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Scout Had Her Days Mixed Up in Both Versions!

posted 9 years ago by cmashieldscapting
6 replies | jump to latest

In both the book and the movie, Scout was wrong as to the day of the week in the closing sequence and Jem failed to correct her. Both versions open in the summer of 1932, but the movie takes place over about a year and a half, two summers (1932 and 1933, ending with Halloween of 1933) and the book over three and a half years, four summers (the date of the trial is given as summer, 1935, so the story would end on Halloween of 1935). The trouble is, Scout was sure she couldn't get into the school the next day to retrieve her shoes as it was a Sunday. Halloween fell on a Tuesday in 1933 and on a Thursday in 1935. Not until 1936 would Scout have been correct. "Time was playing tricks on me," indeed!

[–] theunopeneddoor-697-442391 9 years ago

Well I'm sure you feel clever.

There is no such thing as a hipster.

[–] cmashieldscapting 9 years ago

Don't get me started on how clever I am.

[–] hachmom-1 8 years ago

This is of course assuming it took place on Halloween Night. Especially with families having a long way to travel they may well have had it the weekend before.

It is not our abilities that show who we truly are...it is our choices

[–] cmashieldscapting 8 years ago

Not to mention there may have been other festivities planned for Halloween--trick-or-treating had not really caught on nationwide at that time, but there were parades, parties, and mischief, depending on the community--so those in charge decided to have the school pageant on the nearest weekend rather than on Halloween itself. Just go and blow all my almanac-checking cleverness!

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 6 years ago

In the novel it was more clearly stated that the pageant took place on Halloween night. Chapter 28 begins with "the weather was unusually warm for the last day of October," and proceeds with the account of Jem and Scout walking to the school auditorium. When the auditorium lights are turned off before Scout can retrieve her forgotten shoes, Jem suggests she go back the next day. Scout replies, "but tomorrow's Sunday." So both Halloween and the pageant occurred on a Saturday night.
The only years during the 1930s when Halloween fell on a Saturday were 1931 and 1936. The novel specifically names 1935 as the year of the trial. Atticus mentions it in his final speech to the jury.
I'm surprised Harper Lee didn't catch this.

[–] CoriSCapnSkip (2172) 6 years ago

Thanks for answering and confirming my initial cleverness.