Chapter 11 of To Kill a Mockingbird is especially vital and important to the story and its message.  In this chapter, Jem and Scout encounter the terrifying lady known as Mrs. Dubose who insults them and their father every time that they pass by her front house, and who has a hidden struggle under the surface that is the cause of her actions.

This chapter is important because of its symbolism. When Atticus punishes James by telling him to go read to Mrs. Dubose every day for wrecking her camellias, this stands for responding to violence and anger with acceptance and education. Mrs. Dubose herself symbolizes old tradition and racism. Therefore, when she dies at the end of the chapter, this demonstrates breaking the norm and putting an end to the racism that is the main cause of conflict in the small town of Maycomb.

Mrs. Dubose’s death also may signify the loss of innocence. This was the second death that Jem had experienced in his life, after his mother’s, and this was Scout’s first death that she could recall, because she was too young to remember her mother’s death. The two siblings are also introduced to adult problems  and a harsher, real world where people are not all that they may seem on the outside. For instance, the two realize that Mrs. Dubose was fighting against drugs, morphine in particular, and they never knew that until after she had died. They learn that Mrs. Dubose had Jem read to her every day because it was a way to distract her from the pangs of addiction. In this way, they also learn that people aren’t all as they seem, because they thought that all Mrs. Dubose did was insult them, when in reality, her actions were influenced from attempts of breaking out of addiction.

This chapter is important to learn more about because it represents Maycomb breaking free of its traditions of racism and discrimination. This is similar to the situation of Mrs. Dubose because she was trying to fight her addiction to drugs. This representation can prove to be true because Atticus tells Jem that even if Mrs. Dubose didn’t punish him by telling him to come over everyday to read to her, he would tell Jem to do the same thing, Atticus said that this showed people getting rid of old habits when they didn’t have to, but when they did it anyway, even with the knowledge that it might be a lost cause.

Chapter 11 of To Kill a Mockingbird is important because it demonstrates the Finch children acknowledging a world that is bigger than their childhood imaginary fantasies. Mrs, Dubose’s death and her addiction is a way of showing them that that people aren’t all that they may seem, and that they may be fighting an internal battle that nobody knows about. All in all, the symbolism and analysis of this particular chapter is vital to understanding the message behind the book, and will prove to be key in the children’s adaptation to the world as they grow up and mature.

Written by Alessandra Nguyen