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What happens in Chapters 14 & 15 of To Kill a Mockingbird?
Tom Robinson’s trial draws near in Chapter 14, and Atticus’s role as his defense lawyer subjects Jem and Scout to town gossip. Scout gets into a fight with Jem after he asks her not to antagonize Alexandra, and when she goes to bed, she finds Dill hiding underneath it. Sheriff Heck Tate appears at the Finch home in Chapter 15 and expresses concerns about the possibility of a lynch mob arising as Tom Robinson is being moved to the Maycomb jail. Atticus sits outside of the jail reading, and when a group of men threaten Atticus, Scout intervenes.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Chapters 14 & 15 of To Kill a Mockingbird. (3-minute read)
What key characters are developed in Chapters 14 & 15 of To Kill a Mockingbird?
- Mr. Walter Cunningham: Though Mr. Cunningham has been previously mentioned, this is the first time the reader meets him. Scout describes him as a man too proud to ask for help but honorable enough to respect those, like Atticus, who offer assistance.
- Mr. Underwood: Mr. Underwood is the owner, editor, and publisher of the town’s newspaper, The Maycomb Tribune, who lives in his office above the jailhouse.
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 14 & 15?
Themes such as The Coexistence of Good and Evil, Racial Prejudice, and the Limits of the Law come to the forefront of the narrative in Atticus’s confrontation with the mob intent on murdering Tom Robinson before his trial.
Read more about the novel’s key Themes. (4-minute read)
What famous quote from To Kill a Mockingbird appears in Chapter 15?
In this quote from Chapter 15, while Atticus stands between a lynch mob and Tom Robinson’s jail cell, Scout makes a connection with Mr. Cunningham and inadvertently quells the tension:
“‘Well, Atticus, I was just sayin’ to Mr. Cunningham that entailments are bad an’ all that, but you said not to worry, it take a long time sometimes… that you all’d ride it out together…’ I was slowly drying up, wondering what idiocy I had committed. Entailments seemed all right enough for livingroom talk.”
