Essay/Term paper: Jem's journal: chapter summary

Essay, term paper, research paper:  World Literature

Jem's Journal: Chapter Summary

Dan Latham

Chapter 4 - I think at times my sister, Scout can be disgusting. I came home
from a long day at school. I found Scout on the porch chewing a wad of gum. I
knew it was gum because she had it in her mouth for a long time and plus I could
see it in her mouth. So just like any normal brother would do, I told her not
to eat things you find and she said that she didn't find it on the ground but
rather in a tree. I put an expression on my face that clearly communicated to
her that I didn't think she was funny. I also growled at her. She told my like
an innocent girl that it was sticking in a tree on the way home from school. I
really didn't care about where she got it from I just wanted that disgusting
piece of trash out of her mouth immediately before she caught some germs. I
told Scout to spit it out immediately. She was actually pretty obedient and
spit the gum out. She told me that she had been chewing it all afternoon and
that if she wasn't dead and didn't feel sick. She was obviously mad at me for
ruining her chewing enjoyment but I didn't want her getting sick because knowing
Atticus, I'd be the one who would have to take care of her and that wouldn't go
over to well with me since I know I could have stopped her from getting sick. I
think I yelled at her and said that isn't she supposed to know that she isn't
allowed even near those trees. We all know about that weird guy Boo Radley and
we know that property is off limits. I told her that she would probably get
killed if she were caught. She said in defense that I touched the house once.
This was a clear reference to Boo Radley's house but I ignored her comment and
told her that it was different. I also ordered her to go and use some mouth
wash to get rid of the germs that she collected from that stick of gum she just
spit out. She wasn't pleased that I just ordered her to wash her mouth out and
told me in defense that washing her mouth out will dissolve the taste in her
mouth but I still didn't care. I wanted her to wash her mouth out so I told her
that I would tell Calpurnia about how she found some gum in a tree near Boo
Radley's house. I guess she didn't really want to risk a tangle with Calpurnia
so she did as I told her.

Chapter 7 - Scout asked me about what went on last night and I decided to tell
her. I told her that after we heard the gun shot and ran I got my pants caught
on the fence. I tried to get them unhooked but I was too freaked out but that
gun shot and I feared for my life so I left the pants behind. The next morning
my father, Attaicus told me to go get the pants and so I did but this is the
part that was really spooky. I told Scout that the pants weren't like the way
that I left them. They were folded neatly across the fence and the hole that I
made from my struggle with the fence was mended. But it wasn't mended like a
woman would mend it. I mean it wasn't neat and all perfect but it actually
looked like that kind of sewing job that I would do. It seemed like someone was
reading my mind but if no one over there knows me then how could they know was I
was thinking. I think that by the expression on her face, I could tell that
Scout was equally as mystified by the events that have taken place over the past
two days. First was find some strange objects near Boo Radley's tree and then I
find that my pants which were ripped by a fence while I was running from a gun
shot from some strange shadow have been sewed to my satisfaction. We weren't
sure what to do next but I was beginning to think that those items that were
left in the tree were some how meant for us. I don't know how or who is doing
it but I think the answers all lie within the Radley house hold.

Chapter 5 - I was scared and I think my father made it worse. After Scout, Dill
and I went to the Radley house to give Boo Radley the letter we made, we heard a
gun shot. All of us ran as fast as we could but I stupidly got my pants caught
on the fence. I had to think quick and so and split second decision making, I
decided to ditch my pants. I ran as fast as I could and we reached our house.
I rang the door bell many times and that got Atticus pretty upset. He wanted to
know what was going on. He asked me what I was doing and I replied to him that
I was innocently doing nothing and ended it with a "sir." He didn't buy it and
said he didn't want any lying going on and he said, "tell me." That was my cue
to spill the beans to my father. I didn't want to lie but I didn't want to tell
him everything. I said that we were trying to give him something. I was hoping
my father wouldn't pry any deeper into the topic of conversation. But he did.
He asked me what it was we were trying to give Boo Radley. And I told him it
was just a letter. He asked me to let him see it. I gave him the filthy piece
of paper and Atticus tried to read it. He asked why we wanted Boo to come out
and this was a question that I could answer that wouldn't make us look guilty.
I told him that we were hoping he might like us and that we were just trying to
make friends with him. As usual, he didn't buy it. My father grew very stern
and it drained all the blood from my face. He said, "Son, I'm going to tell you
something and tell you one time: stop tormenting that man." He turned to Scout
and Dill. "That goes for the other two of you."

Chapter 6 - I think those final days before Dill left were the best. We asked
Atticus if we could go over to Miss Rachel's pond and he said we could. Me,
Dill and Scout leaped over the low wall that separated her driveway from ours.
I whistled and Dill responded. I looked around and noticed that the wind was
hardly blowing. I informed my friends of the same thing telling them that the
wind wasn't blowing hard. Then I noticed a gigantic moon was rising behind Miss
Rachel's pecan trees. I told my sister and friend that the moon looked gigantic.
But to them it only made things look hotter than they really were. I noticed
that Dill was making a cigarette out of the things he had and then he challenged
me. He asked if I'd cross the part that I was pointing to. I noticed that Dill
was almost done with his cigarette and I wanted to change the subject so I told
him not to smoke his cigarette because he'd stink up this side of town. I told
Dill that we would definitely miss him and I knew that went double for Scout.
Dill stretched out and asked if we all would like to go for a walk. We replied
that it sounded great and we told him that we would. But I asked Dill where
should we go. He pointed in a southerly direction. I said, "okay," but Scout
protested and Dill replied, "you don't have to come, Angel May." I thought it
was kind of cute but Dill wanted to leave now because our time with him was
numbered and we wanted to spend as much time as possible with him but we didn't
want to get in trouble like we seem to be pretty good at which is why Scout is
probably going to protest to our little "walk."

Chapter 2 - I remember the days when Dill wasn't around and Attaicus sent me and
Scout to school. We were learning about cows and Scout didn't like the idea too
much. That didn't matter because we had to learn and plus cows are a big part
of Maycomb County. She told me that she really didn't want to know about cows
and I told her that I had to learn about the Dewy Decimal System. Our teacher
was Miss Caroline and we had students of all ages in our school. I remember
when Miss Caroline asked about the little Cunnigham boy. She didn't know at the
time that the Cunningham's are too proud to take money from anyone and Scout
told her that it would be useless to try and give him something when he couldn't
return it. She just thought that idea was silly but the Cunningham boy didn't
take any money for lunch. I don't think in that particular year that Miss
Caroline liked Scout too much. She found out that Scout could read and that
Atticus taught us both that and she also found out that Scout was very smart.
One time that year, Scout asked me if I could write something for her and I told
her that we don't write like in the first grade, we print. She didn't like my
sarcasm too much but I helped her out anyway like any big brother would do.
Scout had a grudge with Calpurnia, our new black maid. I told Scout that we go
home for lunch and she liked that idea because that meant that Calpurnia had to
make her whatever she wanted. I also told her that the kids who bring lunch
keep it on their desks. This is the point of the Walter Cunningham incident.
Miss Caroline also calls Scout, Jean Louise, which is her real name but no one
calls her that. Not even Atticus. Scout, that same day, asked me what
entailment was. I told her its when you get your tail caught in a crack. She
got the humor that I was trying to get across to her but as usual, I was joking
around and she was completely serious.