Deception

"[Judge Taylor] was a man who ran his court with an alarming informality-he sometimes propped his feet up, he often cleaned his fingernails with his pocket knife. In long equity hearings, especially after dinner, he gave the impression of dozing, an impression dispelled forever when a lawyer once deliberately pushed a pile of books to the floor in a desperate effort to wake him up. Without opening his eyes, Judge Taylor murmured, 'Mr. Whitley, do that again and it'll cost you one hundred dollars. He was a man learned in the law, and although he seemed to take his job casually, in reality he he kept a firm grip on the proceedings that came before him" (165).

If you walked into the Maycomb County Courthouse during a hearing you would likely see two lawyers arguing against each other, each trying to convince the jury that their client is right. Above them, Judge Taylor is seemingly sleeping in his chair but as soon as something goes awry,  he snaps out of his sleepy state and immediately deals with the problem. That is his way.

Also imagine walking into Maycomb. At first you would probably see only a sleepy little town with no one going anywhere or looking like they had to be somewhere. You see people laughing or talking in there sitting rooms. Miss Maudie working in her garden, but I'm guessing if you stayed in Maycomb a little longer you would begin to see that there is more to this sleepy little town than it seems. If you broke a code like bringing home someone without "background", like Scout wanting to bring home home Walter Cunningham,(224) or wanting to go to Calpurnia's house, also on page 224, most of Maycomb would pounce on you and give one million invalid reason why you shouldn't but  not being able to back up a single one of them. That is their way.

A white-haired judge and a calm Alabama town. A seemingly sleepy personality, but a steel grip when it comes to following its traditions and unspoken laws. That is their way