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“‘I don’t like it, Atticus, I don’t like it at all,’ was Aunt Alexandra’s assessment of these events. ‘That man seems to have a permanent running grudge against everybody connected with that case.’”
This quote from Chapter 27 foreshadows Bob Ewell’s attack on Scout and Jem at the end of the novel. Aunt Alexandra astutely identifies that he wants revenge, and while Atticus doesn’t disagree, he believes Bob Ewell will settle down before long, dismissing her concerns.
“Mrs. Crenshaw thoughtfully left two peepholes for me. She did a fine job; Jem said I looked exactly like a ham with legs. There were several discomforts, though: it was hot, it was a close fit; if my nose itched I couldn’t scratch, and once inside I could not get out of it alone.”
In Chapter 27, Scout describes the ham costume that she must wear for the Halloween pageant. The description emphasizes its confining nature and lack of mobility, which will become significant both before and during Bob Ewell’s attack.
“Jem said he would take me. Thus began our longest journey together.”
The final line of Chapter 27 hints at what is to come, contributing to the ominous, uneasy tone as the narrative builds to its climax. With Bob Ewell on the prowl and Scout confined in her ham costume as she and Jem set off to attend the Halloween pageant without Atticus or Aunt Alexandra to accompany them, the stage is set for the action to culminate during their “longest journey.”
