le Scout is standing outside in the cold, someone sneaks up behind her and places a blanket around her. Later, Scout and Jem realize that there was only one person in town who has not already at work fighting the fire and that was Boo. Now that Jem and Scout realize that Boo is basically a kind person, their interest in the Radley family begins to fade. In the meantime, they learn that their father has become the defense lawyer for Tom Robinson, who is charged with raping Mayella Ewell. As the trial of Tom Robinson grows nearer, the children become more aware of the strong feeling it has aroused in everyone in Maycomb. One day their housekeeper takes Jem and Scout to visit her church, and the children realize for the first time that the black parishioners are supporting Tom Robinson's wife. Two nights before the trial is to start, a group of men come to the Finch house to tell Atticus about threats against Tom Robinson's life. Atticus spends the next night camped out at the jail to defend Tom from the mob. Jem, Scout and Dill go downtown to check on Atticus and arrive at the same time as a group of men, who have come to kill Tom. Scout recognizes one of the men in the group as Walter Cunningham. Her friendliness embarrasses the man so much that he and the mob leave. The next day, at the trial, Atticus" questions make it clear that Mayella and her father are lying about the rape. Neverless the jury convict him because their prejudices prevent them from taking a black man's word against two whites. Atticus is now a hero in the black community of Maycomb, but Bob Ewell, vows to "get" Atticus for showing him up as a liar in front of the whole town. Tom Robinson has give n up hope and trys to flee the prison, but while doing it he gets caught and shot. By the time Halloween comes around, the Finch family has begun to put Tom's death behind them. There is a pageant planned and Scout much to her dismay has been cast as a ham. After the pageant...
