Literary Devices in Chapter 8

Pathetic Fallacy, Allusion and Foreshadowing:
"We had two weeks of the coldest weather since 1885, Atticus said. Mr. Avery said it was written in the Rosetta Stone that when children disobey their parents, smoked cigarettes and make war on each other, the seasons would change: Jem and I were burdened with the guilt of contributing to the aberrations of nature..."(page 85)

• In this quote there is a clear link between the weather and the plot.  This is because in this chapter, a fire burns, Miss. Maudie's home.  As we noticed, this tragedy is one that follows the the two weeks of the coldest weather in Maycomb since 1885.  The community blames this unnatural weather on the children, by saying: "it was written in the Rosetta Stone that when children disobey their parents, smoked cigarettes and make war on each other, the seasons would change".  In this quote Harper Lee makes an allusion to The Rosetta Stone, a monument, found by Napoleon in Egypt written in three different languages.  This allusion to the Rosetta Stone is referring to the snowman the children build. The snowman itself resembles the Rosetta Stone to which could foreshadow events to come later on in the plot.

Metaphors, Foreshadowing and Personification: 

"At the door, we saw fire spewing from Miss Maudie's diningroom windows.  As if to confirm what we saw, the town siren wailed up the scale of a treble pitch and remained there, screaming." (page 92)

• "Spewing" a word often associated with water. By using this word Harper Lee compares fire to water, two completely different elements. In a bigger picture, Lee may be associated fire with the evil and the water is what quells it. In this particular battle of the elements fire triumphs and completely destroys Miss Maudie's house. This may foreshadow upcoming events in which evil will prevail. Lee also uses personification through her choice of words: "wailed" and "screaming". These describe human qualities, appealing to the human senses.  

"We stood watching the street fill with men and cars while fire silently devoured Miss Maudie's house." (page 92)

• The use of the word "devoured" creates a vivid image for the reader. The picture of fire eating up Miss Maudies house comes to the reader's mind. This is also personification because "devour" is a human quality.