Chapter 9 Summary

At school, Scout nearly starts a fight with a classmate named Cecil Jacobs after Cecil declares that “Scout Finch’s daddy defends niggers.” Atticus has been asked to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. It is a case he cannot hope to win, but he tells Scout that he must argue it to uphold his sense of justice and self-respect.

At christmas time Atticus’s brother, Jack, comes to stay with Atticus for a week during the holidays. Scout usally gets along greatly with Uncle Jack but when he arrives in Maycomb she starts to curse alot which she has been picking up lately. After supper Uncle Jack sits Scout on his lap and warns her not to curse in his presence. On Christmas Day, Atticus takes his children and Jack to Finch’s Landing, a rambling old house in the country where Atticus’s sister, Alexandra, and her husband live. Whilst staying there Scout meets Aunt Alexandera’s son called ‘Francis’ and Scout thinks Francis is the most “boring” child she has ever met. She also has to put up with the prim and proper Alexandra, who insists that Scout should dress like a lady instead of wearing pants. One night, Francis tells Scout that Dill is a runt and then calls Atticus a “nigger-lover.” Scout is furious and as a consequence she curses him and beats him up. Francis tells Alexandra and Uncle Jack that Scout hit him, and Uncle Jack spanks her without hearing her side of the story. After Uncle Jack punished her she becomes really really angry and says ‘ill never speak to you again as long as I live! I hate you an’ despise you an’ hope you die tomorrow!’

After they return to Maycomb, Scout tells Jack what Francis said and Jack becomes furious. Scout makes him promise not to tell Atticus. Jack promises and keeps his word. Later, Scout overhears Atticus telling Jack that Tom Robinson is innocent but doomed.