Plot Diagram // TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
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PLOT OUTLINE
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
EXPOSITION
EXPOSITION
“When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out" (3).
INITIAL CONFLICT
INITIAL
CONFLICT
“Atticus sighed. ‘I’m simply defending a Negro--
his name’s Tom Robinson" (86).
RISING ACTION
RISING
ACTION
“But Mrs. Dubose held us: ‘Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for n---rs’” (117).
CLIMAX
CLIMAX
“I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: ‘Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” (240).
FALLING ACTION
FALLING
ACTION
“Tom’s dead… They shot him… He was running. It was during their exercise period" (268).
“Something crushed the chicken wire around me. Metal ripped on metal and I fell to the ground and rolled as far as I could, floundering to escape my wire prison. From somewhere near by came scuffling, kicking sounds, sounds of shoes and flesh scraping dirt and roots" (300).
RESOLUTION
“Mr. Tate found his neck and rubbed it. ‘Bob Ewell’s lyin’ on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He’s dead, Mr. Finch" (305).
"Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch" (317).
EWELL'S
DEATH
"Before [Atticus] went inside the house, he stopped in front of Boo Radley.
'Thank you for my children, Arthur" (317).