To Kill a Mockingbird Fear Quotes Page 4

Is Scout telling the truth about not being scared, or is this a white lie for Atticus’s benefit, like Mr. Raymond’s "drinking" for the sake of the citizens of Maycomb? Scout suggests that telling the story of scary events is more fear-inducing than actually living through them – which fits with her not getting upset about the lynch mob until after she was safe at home in bed and started thinking about what happened. But Atticus himself was scared in the present moment that night. Maybe this is another difference between adults and children, or perhaps it’s just a quirk of the way Scout herself sees the world.