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What happens in Part Two, Chapters 12 & 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird?
In Chapter 12, Jem begins spending less time with Scout, telling her that she should act more like a girl, a comment that upsets her. The children are taken to Calpurnia’s mostly Black church, where they learn that Tom Robinson was accused by Bob Ewell. In Chapter 13, Aunt Alexandra reveals she has come to stay with the Finches, believing that they need a “feminine influence” around the household. When Atticus tries to lecture the children on their ancestry, per Alexandra’s request, he only succeeds in making Scout cry.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Part Two, Chapters 12 & 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird. (3-minute read)
What key characters are introduced in Chapters 12 & 13 of To Kill a Mockingbird?
Reverend Sykes is introduced in Chapter 12. He is the reverend of First Purchase African M.E. Church and a leader in the Black community who welcomes Scout and Jem when they accompany Calpurnia to church one Sunday.
Read our Character List descriptions for To Kill a Mockingbird. (4-minute read)
What key themes from To Kill a Mockingbird are explored in Chapters 12 & 13?
Racial Prejudice is developed as a theme in these chapters, as it becomes clear that the white citizens of Maycomb are prepared to take the word of the cruel and untrustworthy Bob Ewell over Tom Robinson simply because Tom is Black and Bob Ewell is white. The text also explores The Existence of Social Inequality as a theme, both in the arrival of Aunt Alexandra (and her preoccupation with ancestry) and in the condition of Calpurnia’s church. Scout is surprised to find that the congregation cannot afford hymnals (and the congregation is illiterate anyway), making clear the extent to which Maycomb is segregated and its Black citizens are marginalized.
Read more about the novel’s key Themes. (4-minute read)
How does the tone of the novel change as the story progresses?
As Part Two begins, the light-hearted and nostalgic tone established early on in the novel gives way to a more serious and foreboding tone.
Read more about Tone in To Kill a Mockingbird. (2-minute read)
