To Kill a Mockingbird quotes

View Quote Scout: Is he poor?
Atticus: Yes.
Scout: Are we poor?
Atticus: We are indeed.
Scout: Are we as poor as the Cunninghams?
Atticus: No, not exactly. The Cunninghams are country folks, farmers. The crash hit them the hardest.

View Quote Dill: Hey.
Jem: Hey yourself.
Dill: I'm Charles Baker Harris. I can read. I can read anything you've got. Folks call me Dill.
Jem: How old are you? Four and a half?
Dill: Going on seven.
Jem: Well no wonder then. Scout's bin readin' since she was born, and she's not even six yet. You're mighty puny for nearly seven.
Dill: I'm little but I'm old.

View Quote Scout: Hey Miss Dubose.
Mrs. Dubose: Don't you say "hey" to me you ugly girl!

View Quote Atticus: Good Afternoon Miss Dubose... My, you look like a picture this afternoon.
Scout: [hiding behind Atticus whispering to Jem and Dill] He don't say a picture of what.

View Quote Scout: Atticus, do you think Boo Radley ever really comes and looks in my window at night? Jem says he does. This afternoon when we were over by their house...
Atticus: Scout. I told you and Jem to leave those poor people alone. I want you to stay away from their house and stop tormentin' them.
Scout: Yes, sir.
Atticus: Well, I think that's all the reading for tonight, honey. It's gettin' late.
Scout: What time is it?
Atticus: Eight-thirty.
Scout: May I see your watch? [reading] 'To Atticus, My Beloved Husband.' Atticus, Jem says this watch is gonna belong to him some day.
Atticus: That's right.
Scout: Why?
Atticus: Well, customary for the boy to have his father's watch.
Scout: What are you gonna give me?
Atticus: Well, I don't know that I have much else of value that belongs to me. But there's a pearl necklace - and there's a ring that belonged to your mother. And I've put them away and they're to be yours.

View Quote Scout: How old was I when Mama died?
Jem: Two.
Scout: How old were you?
Jem: Six.
Scout: Old as I am now.
Jem: Uh, huh.
Scout: Was Mama pretty?
Jem: Uh, huh.
Scout: Was Mama nice?
Jem: Uh, huh.
Scout: Did you love her?
Jem: Yes.
Scout: Did I love her?
Jem: Yes.
Scout: Do you miss her?
Jem: Uh, huh.

View Quote Scout: Atticus, do you defend ****s?
Atticus: Don't say '****,' Scout.
Scout: I didn't say it...Cecil Jacobs did. That's why I had to fight him.
Atticus: Scout, I don't want you fightin'!
Scout: I had to, Atticus, he...
Atticus: I don't care what the reasons are. I forbid you to fight. There are some things that you're not old enough to understand just yet. There's been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn't do much about defending this man.
Scout: If you shouldn't be defending him, then why are you doing it?
Atticus: For a number of reasons. The main one is that if I didn't, I couldn't hold my head up in town. I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do somethin' again. You're gonna hear some ugly talk about this in school. But I want you to promise me one thing...that you won't get into fights over it, no matter what they say to you.

View Quote Gilmer: How come you're so all-fired anxious to do that woman's chores?
Tom: Looks like she didn't have nobody to help her. Like I said...
Gilmer: With Mr. Ewell and seven children on the place? You did all this choppin' and work out of sheer goodness, boy? Ha, ha. You're a mighty good fella, it seems. Did all that for not one penny.
Tom: Yes, sir. I felt right sorry for her. She seemed...
Gilmer: You felt sorry for her? A white woman? You felt sorry for her?

View Quote Scout: Hey Boo.
Atticus: Miss Jean Louise, Mr. Arthur Radley. I believe he already knows you.

View Quote Atticus: It'll have to come before the County Court. Of course, it's a clear-cut case of self-defense.
Sheriff Tate: Mr. Finch, do you think Jem killed Bob Ewell? Is that what you think? Your boy never stabbed him.

View Quote Scout: Mr. Tate was right.
Atticus: What do you mean?
Scout: Well, it would be sort of like shooting a mockingbird, wouldn't it?