Bobby continues to display a strong mastery of critical plot developments, today examining the racial implications of Dolphus Raymond's decision to feign continuous intoxication in order to achieve some level of societal acceptance for his decision to live with and have children with an African -American woman. We studied why the society in the novel can accept Dolphus as a drunk but not as a person who would otherwise enter into an inter-racial relationship. As the novel's initial climax is the trial of Tom Robinson ,we spent some time talking about the realistic depiction of jury selection and cross examination noting how Atticus is able to trap a lying witness . While Jem, still a boy, remains hopeful of a not -guilty verdict, we analyzed how that hope is the hope of childhood innocence that will be crushed during the course of the novel. A description of the Ewell's dilapidated shack and yard brightened by a single red geranium brings to mind Elizabeth's Bishop's poem, "Filling Station" which we will review tomorrow to compare and contrast with the setting and theme of the novel. For homework, read the poem and the next chapter of the novel.