1. Chapter Summaries Chapters 10-14
To Kill a Mockingbird

2. Chapter 10 Important Points
Scout points out Atticus is older than other fathers, which slightly embarrasses Jem and Scout
One day a “mad dog” appears at the end of the street
Calpurnia calls Atticus who calls Sheriff Heck Tate
Sheriff Tate brings a rifle and asks Atticus to shoot the dog
Atticus does so and hits the dog in one shot from a great distance
Miss Maudie tells the children Atticus had been known to have the best shot in the county
Scout wants to brag about this, but Jem tells her to keep it secret

3. Chapter 11 Summary
Mrs. Dubose is a cantakerous and sick old lady who always shouts and Jem and Scout when they pass her house
One day, she insults Atticus which causes Jem to lose his temper
Using a baton, Jem destroys all of her camellia bushes
As punishment, he must go read to her every day for a month
An alarm goes off at the end of each reading session
As time goes on, the reading sessions last longer and longer
Mrs. Dubose dies a month later

4. Chapter 11 Continued
Atticus tells Jem that Mrs. Dubose had been addicted to morphine and that his reading helped her defeat that addiction so she died “beholden to nothing and nobody”
Atticus views this as real courage: “It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”

5. Chapter 12 Summary Dill does not come to Maycomb the next summer
Atticus leaves for the state capital for 2 weeks
Calpurnia takes the children to her church on Sunday
Reverend Sykes welcomes the children
Reverend Sykes takes up a collection for Tom Robinson’s wife since she cannot find work since her husband has been accused of rape
Scout learns that Bob Ewell has accused Tom and wonders why anyone would believe Mr. Ewell
Aunt Alexandra is waiting on their porch for them when they return home

6. Chapter 13 Summary
Aunt Alexandra is staying for a while to be a “feminie influence”
She fits into Maycomb quite well
Aunt Alexandra is very proud of the Finch name
The children do not share this pride
Aunt Alexandra tries to convince Atticus to lecture the children about their ancestry
Atticus tries, but only makes Scout cry

7. Chapter 14 Summary
Jem and Scout notice more whispers and stares when they are in town as the trial approaches
Scout asks Atticus what rape is, which brings up the trip to Calpurnia’s church
Aunt Alexandra says they are not to go to that church again and tries unsuccessfully to convince Atticus to let Calpurnia go
Jem tells Scout to stop antagonizing Aunt Alexandra which leads to a fight between the two
That night, they find Dill, who has run away from home, hiding under Scout’s bed
Jem tells Atticus Dill is there
Dill stays the night at the Finches