Week+5+Discussion

The children discover that Mr. Dolphus Raymond only pretends to be half-drunk all the time. He admits his deception is not honest, but says it is "mighty helpful to folks". What does he mean by this? What is your opinion of his deception?

About the outcome of the trial, Atticus says, "They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it- seems only children weep." What Atticus says is similar to what Mr. Raymond was saying when he told Dill that he might not mind so much about racial injustice when he gets older. Is it true that people become hardened to rights and wrongs with age- that once you get older, the lines between right and wrong become harder to see and easier to ignore? How can one avoid becoming this way?

Atticus says, "Serving on a jury forces a man to make up his mind and declare himself about something. Men don't like to do that. Sometimes it's uncomfortable." What does he mean? Do you agree or disagree and why?