To Kill a Mockingbird: Chapter 27
The recap, key beats, and evidence for Chapter 27, without reopening the whole book.
Section recap · 2 min read
What happens in Chapter 27.
Three things happen in Maycomb that fall, and Atticus says they are connected. Bob Ewell loses a job he just got and blames Atticus. Judge Taylor finds someone prowling around his house at night. Helen Robinson, Tom's widow, is followed and harassed on her way to work until Link Deas intervenes. Meanwhile, the town is preparing for the Halloween pageant at the school, where Scout is playing a ham. The chapter is mostly setup, but the pattern of Bob Ewell's behavior makes clear he is not done with the Finches.
The beats worth remembering.
Bob Ewell Gets Fired and Blames Atticus
Ewell is let go from a government job almost immediately after getting it, apparently for not showing up. He tells people Atticus got him fired, which is almost certainly false, but it gives him a fresh grievance.
Judge Taylor's Intruder
Judge Taylor, who presided over the Robinson trial, comes home to find his back door open and a shadow moving on the porch. The implication is that someone, likely Ewell, was there.
Helen Robinson Is Harassed
Tom Robinson's widow is followed and taunted on her walk to work. Link Deas, Tom's former employer, steps in and threatens Ewell directly, which stops the harassment but does not resolve the underlying threat.
The moments you can actually use later.
Three Connected Incidents
Atticus noting that Ewell's job loss, the prowler at Judge Taylor's, and Helen's harassment are all related gives students a way to argue that Ewell poses a real and building threat, not just bluster.
Link Deas Defends Helen
Deas threatening Ewell in front of witnesses to protect Helen Robinson is usable evidence when discussing which white characters in the novel act with moral courage outside the courtroom.
What to carry forward.
Ewell Is Escalating
Each incident is a step up from the last. He is not just angry; he is acting on it. Students should track this pattern because it leads directly to the attack in Chapter 28.
The Community Is Not Fully Passive
Link Deas standing up for Helen shows that not everyone in Maycomb accepts Ewell's behavior. It is a small moment, but it complicates the picture of the town as uniformly complicit.
Ask about this chapter
Keep the question locked to Chapter 27 instead of the whole book.
How this guide is built
This guide is built from the original text to help you get oriented fast. It is designed for recall, paper planning, and getting unstuck, but it is still a paraphrased guide, not a substitute for the reading itself. Double-check anything important before you turn in formal work.