is alright. Scout visits Jem in his room; there she finds and fails to recognize the man who carried Jem earlier. Heck Tate appears and announces that Bob is dead, he is found lying under a tree, with a knife stuck under his ribs.

Chapter 29

Scout narrates what had happened to her and Jem while Heck Tate points at Scout’s costume where the knife was stopped by the wire. Scout is on the point of telling everybody that a man picked up Jem and carried home when she turns to the man in the corner and really looks at him for the first time. In his pale, torn clothes, and thin pinched face adorned with colorless eyes, she recognizes Boo Radley.

Chapter 30

Scout and Boo sit in the shadow on the porch where they listen to Atticus and Heck Tate’s argument. Heck Tate insists that Bob’s death is an accident, he fells on his knife; Atticus believes it is Jem who killed Bob and he doesn’t want his son protected from the law. Heck Tate corrects him and assures him that Jem is not the one responsible. He knows that Boo stabbed Ewell bringing him to his death but he wants to hush up the whole affair. Heck Tate said Boo doesn’t need the attention of the neighborhood and Tom died for no reason and now the man responsible is dead: "Let the dead bury the dead."

Chapter 31

Scout escorted Boo to Jem’s room to say goodnight then walks him home. He goes inside his house and she never sees him again. For a moment, she imagines the world from his perspective, and understands what her father used to say, "You never really understand a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."