Journal #2- Chapters 4-7 from the perspective of Jem
The school year ended a lot quicker than expected, both Scout and I could agree. Out of nowhere, Scout and I began finding things in a huge tree. I pushed her to take them, telling her they were probably put there for us. She thought otherwise, and said it was someones place to put private possessions. I was curious whose they could be though. She finally realized no one took them back, and somethings were obviously weird to be “precious,” like the gum we had found earlier. We started a habit of regularly checking the tree and taking whatever we found. I had a special place for them, and I had a feeling that Scout didn't trust me, but how could he younger one hold these items? They might mean something, anyway.
As the Summer went on, Dill came once again. Being older, neither Dill and I wanted to play the same games. We wanted more creative stories than the classics. We wanted to make some up. The topic of Boo Radley continued to come up that Summer, so Dill and I decided to play Boo Radley, a game where we'd take turns being Boo Radley and his father. This happened when we were pushing each other down a hill in a box, and Scout rolled into the Radley house. She got somewhat hurt, but that's when Dill and I came up with the idea. Scout thought it was a bad idea, but of course she wouldn't understand. She's always been changing lately, acting more like a girl. She was even becoming a litte tyranny. We'd tried to convince her to play but sense she was stubborn we basically stopped talking to her all together. She was fun, but not when she was holding Dill and I back from our game.
Dill and I continued to play the game and talking together without Scout all Summer. Besides during the game, we talked about Boo very often. We wanted him to come outside of his house desperately, to see what he looked like and if the stories were true. We were convinced they were as well as all the other kids in the neighborhood, we just had to prove it all to our parents. I came up with the idea to send Boo a letter, asking him to come outside and simply have a conversation with him. We just wanted to meet him, and how could he turn down two friendly kids? I attached the letter to a stick and tried to slide it into the shutter of the house. Scout saw us and threatened to tell on us, but I convinced her not too. Even though she didn't tell, Atticus did catch us. He told us to leave Boo alone. He thought we were tormenting him. The look on his face was very disappointed, and Dill and I decided not to try again.
Dill and I were getting very frustrated, we wanted to see Boo somehow, but if the rumors were true he'd might hurt us. I was sort of glad the letter didn't work out because he could of hurt us. We decided the only way to see him was to spy in the shutter window and see if he was there. I was more afraid of nothing than seeing him. If years of wonder had been wasted, I'd felt like I'd wasted so much time. Scout sees us as we're approaching the house and she got very upset, yelling at us. But even she was scared because she was still quiet sense we were by the Radley house. I knew she believed Boo was there as well. I told her to shut her mouth, and she kept her eye out and agreed to ring the dinner bell if someone started to walk past the house.
As I looked into the window, all I could see was dark curtains. Deep inside the house was a small light, but I wasn't even sure. I was extremely disappointed but Dill decided to look in another window- and of course Scout apposed. But she had nothing to do with it, and if she wanted to be a little girl she could whine to Atticus. I told her that, and she kept quiet. I was sure not just my tone of voice, but my evasion helped. When I looked into the other window I didn't even get a real look, I ducked down when I saw a shadow below me coming from the inside of the house. My heart was pounding and I could see worry in Dill's and Scout's eyes. The shower stopped very close to the window, than walked away. I was to terrified to look inside again so I dashed out as quickly as possible. My leg caught onto the gate as I was running out and my pants ripped. I had no time or thought to fix them so I took of my jeans and dashed back home.
Dill soon left, and the Summer was quickly over. School started again, and later that next night I decided to go back for my pants. They weren't cheap and I really liked them. Ripped or not, maybe Cal could fix them or something. Scout obviously fought back but I ignored her, there was no quibbling needed. I ran as fast as I could to the Radley house. I froze as soon as I saw them, folded up and sewed up. The stitches were messy, and I was shocked. The jeans looked malignat. I came back home faster than I left, and slept quickly.
There was suddenly items in the tree almost every day after school. We found grey twine, a pack of gum (which was delicious), a medal, a pocket watch, and the most scary thing – two soap carvings of Scout and I. Whoever was leaving us these gifts knew we were taking them, and didn't mind. Scout was scared of them more than I, but I didn't comfort her. She was acting like a baby about it. Scout and I decided to write a letter to whoever was leaving the gift. A letter of thanks, of course. This person was leaving us kind things and we decided that when he left us another he would get our letter, and perhaps write back. But I wasn't sure on that one. We ran to the house, to see that the tree hole was filled with concrete. Mr. Nathan said he filled it because the tree was sick. Scout asked Atticus about the tree, and he said it was extremely healthy. When he asked why'd she'd ask – he said Mr. Nathan knew more about trees, anyway.
Later than night on the porch I was crying and Scout didn't ask me why. I thought she wouldn't notice, but obviously she did when she saw me. My face probably showed. I slept deep that night.

Comment