What do jem and scout plan to put in the tree

Scout asks Miss Maudie about Boo. Miss Maudie tells her that Boo was always a friendly child, but that he grew up with a harsh father. However, Miss Maudie asserts that most of the rumors about Boo are untrue, although she thinks he might have gone crazy from being trapped in that house.

Toward the end of the summer, Atticus catches Jem and Dill when they plan to leave a note on the window at the Radley house, inviting Boo out to have ice cream. This is their attempt to lure him out. However, Atticus is angry about this, and insists that Jem, Dill, and Scout stop their games about and obsession with Boo Radley.

However, on the last day of summer, just before Dill has to leave, they come up with a new plan. They plan to sneak over to the Radley home and peek inside. The three of them go over to the Radley house one night and walk the perimeter of the house, looking in windows. Suddenly, a man appears, and the three of them take off running. They crawl under a fence on the property as the man fires shots at them.

Jem's pants get stuck on the fence, and he is forced to leave them behind in his desperate attempt to escape. When they arrive home, there are several adults gathered at their house including Miss Maudie, Atticus, and Stephanie Crawford, the neighborhood gossip.

They are talking about how Nathan Radley fired shots at someone who was on his property, someone he notes in particular as a black man. Atticus notices that Jem's pants are missing, and Dill tells him Jem lost his pants in a game of strip poker.

Jem goes back to the fence that night to retrieve his pants. In Chapter 7, the next school year starts for Jem and Scout. Curiously enough, Jem tells his sister that, when he went back for the pants the night they tried to spy on Boo, they were neatly hanging over the fence and the hole in them had been mended.

Scout continues to be disillusioned with school, but Jem promises her that it will get better every year. Later in the school year, Jem and Scout find another oddity in the knothole of the oak tree. They are two figurines carved out of soap who looking suspiciously like Jem and Scout.

What is the significance of the gifts Boo Radley leaves in the knothole? Why does the jury find Tom guilty? What role does Calpurnia play in the family and in the novel?

Why is Dill an important character? What does Mrs. Dubose teach Scout and Jem? Why does Dolphus Raymond hide Coca-Cola in a brown paper bag? Why does Mayella Ewell lie on the witness stand? What qualities make Atticus a good father? Why does Aunt Alexandra move into the Finch household? Summary Chapters 7—8. Summary: Chapter 7 A few days later, after school has begun for the year, Jem tells Scout that he found the pants mysteriously mended and hung neatly over the fence. Summary: Chapter 8 For the first time in years, Maycomb endures a real winter.

Analysis: Chapters 7—8 Originally portrayed as a freak and a lunatic, Boo Radley continues to gain the sympathy of the children in these chapters. Previous section Chapters 4—6 Next section Chapters 9— Popular pages: To Kill a Mockingbird. Take a Study Break.

Radley vows to aim low at the next trespasser, "'be it dog, [or] nigger. Ironically, Atticus will later deal directly with a mad dog and a black man. How he handles each situation gives true insight into his moral code. The truth becomes a blur in these chapters. Dill makes up a fantastic story as to why Jem lost his pants. The neighbors accept the story readily, although Atticus asks some questions that lead readers to believe he may suspect otherwise.

Later, Mr. Radley tells Jem that he cemented the knothole because the "'Tree's dying. Radley and Jem both know that the tree is fine and that the hole is plugged to stop Jem and Scout from retrieving any more treasures. However, Jem is forced to accept that explanation when Atticus says, "'I'm sure Mr.

Radley knows more about his trees than we do. Jem's bravery reaches new heights in these chapters. He puts himself in peril three times: trying to peek in the Radleys' window, helping Scout and Dill get to safety, and returning to the Radley yard to retrieve his pants. In the last instance, pride drives his bravery more than fear of punishment. Scout recommends that Jem deal with the punishment for lying rather than risk his life, but Jem insists, "'Atticus ain't ever whipped me since I can remember.

I wanta keep it that way. A major shift occurs in Jem that night, and in an attempt to understand this change, Scout, significantly, tries "to climb into Jem's skin and walk around in it.

Radley cemented the knothole in what he and Scout now referred to as their tree. With this harsh realization, Jem moves one step closer to adulthood. Again, these two chapters show Scout and Jem that appearances aren't always what they seem. They rightly conclude that someone is deliberately leaving gifts for them in the knothole, but they can't understand why this donor won't make himself known. After hearing Mr. Radley's stance on trespassers, Jem tells Scout in amazement that his pants "'were folded across the fence.

They discover that some adults would rather lie than be frank with them.