Final answer:
In 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' Mr. Underwood describes Tom Robinson's death as a 'senseless slaughter,' the church ladies are more focused on poverty in foreign lands than local issues, and Jem is heartbroken over the conviction of Tom Robinson due to the manifest injustice.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question relates to various characters and themes within Harper Lee's classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird. To answer the student's questions:
- Mr. Underwood describes Tom Robinson's death as a senseless slaughter, indicating that he views it as an unnecessary and egregious loss of life.
- The church ladies in To Kill a Mockingbird are more interested in poverty and strange customs in foreign lands than addressing the needs and suffering within their own community.
- Jem is broken-hearted when Tom Robinson is convicted because he couldn't understand such injustice. The trial and the unfair verdict shatter his innocence and faith in the legal system.