Similarities Between Dill and Frances

12.3.15

Prompt: 

a. Similarities to each other

b. Differences from each other

c. Relationship to Scout

d. Effect on Scout.

     

     Something similar between Dill and Francis are their age. Dill and Francis are both a year older than Scout. I feel that this makes them think they have an authority figure over Scout. In chapter nine, Scout tells us, "he was a year older than I...he enjoyed everything I disapproved of, and disliked my ingenuous diversions." This shows that Francis feels that since he is older, he gets the say in what Scout should like; which is most likely what he likes. Dill also thinks because he is older that he gets to boss Scout around. This is shown when Scout is being excluded from Jem's and his daily plans. In chapter four, Scout says, "if you stay you've got to do what we tell you," Dill warned. "we-ll...who's so high and mighty all of a sudden?" "If you don't say you'll do what we tell you, we ain't gonna tell you anything." This shows that Dill thinks he is an authority figure over Scout because, he is ordering her to either go or to be sworn to secrecy and is going to be ordered around. And this isn't Jem telling Scout, or even a classmate! No this is adventurous, creative Dill!

        Something different between Dill and Frances is personality. One realization I made is  Francis is more like a parrot, he repeats everything he hears without thinking of the what he is really saying, Dill however kind of wings everything to get a long. He is always making up stories about his life back home and such. On page 82 and 83 of the hard cover books, Francis repeats, "...grandma says..." For example, "if Uncle Atticus lets you run around with stray dogs, that's his own business, like Grandma says, so it ain't your fault." This is found on page 83 in the hard cover book. This shows that Francis is similar to a parrot because, like stated before, he doesn't form his own opinion, he just mimics whatever anyone says and goes with it. Dill is more like the Blue Crown Manakin bird because he is unique in my opinion. He doesn't go through with what Jem and Scout do, like following the storyline of a book. Instead, he makes his own stories, and adds spins to them. Quoted in the text, "Dill recited this narrative: having been bound in chains and left to die in the basement...by his new father...secretly kept alive on raw field peas by passing farmer who heard his cries for help...Dill worked himself free...he wandered two miles out of Meridian...he traveled...all over Mississippi until...he was in Abbott County, Alabama..." This shows that he is unique like the Blue Crown Manakin because, the Blue Crown Manakin makes up his own special mating dance to attract females by puffing out its feathers into a circle, surrounding it's body and dances in front of a female. While Dill doesn't have feathers nor dances, he does create his own stories, which I think is to impress Scout with his wild imagination.  

        Scout's relationship to Dill is completely different than her relationship with Francis. One very important thing to note is, according to the book, "Dill concluded by saying he would love me forever..." This is a major difference to Francis because Scout tells us in chapter nine, "talking to Francis gave me the sensation of settling slowly to the bottom of the ocean. He was the most boring child I have ever met." Scout's relationship to Dill, well in her mind, is engagement and love. Scout's relationship to Francis is family and hatred. It completely differentiates the two boys because Scout has the opposite feelings towards both. 

          The effect on Scout is very different as well between the two boys. In chapter twelve, when Dill is unable to visit, Scout tells us exactly how she feels about Dill's absence; like another part of her was stolen. She tells us, "I had never thought about it, but summer was Dill by the fish pool smoking string...summer was swiftness with which Dill would reach up and kiss me when Jem was not looking, the longings we sometimes felt each other feel. With him life was a routine; without him, life was unbearable." This shows that without Dill visiting over the summer, she couldn't bear to be happy because her summer was filled with Dill's romance and adventures. However, like stated before, in chapter nine, Scout explains exactly how she feels about Francis as well. (This quote is also used in the paragraph above.) Scout explains to us just how boring her cousin is by saying, "talking to Francis gave me the sensation of settling slowly to the bottom of the ocean. He was the most boring child I have ever met." Unlike the completed feeling Dill gives Scout, Francis gives her a desire to drown herself feeling, which isn't too nice.