Mr. Avery told Scout and Jem that poorly behaved children caused the changing of the seasons. He said this to make them feel obligated to behave themselves.
Mr. Avery was a neighbor of the Finch family. He lived on their street and was a boarder. A large man, he had frequent sneezing fits. He enjoyed sitting on the porch and whittling stove wood.
When the seasons changed, Mr. Avery referenced the Rosetta stone. He made it clear to Scout and Jem that if the seasons changed, it was because of their disobedience:
Mr. Avery said it was written on the Rosetta Stone that when children disobeyed their parents, smoked cigarettes and made war on each other, the seasons would change: Jem and I were burdened with the guilt of contributing to the aberrations of nature, thereby causing unhappiness to our neighbors and discomfort to ourselves (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 8).
When a rare snow fell in Maycomb, Mr. Avery reminded Jem and Scout of his superstitious ideas. He scolded them.
"See what you've done?" he said. "Hasn't snowed in Maycomb since Appomattox. It's bad children like you makes the seasons change."
Scout and Jem did not take Mr. Avery's warning too seriously. After he walked away, they made a snowman that looked like their cranky neighbor. They were greatly amused by it.
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