2. Summary Part 1
• Scout Finch (the female narrator)
lives with her brother Jem and
their widowed father Atticus in the
small town of Maycomb in
Alabama.
• Atticus Finch is a lawyer in the
town and as a result is well off. He
is an upstanding citizen and an
honorable man.
3. • Scout and Jem befriend a young
boy named Dill and we see the
events of the story through their
eyes as the stories are narrated
by Scout.
4. • Dill becomes fascinated by a house called
Radley place where Boo Radley lives.
Boo Radley becomes a fascination for the
children as they are left presents by the
strange man in a tree in his garden.
These gifts are left during the first
section of the novel.
• The focus of the novel shifts when
Atticus agrees to defend a local black
man Tom Robinson who has been
accused of raping a white woman.
5. • The case is particularly prominent in
a predominantly white community
who disagree with Atticus’ role.
• The Maycomb society are largely
racist and as a result of Atticus’ role
Jem and Scout both suffer abuse
from other children.
6. • In the summer aunt Alexandra
(Atticus’ sister) comes to live with
Jem and Scout. Dill is supposedly
living with his ‘new father’ in a
different town runs away to join
Scout and Jem in Maycomb.
7. Summary Part 2
• The Tom Robinson trial begins, Mayella Ewell
is the woman who has accused Tom of rape.
• At the trial Jem and Scout sit on the colored
balcony with the town’s black citizens. Atticus
provides very clear evidence that Mayella and
her father Bob are in fact lying. Mayella had
propositioned Tom and was caught by her
father, to cover her shame she accused Tom
of rape.
8. • Despite the impressive evidence
which Atticus provides proving Tom’s
innocence the all white jury convict
Tom.
• Tom recognizing his innocence tries
to escape from prison but is shot.
Jem’s faith in the justice system is
shaken and he becomes despondent
and doubtful.
9. • Bob Ewell believes he has been made
a fool of and vows to seek his
revenge on Atticus and the judge.
• He abuses Tom’s widow and
attempts to break into the judge’s
house.
• Eventually Bob attacks Jem and Scout
on their way home from a Halloween
party.
10. • Boo Radley intervenes and saves the
children. Boo attacks Ewell in his
attempt to save the children and stabs
him during the struggle. Bob Ewell is
killed.
• Boo carries a wounded Jem back into the
house where the sheriff in a plea to save
Boo insists that Bob Ewell tripped over
the tree and caused his own injury by
falling on his knife.
11. • Boo once more disappears to live his
solitary life.
• Later on Scout feels as though she
finally understands Boo. He has
become human to her no longer a
shadow of danger or something to be
feared.
• Scout finally embraces her father’s
attitude to show sympathy and
understanding to all.