Dill, oh Dill, a typical naive child, flees from Meridian to Maycomb,
Seeking attention and joyfulness.
His new father spoils him with toys to keep him out of the way:
"...now-you've-got-it-go-play-with-it..." (191),
And is treating him with lack of interest and disregard.
His parents appear to have become more serious, if not treacherous,
And Dill cannot stand it.
He flees to Maycomb to relive his happy childhood,
Role play as fiance with Scout, and be, as Scout says,
"...home." (187)
Home for these children is childhood, when everything was joyful.
The novel has taken a serious turn,
And though Dill seeks childhood in Maycomb,
Maycomb has progressed beyond his childhood.
Seeking attention and joyfulness.
His new father spoils him with toys to keep him out of the way:
"...now-you've-got-it-go-play-with-it..." (191),
And is treating him with lack of interest and disregard.
His parents appear to have become more serious, if not treacherous,
And Dill cannot stand it.
He flees to Maycomb to relive his happy childhood,
Role play as fiance with Scout, and be, as Scout says,
"...home." (187)
Home for these children is childhood, when everything was joyful.
The novel has taken a serious turn,
And though Dill seeks childhood in Maycomb,
Maycomb has progressed beyond his childhood.
I apologize for the tardiness of my post. This website has been acting up lately, and it just finally posted. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteGreat poem, it tells Dill's story very well. I think you made a very good point that Dill goes to Maycomb to gain his childhood back, which his new father and the experience of running away has seemed to cause him. Also, I really like the last line. Since last summer, Maycomb has become a much different place for Scout and Jem, and though they are young, they are faced with the problems of race and acceptance. The fire was also a scary event for the children to have to endure. Dill is not aware that the Scout and Jem he goes back to are not the same as the Scout and Jem he played with last summer. I was wondering while reading though, do you think Dill could have a childish affect of Scout and Jem, and make them be able to have the kind of fun they used to have?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Caroline; in that the last line is the best. Dill just wants to the return to this place of comfort and joy. He wants to return to the place that made him happy, a place where he hopes to be happy again. It’s like returning to your house after a long vacation, then lying down in your bed. It has that sense of comfort and familiarity that Dill seeks. However, as Caroline said times have changed. Answering your question Caroline, I do believe that Dill is pulling them back into childhood. I feel that throughout the novel childhood is a constant struggle. The children are caught on the borderline between innocence and adulthood. It is almost as if the children are trying and persisting so hard to grow up; but obstacles keep getting in their way. Dill is one of these obstacles. I think that the children want to go back to Dill's level. Those summers were filled with happy memories, before they were forced to grow up. This relates back to one of the main themes of the book: coming of age. Do you think the young Finches will persevere and push into adulthood, or will Dill pull them back into the childhood?
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I liked your poem Elliot, you describe Dill very well. I think Caroline brings up a very interesting point saying that Dill could carry Scout and Jem back into childhood. As it is said before in the book Dill represents summer, and summer represents childhood for Jem and Scout. I believe Dill directly represents childhood, and thats why he had trouble with his parents in Mississippi. They are all getting older and their parents are expecting them to do more adult things (like baseball as Dill's father says). Dill can't handle that and runs back to place of comfort, where his childhood took place. So i completely agree with Elliot when he brings up the fact Dill is trying to regain his child. Responding to Karissa's question I think Dill definitely has an impact on Jem and Scout, but I predict that Dill Scout and Jem with go through experiences together that will force them as a group to mature. So I do not think Dill has enough influence to push Jem and Scout back into childhood.
ReplyDeleteNice job Elliot, I especially like how you quoted "home". Dill feels he belongs to Maycomb where in the summer everything was fun and games. However, in reality, Maycomb has moved on to the "adult" issues of race, as in the line, "Maycomb has progressed beyond his childhood". Adding on to what Brace has said about Caroline and Karissa's comments, I also think that Dill does not have enough force to recreate the childhood world for Jem and Scout. Although Dill might share their adventures, they cannot ignore the world of racism because Atticus is directly involved with it. As shown by the mob scene, Jem and Scout are already losing what's left of their innocence and are learning the adult side of Maycomb.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Elliot, Caroline and Karissa. I think that Dill is a symbol of summer for Jem and Scout. Summer is a time of innocence, fun and freedom. However, not only are Jem and Scout growing up and going through a lot, but Dill is too. To Dill, Jem and Scout are a symbol of the only real home he has. Not only is Dill holding Jem and Scout back from facing the realities of adulthood, but they're holding him back from this as well.
ReplyDelete