She seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think there was some skill involved in being a girl.

Characters make their own plot. The dimensions of the characters determine the action of the novel.

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.

I don't want to hear any words like that while I'm here. Scout, you'll get in trouble if you go around saying things like that. You want to grow up to be a lady, don't you?' I said not particularly.

Atticus had said it was the polite thing to talk to people about what they were interested in, not about what you were interested in.

In Maycomb, if one went for a walk with no definite purpose in mind, it was correct to believe one's mind incapable of definite purpose.

Dill if you don't hush I'll knock you bowlegged.