To Kill A MockingBird Response Journal Chapters 1 and 2

In the chapters one and two of the book To Kill A MockingBird by Harper Lee there were many events that took place that resulted in with many questions. When Scouts teachers gets mad at her because she learned how to read and write from her father and Calpurnia I wonder why she disapproves of Scout getting an education from others. One could infer that she disapproves because she wants all her students to be taught a certain way. However I had trouble understanding why since I thought the purpose of being a teacher was to help benefit others and if Scout was succeeding in being educated by her family, why was she punished  for it? Another question I had was why the Cunningham family declines people offering money to them. When Walter Cunningham didn't have a lunch on the first day of school  and Mrs. Caroline offers to pay but he declines, Scout says " The Cunninghams never took anything they can't pay back-no church baskets and no scrip stamps. They never took anything off of anybody , they get along on what they have"(20). From the quote one could infer that they don't accept  peoples offers due to their pride. I was surprised that the Cunnighams never excepted offerings since they are a very poor family and could use the extra support.


In the beginning of chapter one the author used the famous quote of "Nothing to fear but fear itself"(6). The quote means that there will always be fear in people and the feeling of fear will never be entirely gone. There is many examples of this quote proving to be true in how people become paranoid when they fear that something bad is bond to happen to them. People in great statics and power fear that their position of power will always be challenged be someone. The fear grows greater and greater until they can not trust anyone but themselves and become cautious of everything around them. A ruler in Rome was so afraid someone was coming to kill him that he made sure the floors were shiny enough to see his reflection so he could see if someone was coming behind him. The feeling of fear proves to be a powerful emotion as people will go to extreme lengths, and will do unexpected things in order for the feeling of fear to go away. However from the quote on page six fear never goes away.