"Catching Walter Cunninghan in the school yard gave me some pleasure, but when I was rubbing his nose in the dirt Jem came by and told me to stop."(27) In the book, To Kill a Mocking Bird, violence is always present. It has a great impact on everyone, but especially Scout.
Scout is an ill-tempered child, fighting Walter after being embarrassed by the teacher. "Miss Caroline he's a Cunningham"(25). "Miss Caroline stood stock still, then grabbed me by the collar and hauled me back to her desk." "Hold out your hand", "Miss Caroline picked up the ruler, gave me half dozen quick little pats and then told me to stand in the corner."(26) Scout did not understand that in order to "understand a person you consider things from his point of view." (34) This little lesson impacted her life greatly.
Scout was extremely violent when Francis continually called Atticus a nigger lover. "I split my knuckle to the bone on his front teeth. My left impaired I sailed in with my right." (88). Even after Atticus told Scout that she was not to fight Scout let her violent side show with this incident. Scout learned that sometimes life is not very fair.
Uncle Jack thought that Scout's actions were "obstreperous, disorderly and abusive." (90). Once Uncle Jack learned Scout's side of the story he understood that Scout had a good reason to fight.
Scout is impacted when Atticus explained that fighting is not acceptable. Scout showed great self-control at school when Cecil Jacobs was continuing to call Atticus a nigger lover. "Your gonna take that back boy?" "You gotta make me first!" "I drew a bead on him remembered what Atticus had said, then dropped my fist and walked away." (81).
Another way Scout is impacted by Atticus's talk is when Scout wanted to whip Mrs. Dobuse up one side and down the other, but she did not. "What Jem did was something I"d do as a matter of course had I not been under Atticus interdict which I assumed included not fighting horrible old ladies.
