0. To Kill a Mockingbird
Guided Notes

1. Chapter 17
The trial begins with the testimony of the town sherriff, Mr. Heck Tate (222) Highlight: Mr. Heck Tate and Mr. Gilmer
Tate tells his version of the events: entered Ewell house and found Mayella on the floor, beaten (223) “Mr. Tate said…raped his girl…Found her lying…Robinson…”
Atticus questions Tate: a doctor was not called, M. was beaten on right side, and choked ( ) “Well, she was beaten…”

2. Chapter 17 cont.
Mr. Bob Ewell is the next witness (look at passage on page 227) “Every town the size of Maycomb…Negro cabin.”
Only thing Ewell has over the blacks was...that he was white under all the filth (229) “All the little man…”
Mr. Ewell recounts incident (230-1)
Atticus questions him: no doctor, and he’s left-handed (237) “You’re left-handed…which he did.”

3. Chapter 18
Mayella Ewell takes witness stand, cried, “scared of Atticus” (240) “Mayella stared at him and…”
Tells her version of incident: Tom Robinson did a job for her, she walked into house for money to pay him, and he jumped her; father arrived and TR ran away (241-2) “I said come here…agin”
Atticus asked questions to reveal her home life (244) “Slowly but surely…them at home.”

4. Chapter 18 cont.
TR stands after Mayella claims he was the man who raped her, he has a dead left hand (248) “His left arm was fully…”
Intense! (250-1)

5. Chapter 19
Tom Robinson takes the stand, his left hand doesn’t function, admits to previous trouble with the law: has nothing to hide (254) “Tom was twenty-five…cut me.”
TR tells his version of the incident: passed Ewell house on way to work, helped M.E. with work for free bc she had no one else (255-6) “Mr. Finch, it was way last spring…way over a year ago.”
Scout thinks M.E. loneliest person in world (256) “As Tom Robinson gave his testimony…because she was white.”

6. Chapter 19 cont.
On that day, M asked T to enter to fix something that wasn’t broken, very quiet, she closed the door, he tries to leave, but she asks him to reach for a box, he does, and then she grabs his legs! She jumps on him! She hugged him! She tries to kiss him! (259-60)
Mr. Ewell arrived on the scene, threatended T and T ran (261)

7. Chapter 19 cont.
Mr. Gilmer (prosecutor) questions T in a condescending way (264-5)
Dill starts to cry, and leaves with Scout, it made him sick (266) *symbol of empathy

8. Chapter 20
Mr. Dolphus Raymond, known as town drunk bc he drinks from a brown paper bag + straw, married to black woman and has mixed children
He offers Dill a sip...it’s Coca-Cola (267)
Gives them life lessons (268-9)

9. Chapter 20 cont.
Atticus’s closing arguments: AMAZING! ( )