chapter 1: The Radley Place

Scout Finch, the narrator of the book, recounts how her brother, Jem Finch, broke his arm. She gives a brief description of the county of Maycomb, Alabama and we meet a few of it's inhabitants. We meet Atticus Finch, Scout's father, who is an attorney and state-legislator and Calpurnia, the 'negro' cook. Scout also gives a detailed description of the Radley House and Boo Radley. The Radley Place is presented as a haunted house and all the people of Maycomb do everything they can in order to avoid it. We meet Dill who comes to Maycomb for the Summer holidays, Scout and Jem often play with him and one day he dares Jem to run up and touch the Radley Place.