The Mad Dog

[stewarts]

Oct 20, 2015 7:22:09 GMT emah said:

Oct 19, 2015 4:57:44 GMT MsElliott said:

Which of the following lines from the mad dog episode in Chapter 10 most clearly links that event, thematically, with both the town peope's reactions to the Radleys and to Miss Caroline Fisher's reaction to Scout when she entered the first grade? Explain why.

A: "He looks more sick than anything."

B: "He's lookin' for a place to die."

C: "Tim Johnson had made up what was left of his mind. He had finally turned himself around, to pursue his original course up our street."

D: "I thought mad dogs foamed at the mouth, galloped, leaped and lunged at throats, and I thought they did it in August. Had Tim Johnson behaved thus, I would have been less frightened."

E: "Maybe he wasn't mad, maybe he was just crazy."

I think the option D is the most relevant line which thematically links the two other parts of the story. This is because the town and Miss Caroline Fisher are quite rigid in their beliefs of what should be normal. And when something is risking the order to become out of line, they become suspicious and afraid. Just like in D, how the person is frightened even more because they are unaware of different things happening to what they know.

What a great response, i agree entirely. You tied the symbols in perfectly, especially with the notion of fearing those that act differently. The characters outcast those that act contrary to the social norms to weaken their reputation and power of persuasiom, most people are afraid of change in the novel and will attempt to delay the inevitable.

[isabelleewert]

Oct 20, 2015 9:52:31 GMT Yor a wizard Harry!! (Ashton) said:

I agree with Ema, the option D clearly shows and proves the fact that people are more scared of what they do not know. They make the theme of things not 'Fitting the mould' a real ad first hand issue. The statement, "had Tim Johnson behaved thus, I would have been less frightened." This clearly shows that people are less scared when they know whats wrong or what the situation is. Example D could be related to the mysterious behaviors of Boo Radley and the Radley family in the aspect that people don't know what to expect and are terrified by what goes on behind closed doors; scared of the unknown. Miss Caroline has a similar issue with the unknown. When Scout can already read and write Miss Caroline displays her distaste since her teaching method has been overturned. Scout has become an unknown factor in Miss Caroline's job, she has created fear within her.

I agree that both the mystery surrounding the Radley house and Miss Caroline's unexpected problem relate to option D the closest. It certainly seems that people are more scared of what they don't know, just as they are scared or what the dog might do, what happens inside the Radley house and how Scout might make Miss Caroline's job a lot harder.