To Kill a Mockingbird: Chapter 23 Summary & Analysis

Later, Atticus says later that he wishes Mr. Ewell wouldn’t chew tobacco, while Miss Stephanie takes it upon herself to dramatically tell the story of Mr. Ewell spitting in Atticus’s face. Jem and Scout don’t think it’s entertaining—they’re terrified. They try several tactics to try to get Atticus to carry a gun, but it takes a while for Atticus to realize how scared they are. One evening, Atticus encourages Jem to think of how Mr. Ewell feels. He says that he destroyed Mr. Ewell’s credibility at the trial and if Mr. Ewell spitting in his face saved Mayella a beating, he’s fine with it. Aunt Alexandra isn’t so sure that they’re in the clear, but Jem and Scout feel better.

A few weeks later, Atticus discuss Tom’s case with Scout and Jem. He explains that Tom is at a prison farm 70 miles away, and he and Jem argue over whether rape should be a capital offense. Atticus insists he’s fine with that, but he doesn’t believe men should be sentenced to death on circumstantial evidence rather than eyewitness testimony. Jem stubbornly says that the jury is the problem, but Atticus argues that in his opinion, only judges should be able to set the penalty in capital cases. He says that the law won’t change for years, if ever, and points out that the men on the jury are reasonable people, but they lose their heads when confronted with something like Tom’s case—in this world, a white man will always win against a black man.

Jem maintains his position, but Atticus replies vehemently that he should always remember that a white man who cheats a black man is trash. He declares that one day, they’re going to pay for this mistreatment. Jem asks why nobody like Miss Maudie ever sits on juries. Atticus points out that in Alabama, women can’t serve, though he suggests that’s not such a bad thing. Then, Atticus says that Maycomb’s citizens are disinterested and afraid. Serving on a jury to decide a peer’s fate could lose someone business—even if, in theory, a jury vote is secret. He says that men don’t like to declare themselves and Jem mutters that Tom’s jury decided quickly.

Atticus says quietly that that’s not true—it took much longer than usual, and a Cunningham wanted to acquit Tom. Jem yelps, but Atticus says that the Cunninghams are loyal once you earn their loyalty. He says that if they’d had two Cunninghams, the jury would’ve been hung. Jem asks how Atticus could risk putting someone on the jury who wanted to kill him, but Atticus insists there’s little risk—a man who’s a little uncertain is a good bet. Scout wants to know this Cunningham’s relationship to Mr. Cunningham. Atticus says they’re double first cousins, which Scout can’t make sense of.

Scout feels good about defending Walter at school and declares that she’s going to invite Walter for dinner sometime. Aunt Alexandra puts her foot down. Scout is confused and says that the Cunninghams are good people, but Aunt Alexandra insists that they’re not their kind of people—and Finch women aren’t interested in them anyway. Scout presses further, but Aunt Alexandra maintains that Scout and Walter can’t be friends because Walter is trash and Scout is already enough of a problem. Jem catches Scout before she can do anything and leads her to his bedroom. She cries and accepts his proffered Tootsie Roll.

Scout studies Jem, who’s getting taller and leaner. He shows her hair growing on his chest, which Scout can’t see but compliments anyway. He tells Scout to not let Aunt Alexandra get on her nerves and asks if Scout would start sewing. Scout insists that she’s upset that Aunt Alexandra called Walter trash, not about being a lady. Jem proposes that there are four kinds of people in Maycomb County: normal people like them and the neighbors, people like the Cunninghams, ones like the Ewells, and black people. Each group hates the person who comes next on the list. Scout asks why Tom’s jury of Cunningham-like people didn’t acquit Tom to spite the Ewells, but Jem waves this away.

Jem says that he’s seen Atticus enjoy fiddle music on the radio, but somehow, they’re still different from the Cunninghams. Atticus once said that Aunt Alexandra is so concerned about the family because they have background but no money. Scout insists that the focus on being an old family is silly, but Jem insists that it has to do with how long a family has been literate. Scout points out that nobody is born knowing things and notes that Walter is smart, he just misses school to help on the farm. She thinks that people are just people. Looking angry, Jem says he used to think that, but he can’t understand why people can’t get along if they’re the same. He understands now that Boo Radley might stay inside because he wants to.