TKAM#6 Tom Robinson

I sat in the courtroom sweating. How could Mayella accuse me of such a heinous crime after all I've done for her. I didn't ask for one nickel from that woman. She never had any help and I was kind enough to help her. She is the oldest out of all of them. She has eight siblings running around. Nobody helps her. She stood there. She stood there and destroyed me. Her daddy was such an obnoxious man. He doesn't know me. Nobody knows me. They just think because I'm black I'm less than all of them.

I don't know how this'll all turn out. Atticus is a kind man to defend me but people around here don't take kindly to black folks. The jury doesn't look convinced by Atticus and when he questions everybody they smirk at him. I've never met a man quite like him. He doesn't care about the color of my skin. He cares if I'm guilty or not guilty. Mayella went on about how I was helping her in the front yard. She said I attacked her. I never laid a hand on that woman. My left arm doesn't even work. I destroyed it in the cotton field. All my muscles pulled out. Dolphus Raymond stood up. He defended me in front of everyone. He's a good man that Dolphus Raymond.He doesn't care about skin color either. He's shacking up with a colored woman and has many beautiful children.

I want to die a free man. I don't want to be in prison for a crime I didn't commit! Why would she do this to me? That's the last time I do a good deed for a crazy woman. I passed by the Ewell's house everyday. I helped her almost the whole time. I could almost tell she liked me by the way she looked at me. I was the only one that was nice to her and this is what I get. I get to sit in a courtroom and listen to a made up story about me.

TKAM#5 Dill

I was finally able to visit Scout again. I know I'll marry her one day.Sometimes I look at my life and get sick in my stomach. Nobody really wants be, but Scout does. Tim Johnson is getting ready for his trial.I hope he didn't really rape Mayella Ewell. Everywhere I look someone is hateful. It really brings tears to my eyes that the only honorable man in this town it Atticus.
Jem is really growing up. He's doing adult things and not playing like he used to. We met someone very peculiar today. His name is Mr. Dolphus Raymond. He's white but likes to hang out with the colored people.
Dolphus is always drinking out of a strange paper bag. He is the town drunk and I think that that justifies his actions to other white people. He lives in a large house with a colored woman and mixed children. They say his wife died by firing a rifle with her toes right into her head. He has been drinking ever since. I don't mind him so much. I just wonder how he's act without all of that alcohol.

TKAM#4 Capurnia

The children don’t understand how it is to be one thing and need to act two different ways. I think of myself as a well-balanced woman and I really love the Finch’s but I can’t always act proper. Lula was a brat today. She yelled at me about bringing white children to my black church. Once she left Reverend Sykes collected money for Tim Johnson’s wife and kids. Nobody will hire the poor lady because her husband was accused of rape. It doesn’t help that she’s colored. Most colored folks don’t know how to read or write. I am glad I have that skill. I love working in the Finch house but it’s hard being a mother to my own kids and the Finch kids.

TKAM Journal entry#3 Aunt Alexandria

I always dread those terrible family gatherings. Scout is being raised terribly. She could grow up to be a lady but instead she just runs around in her overalls. Whenever I comment on her appearance she gets mighty defensive. Atticus obviously has a problem without a wife around the house. Instead of playing with dolls and having tea parties but instead she runs around the house with her brother and does a mans work!
It kills me to see a relative of mine so...so boyish! I don't like it one bit. Her own male cousin is more feminine than she is. They are very fond of their uncle. I was never really a child loving woman. Children get on my last nerve. I just want them to be perfect and obedient. They are smelly, unpleasant, and rowdy. I just don't know how to relate to them.

TKAM #2 Scout

Today was an interesting day! As I walked home from school, I found a delicious piece of chewing gum hidden inside my neighbor’s tree, it was so exciting! The gum looked so delectable that I took it home with me. After looking at the chewable treat for a while, I decided to eat it. Everything was going great until Jem got home and saw my gum, he almost immediately asked me where I had gotten it from, and I told him that it was from the hole in the Radleys tree. Jem seemed outraged that I had gotten the gum from someone else’s place, and at first I thought he was just jealous, but Jem is a good person and just wants to do the right thing. I was so afraid of making Jem mad that I spit out my delicious gum when he told me to! Even though I suppose that once I had taken it, the damage had been done.

I’ve been excited about Dill coming back into town for quite a while, but his coming into town was almost a let down, he has been so close with Jem recently that I feel kind of left out. I have been spending time with Maudi Atkinson next door, and her chameleon nature never ceases to amaze me, she is capable (and good at!) so many different things; from gardening to baking, Maudi Atkinson never ceases to amaze!

Due to the constant torment rained down upon me by Jem and Dill, I was peer pressured into trying to get another look at Boo Radley, I really didn’t want to go, but I needed to validate myself to the boys, so I really didn’t have much a choice. As we crept closer and closer to the house, a man in a hat began to come into view, it was then that we heard the sound of a gunshot crack through the air, its tremendous volume ending what we had thought was a great adventure. Our play became serious as quickly as the mysterious man had pulled the trigger on the shotgun. Jem lost his pants because they had gotten caught on the fence, and he had quickly shed them to run… pants are a small price to pay for ones life!

Dill had to leave today, and offered me a kiss as we were now engaged. I wonder what will come of him, I hope he does well!
After dark, Jem snuck out to collect his torn trousers from the Radleys fence, when he arrived he looked shocked. I realized the next morning what is disconcerted look was caused by, his trousers had been crudely patched… this was not the work of a seamstress, but a man. By sneaking out, he had evaded needing to get a new pair of pants! I didn’t like that Atticus ruled our home with some degree of tyranny, and I was disappointed in the past when he cut short our fun time, we had so much fun pretending to be the Radleys! We did collect some great things from that tree though! Jem and I were pretty much unanimous about our prizes from the tree; we got gum, a spelling bee award, and an awesome pocket watch! Summer has been great, and I am looking forward to the next time I get the opportunity to write in my journal again!

TKAM#1-Jem

Dear Journal,

Today my sister gave me a guilt trip about not being able to play with her. I love my sister but there is a time for playing and it's not at school in front of my friends. I was so hesitant to touch the Radley house. I was sure that I would be killed. luckily I ran away fast enough. I am glad that I met Dill. He seems like a pretty nice kid. He definitely keeps Scout and I entertained. It's hard being a big brother sometimes. I know I will always need to protect Her. When I first saw Dill I really thought he was a toddler. He is so puny that I am not sure if he'll ever grow. Scout got in trouble because she defended Walter Cunningham. At least her teacher is good looking. After that she was really rude to him. The kid doesn't have a penny to his name. I prolly would've done the same thing if I was Scout. Walter is a peculiar kid. He put molasses all over his food. I didn't say anything but Scout totally attacked him at the dinner table. Capurnia got really mad at her. Atticus seemed to like Walter a lot. I'm glad to see my father happy. Hopefull Ms.Caroline will come around.

Sincerely,
Jem