Explanation of Chapters 1 - 8 ("Part 1") .
The first chapters of the novel paint the town of Maycomb as a quiet and idyllic town. The children play freely, the neighbors gossip innocently on the streets, and everything moves very smoothly. Of course, this will not be the case throughout the novel. These chapters set the tone for a town that is going to be exposed. The lazy rural fazade will crumble and the racism and double standards that have been in the minds of the citizens for years will be exposed. .
This is where Boo Radley comes into play. The town shows a fear and confusion towards the Radley family. They are different, and this leaves them on the outskirts of the community. The children's games and gossip about the Radleys will mirror the town's attitudes toward Tom Robinson and his plight later. It is the fear of the different and the unfamiliar that shakes this town, and the Radleys are the perfect example of it. They have been neighbors for years, but the town still treats them like fresh news. .
On the other side of the Finch house is Miss Maudie Atkinson. She is an older woman from whom Scout learns. She is a kind of maternal figure in the absence of Scout's mother. When her house burns down in chapter eight, Scout and Jem learn an invaluable lesson from Miss Maudie about strength in the face of adversity. .
Explanation of Chapters 9 - 14 ("Part 2") .
As Scout's fights with school children, and her cousin Francis, would suggest, the trial is going to be a major hurdle for the Finch family. In an old fashioned Southern town like Maycomb, racism abounds. The town is not so much upset that Atticus is defending Tom, which is his job. They are upset that Atticus plans to defend Tom to the best of his ability. Maycomb residents believe Atticus should not put any effort into the case and let it all be done with. When a black man has been accused of raping a white woman, the verdict has already been decided regardless of the facts.
