Scout says that shortly after the Tom Robinson verdict, Maycomb “became itself” again. What does it mean for Maycomb to “become itself” again? What role does forgetting play in the community’s response? Who wants to forget? Who cannot? When is forgetting helpful, and when is it destructive?

Maycomb is, at the beginning of the book, described as quiet. A place where winter is almost nonexistent, and the people are almost as miserable as the summers, suffering from boredom and apathy. After Tom Robinson is found guilty, Maycomb largely settles down from the excitement of the trial, however, not everyone can turn a blind eye so quickly or so easily. Jem is immediately distressed, and although Atticus assures him they'll "...get it on acquittal..." he still cannot forget. The rest of the town, on the other hand, tries to forget, Mrs. Maudie briefly acknowledges the horribleness that Helen Robinson must be suffering through, but she changes the subject as quickly as she can. In the end, this turns out to be destructive. Occasionally, forgetting is helpful. If Mr. Bob Ewell had forgotten which lawyer had defender Mr. Tom Robinson, he wouldn't have attacked the Finches, and subsequently died, but in forgetting Tom, he grew restless, eventually making a break and dying in the process.

overnment is strong when they have the ability to persuade those they govern to believe government has enough power to force them or should be forcing them to do government’s will.

when enough of the citizenry do not believe government can force them or should force them to do its bidding, government has lost or will lose its strength and power to coerce.

when enough of the citizenry do believe government can force or should force them to do its bidding, they become passive at the least or actively pro-government and repeat government’s own rhetoric to pass on what they have been persuaded by government’s propaganda.

a true majority isn’t always needed to govern or to stop government. many times all that is needed is a strong minority. if a determined 30% of the population rises up against government in a concerted effort to bring it down, this size minority usually will succeed as long as those actively opposing the minority are less in force than the minority. so if 41% of the population sits at home watching tv rooting for one side or the other, they don’t matter. it’s the active parties who make a difference.