Journal #1- Chapters 1-3 from the perspective of Jem

My Father is lawyer, and my sister was a six year old tomboy. I was undoubtedly Scout’s best friend. Scout is my sister. I am Jem, ell, Jeremy Atticus Finch really, but everyone just calls me Jem. I have lived in Maycomb my whole life and in a town so little there is more gossip than you could think, but we will get to that later. My sister and I were playing in the backyard when were heard a noise. We had assumed that it was the neighbor’s dog, but when we looked through we found a boy sitting there instead. His name was Dill. Dill was staying all summer with his aunt. One day, Dill, Scout and I were watching the Radley house. For some strange reason dill was fascinated by it, I guess that fascination went along with his eccentric personality. Dill had dared me to try to get Boo Radley, the crazy son of Mr. Radley, to come out of the house. I had no intention of getting myself killed, so I talked dill into making a compromise. If I would just touch the house, then dell wouldn’t tell anyone that I got scared. It seemed like a much better dare to me. Unfortunately, when it came time for summer to end, Dill had to leave.

With Dill gone it was not as fun, but I realized that I would be starting school again in a week. It was also scout’s first day so I condescended to walk her, knowing that Atticus was probably busy. As we were walking to school I told scout that she was not to bother me, ask to play silly games, embarrass me, or not to follow me around at school. Basically to just leave me alone. Scout listened to me, so I trusted that she wouldn’t irk me.

During lunch, I walked out to find her rubbing Walter Cunningham’s nose in the dirt and I automatically told her to stop. She told me of the incidents that she had with Ms. Caroline, but knowing how poor the Cunningham’s were I invited Walter over for lunch, and of course scout had her opinions. Scout had nothing nice to say about Walter or his family during lunch, so Calpurnia made her eat in the kitchen and gave her a good talking. The three of us walked back to school to finish the rest of the day. And of course, at the end of the day scout had more to tell me about her class, Ms. Caroline and the malevolent Burris Ewell. Well, this school year was going to be just fantastic. Hopefully things will go better tomorrow.