To Kill a Mockingbird — Chapter 9

About This Passage

Atticus says this to Uncle Jack in a quiet conversation Scout overhears. The passage is the closest the novel comes to stating Atticus's parenting philosophy outright: respect children with honest answers, refuse the comfort of evasion, and trust their perception. Lee places this confession in an overheard scene because Atticus would never preach it openly.

Narration Prompt

Trace the chapter's three encounters in order: Scout with Cecil at school, Scout with Francis at the Landing, and Scout overhearing Atticus speak to Uncle Jack. Note what Scout chose, what she lost, and what she learned in each.

Discussion Questions

1. Atticus tells Scout that this case will probably end in defeat but adds, 'Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.' What does this distinction between losing and refusing to try suggest about how Atticus measures the worth of his work?
2. Uncle Jack later tells Atticus he was wrong to punish Scout before hearing her side. Using both his apology and his explanation about why he never married, examine what kind of moral teacher Uncle Jack is for Scout — and where his understanding ends.

+ 3 more questions in the complete study guide