Explain how Scout's treatment of the roly-poly bug mirrors the way the town of Maycomb treated Tom Robinson.

Scout immediate desire to kill the roly-poly bug causes Jem to stop her and remind her that the bug never did anything to harm her. Scout does what he says and carefully takes the bug outside. This mirrors the mockingbirds in the story; Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, who sought only to help people the people around them, but who are cruelly and senselessly hurt.

Scouts automatic reaction to kill the roly-poly bug mirrors the way the towns instinct to charge Tom Robinson as guilty. The way Jem tells her to stop and take it outside is the same way Atticus helps the town see that just because he is black, doesn’t mean he is guilty.