TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Chapter 22
Chapter 22
The morning after the trial, the town of Maycomb wakes up slowly. The children, Jem, Scout, and Dill, are very unhappy about the jury's decision. They feel a deep sense of unfairness.
When the children wake up, they find a large amount of food in their kitchen. There are smoked meats, baked goods, and many kinds of fresh vegetables.
Scout asks Calpurnia about the food. “Cal,” Scout asks, “What is all this food for?” Calpurnia is smiling, but her eyes are wet. “It is from the black community. They want to thank your father for helping Tom Robinson.”
Atticus sees the food and is very moved. He speaks to the children and to Calpurnia. “Tell them I am truly thankful,” Atticus says quietly. “But please tell them not to do this again. They cannot afford to spend their money on us.”
Later that morning, Miss Maudie Atkinson, their kind neighbor, calls the children to her house. She offers them cake. She knows they are upset by the guilty verdict.
Jem is the angriest. He hits the table and asks Miss Maudie, “How could they do it? How could the jury say he is guilty when the evidence is so clear?”
Miss Maudie looks at him kindly. “Jem, there are some people in this town - good people - who tried to help. Judge Taylor helped by choosing Atticus to defend Tom. And Atticus himself is trying to make things right.”
She reminds Jem that the jury took a very long time to decide. “The jury usually decides in five minutes when the accused man is black,” Miss Maudie explains. “But they did not do that this time. They thought about it for many hours. This shows that someone on that jury thought Tom Robinson was innocent.”
Jem feels a little better. He sees that there is a small piece of hope in the bad decision. The children's conversation is quickly stopped when Mr. Bob Ewell appears. He is very angry about Atticus’s defense of Tom. Atticus has made him look like a liar in front of the whole town.
Mr. Ewell sees Atticus on the street outside the post office. He stops Atticus. He is shouting and spitting. “You think you are so good, don’t you?” Mr. Ewell yells at Atticus. He is very close to Atticus’s face. “I will get you for this, nigger-lover! You are too proud!”
Atticus stays calm. He does not fight or shout back. He just looks at Mr. Ewell and says, “I expected that.” Mr. Ewell spits at Atticus and then walks away.
Later, the children ask Atticus about the incident. They are scared. “Don’t worry,” Atticus tells them. “Mr. Ewell had to say that. I destroyed the last bit of his pride in court. He had to take his anger out on someone. It is much better if he yells at me than if he hurts his daughter, Mayella.” The children now understand that the trouble is not over. Mr. Ewell is still a danger to their father.
