Ch 25- Sept begins again and this chapter begins with Scout and Jem arguing over a bug called a Roly Poly. Scout wants to squish it but Jem wants her to let him go outside free. Can't you see shades of Atticus in Jem already. Dill has gone back home promising to return when school ends and Scout was already missing him. Scout starts to remember that Dill told her that he and Jem were earlier playing when Atticus picked them up on the way to the Robinsons. Dill recounts Atticus telling Mrs. Robinson what has happened to her husband. "She just fell down in the dirt." Dill likens the fall to stepping on a bug. This tragedy has affected so many lives in Maycomb. The town is abuzz with talk of the tragedy except it still has a nasty thread to it. Mr. Underwood, the newspaper editor, ran a scathing editorial liked Tom's death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children (a good analogy for the likes of the Ewells). At first Scout disagrees with this opinion because she saw the due process given to Tom, but then the truth dawns on her, "in the secret courts of men's hearts, Atticus had no case." The children hear the garbage spewed in their presence, but Jem tells Scout if she tells Atticus any of it, he'll never speak to her again. Jem has now become Atticus' protector.

Ch 26 - School begins again but Jem is in high school and for the first time, Scout is alone. He gets involved in football. Scout still walks by the Radley place but no longer fears it. She does tell Atticus that she wants to see Bo one last time before she dies and Atticus hope that she's not going to start that again and worries about her getting accidentally shot by Mr. Nathan. Atticus predicts that the town will soon forget poor Mr. Robinson "but the events of the summer hung over us like smoke in a closed room." You gotta love Harper Lee's bit of writing here. This is classic. Scout realizes that the other kids' parents have told the kids not to blame Scout and Jem for Atticus and she theorizes that left to their own devices, would have settled the matter with fists. In spite of this Atticus was re-elected to the State legislature that year which speaks to peoples actions vs their words. Scout begins to withdraw from people which she can't understand. She couldn't get out of the weekly current events assignment. Here again, the differences between the rural and town children is emphasized as the rural children only have access to The Grit Paper which apparently publishes non-major news. When they get to the news of Hitler, Mrs. Gates seizes on the opportunity to discuss democracy. Scout asks Atticus about Hitler and if it's OK to hate him. He tells her not to hate anyone. Something is nagging Scout about Mrs. Gates spirited denouncement of Hitler in the classroom that day and then her behavior coming out of the courtroom satisfied with the outcome of Tom's trial. Jem screams at her that he doesn't ever want to talk about the trial again. Chagrined, she goes out to Atticus who tries to comfort her. He explains that Jem is trying hard to forget but will store it away for later when he can deal with it and become himself again.

Do you really think that Jem will ever be "himself" again or Scout for that matter? Do you think that Atticus really believes that or is it wishful thinking?

I don't think Jem will ever be completely "himself" again, but hopefully a very close version of it sooner or later. The events of the past summer have certainly changed his point of view in ways that may never go back to the way they were, but in a good way. I think he'll be stronger now. I think Atticus is doing his best to reassure Scout - as a caring Dad he is probably doing some wishful thinking, too.

It was so ironic that the very actions going on in the world are mimicking what happened in their own town - put in different terms it seems as if everyone from Mrs. Gates to the children sees right and wrong in the same light.

The events surrounding the trial and its aftermath have forever changed Jem and Scout, perhaps even forced them to mature into old souls. The fact that they understand the power of hatred and racism to such an extent, without any blinders, is heartbreaking. They know there are good people in the world, such as their father, but there are plenty of others who let their emotions and personal biases cloud their judgement. Only time will help Jem and Scout heal from their emotional wounds.