Question

He couldn't have cared less, so long as he could pass and punt. Why is the character doing that?

Answer 1

Answer:

The character in question is Jem, who was injured in the elbow. But this injury did not stop him from enjoying sports. Rather, he was happy as long as he can "pass and punt".

Explanation:

Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird tells the story of how race and discrimination persist in the Southern American state of Alabama. The story, though narrated by the youngest character among the others, tells the events that surround the Tom Robinson trial and how the people of the fictional town based their opinions.

The given lines are from the very first paragraph of the first chapter of the book. The lines are about the narrator's brother Jem and how he became disabled. Our narrator Scout states that her brother "got his arm badly broken at the elbow [. . . .] But he couldn't care less so long as he could pass and punt". Scout meant to say that even though Jem may have hurt his hand, that did not stop him from playing sports. Rather, he was satisfied as long as he can pass the ball and punt.