In Chapter 3 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem exhibits the behavior of a gentleman as he invites the impoverished Walter Cunningham to join them for "dinner." [Note: In rural areas of Alabama lunch was often called "dinner" because farmers and other laborers ate their heaviest meal at noontime. This term "dinner" is still used today.]
Miss Caroline, who does not know of the financial situation of the Cunninghams, offers to loan Walter a...
In Chapter 3 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem exhibits the behavior of a gentleman as he invites the impoverished Walter Cunningham to join them for "dinner."
[Note: In rural areas of Alabama lunch was often called "dinner" because farmers and other laborers ate their heaviest meal at noontime. This term "dinner" is still used today.]
Miss Caroline, who does not know of the financial situation of the Cunninghams, offers to loan Walter a quarter for his lunch at school, a quarter that he can repay the next day. However, the new teacher does not understand that Walter refuses to take it because he cannot repay it the next day as she has asked him to do. Scout, who knows Walter's reason, stands and tries to explain to her teacher,
"Miss Caroline, he's a Cunningham....The Cunninghams never took anything they can't pay back....They never took anything off of anybody; they get along on what they have."
Then, when Scout adds that Miss Caroline is "shamin' him," Miss Caroline scolds her because she feels that Scout has been impudent. She tells Scout to hold out her hand, and Scout is given about six strikes with a ruler.
At the midday break, Scout finds Walter and tackles him in the schoolyard, rubbing his nose in the dirt as payback for her punishment. When Jem comes to escort his little sister home for their meal, he finds Scout on top of Walter and he orders her to stop what she is doing. Observing that Walter is the son of Mr. Cunningham, Jem kindly invites him to eat with Scout and him. Again knowing that he cannot reciprocate, Walter hesitates, but his hunger for a home-cooked meal overrides his pride and he joins the Finches for a meal.
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