This is a good question. Let me give you the context. Scout and Jem heard that there would be a trial and that Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell. The natural question for a curious young girl was to ask what rape was. Scout asked Calpurnia, but Calpurnia did not feel comfortable answering. Instead, she directed the question to Atticus and changed the subject and asked Scout if she was hungry.
When Scout finally asked Atticus, Atticus gave her a very legal sounding definition - carnal knowledge of a woman without her consent. Scout acted like she understood. Atticus knew that Scout was too young to understand but he also knew that he had to give an answer. From this perspective, Atticus's words were wise. Here is the conversation:
Atticus looked around from behind his paper. He was in his chair by the window. As we grew older, Jem and I thought it generous to allow Atticus thirty minutes to himself after supper.
He sighed, and said rape was carnal knowledge of a female by force and without consent.
“Well if that’s all it is why did Calpurnia dry me up when I asked her what it was?”
No comments:
Post a Comment