1. Plot Points
1.1. -Dill comes to Maycomb to spend the summer; Jem and Scout befriend him and they all wonder about the Radley House
1.2. -the next summer, Dill returns and the kids daringly go to the Radley home in which Jem loses his pants; he later gets them back, sewn and fixed up randomly; they also start receiving and finding little gifts mysteriously
1.3. -Atticus defends a black man by the name of Tom Robinson in a trial; Tom was accused of rape against Mayella Ewell; Bob Ewell is the man who is pressing charges
1.4. -Atticus finds out the whole accusation is a scam; Bob set Tom up when he found out he and Mayella were having an affair; Bob accused Tom of rape to cover up the guilt and shame Mayella would have gotten for being close to a black man
1.5. -despite all evidence, Tom gets convicted and goes to prison; while trying to escape, he gets caught and killed
1.6. -later on, Bob plans revenge on Atticus by attacking Jem and Scout on Halloween as they are walking home; Boo saves the children by stabbing Bob
1.7. -when Boo returns Jem and Scout to Atticus, the police cover up the stabbing by saying that Bob fell on his own knife accidently; Scout sees Boo as a good person and begins to reconsider the good and bad within a human
2. Themes
2.1. Social Inequalities
2.1.1. The segregation of the white and black community of Maycomb suggests not only a separation of class, but also, race. The false accusation of Tom's rape is another example of how one class of people can get away with everything due to their higher stance in society. Justice is skewed when the social inequalities are put into the play of a society.
2.2. The Difference between Right and Wrong
2.2.1. At first, Jem and Scout's innocence leads them to believe that all people are made good. When Atticus helps Tom on trial because he knows Tom is innocent, the kids see that some people are wrong when it comes to crime and punishment. Scout questions her faith in human nature and learns to accept the different of good and evil. Jem, on the other hand, loses his faith in all justice and humanity.
3. Symbols
3.1. Mockingbirds
3.1.1. In the book, it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. The resemblance to the theme of right and wrong is by killing a mockingbird, innocence is also killed. Many characters throughout the novel experience this death of innocence due to the chain of events in their lives.
3.1.1.1. Examples: Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, Dill, etc.
3.2. Boo Radley
3.2.1. Every character knows Boo to be a scary individual at the beginning of the book. He is almost like a hermit within his home and is a type of superstition to the kids. Over time, he secretly gives gifts and fixes Jem's pants to make him seem like not a bad guy. This development is not only supportive of the mockingbird symbol, but also is representative of the fact that everyone has a touch of good in them no matter what.
4. Main Characters
4.1. Scout Finch-protagonist; young tomboy girl; adventurous; daughter of Atticus; sister of Jem; friend of Dill and Calpurnia; intelligent despite age
4.2. Jem Finch-older brother to Scout; son to Atticus; friends with Dill and Calpurnia
4.3. Atticus Finch-father of Jem and Scout; widow; known lawyer in Maycomb; very wise and insightful; cares about equality and justice
4.4. Dill-summertime pal to Jem and Scout; daring enough to go near the Radley house; imaginative and confident
4.5. Calpurnia-cook for the Finch family; takes care of Jem and Scout during the trial; very stern and strict at times
4.5.1. New node
4.6. Boo Radley-known as the neighborhood creep; hermit-like qualities; a good man rumored to have evil ways
5. Other Important Characters
5.1. Bob Ewell-father to Mayella; racist in the worst of ways; insensitive; ignorant; accuses innocent Tom Robinson for rape against his daughter, Mayella
5.2. Mayella Ewell-daughter of Bob Ewell; unhappy; abused; mistreated by her father; goes along with the conviction of Tom Robinson
5.3. Tom Robinson-young black worker; accused of raping Mayella; like Boo Radley, an innocent man condemned by the evil of society's rumor
5.3.1. New node
5.4. Miss Maudie-neighbor of the Finch family; has a bitter side; agrees with the justice of Tom; supports Atticus throughout the trial
6. Other Literary Elements
6.1. Tone
6.1.1. -speaker: Scout; very innocent and naive at times; intense throughout the duration of the trial and revenge
6.2. Foreshadowing
6.2.1. -the sad town and segregation respresented Tom's conviction and death
6.2.2. -Bob's son's attitude at school demonstrated Bob's insensitivity and hostile ways
6.2.3. -the presents and gestures of Boo Radley show his inner kindness