Work Over Break

Be sure to read up to Chapter 21 of Tom Sawyer by Monday, January 4th. If you take notes, you are allowed to use them on the quiz. They MUST be more than plot summary. Also, your four written paragraphs will be due Wednesday, January 6th and the TKAM final essay will be due Friday, January 8th.

Have a great break!!

Mrs. T :)

Links for Audiobook

Ipod:
http://freeclassicaudiobooks.com/audiobooks/Sawyer/m4b/

Windows Media Player:
http://freeclassicaudiobooks.com/audiobooks/Sawyer/mp3/

Just a Reminder...

Please read Chapters 13-15 over the break.

Homework for Friday

As I said on Monday, please finish the book by Friday and be prepared for a quiz.

Homework for Tonight...

Just to reiterate...

Your vocabulary test is tomorrow. This has been posted for the past two and a half weeks and also mentioned in class a myriad of times.

You must also finish the grammar packet for simple sentences. This will be checked as homework.

Have a good night. :)

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Weekend
In Class	FOCUS: Review of 10 Words   Vocabulary Activity	OFF	Test on To Kill a Mockingbird: Chapters 15-22	FOCUS: Sentence Patterns   1. NOUN +VERB Pattern	FOCUS: Sentence Patterns   PowerPoint on the 8 Sentence Patterns
HW	Study for Test		Finish to Chapter 25 by Monday	Finish to Chapter 25 by Monday	Finish to Chapter 25 by Monday
Long-term Assessment	Vocabulary Test on all 30 Words on Tuesday, November 10th (Words Associated with Scout, Words Associated with the Boo Radley Incident, and Words Associated with the Trial)   Essay on To Kill a Mockingbird due on Monday, November 16th

 

 

Class Work and Homework for 10/26-10/30

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Weekend
Vocabulary	abet (v.) abhor (v.)	beseech(v.) benign (adj.)	concoct (v.) apocryphal (adj.)	denounce (v.) disheartened (adj.)	cogent (adj.) behemoth (adj.)	N/A
In Class	FOCUS: Emerging Themes and Characterization   Notes on Characterization Activity about Dolphus Raymond in Chapter 16	FOCUS: Characterization   Character analysis activity about Bob Ewell (trial scene) What does his character teach us about life in general?	FOCUS: Emerging Theme and Characterization   Character analysis about Mayella Ewell What does her character teach us about life in general?	READER'S THEATRE OF TOM ROBINSON'S TESTIMONY	FOCUS: Characterization and Theme   Return to Dolphus Raymond's Character What does his character teach us about life in general? How does his character teach us about Maycomb?
HW	Read Chapter 17	Read Chapter 18	Read Chapter 19 (up to p.___: line "….")	Read Chapter 20	Read 21 and 22 by Wednesday –We have off on Tuesday, November 3rd.
Long-term Assessment	Test on To Kill a Mockingbird: Chapters 15-22 on Wednesday, November 4th   Vocabulary Test on all 30 Words on Tuesday, November 10th (Words Associated with Scout, Words Associated with the Boo Radley Incident, and Words Associated with the Trial)   Essay on To Kill a Mockingbird due on Monday, November 16th

 

 

Words Associated with the Tom Robinson Trial

 

Noun		Adjective	Adverb	Verb
Person Quality		Describes a Noun	Describes a Verb	Action
	apocryphalness	apocryphal	apocryphally
abhorrer	abhorrence			abhor
abetter/abettor	abetment			abet
	behemoth
	benignity	benign	benignly
			beseechingly	beseech
		cogent	cogently
	disheartenment	disheartening	dishearteningly	dishearten
denouncer	denouncement			denounce
concocter	concoction	concoctive		concoct

Homework for the Week - 10/19 to 10/23

By Wednesday, please read Chapter 12 & finish the vocabulary worksheet if you didn't already.

We will read 13 in class tomorrow.

By Friday, please read Chapters 14 & 15.

Use the study guide to help you focus your reading.

Beauty

Saw this and thought I'd share...

Vocabulary for the Week

Topic: Words Associated with the Incidents with Boo’s

distress (n.)
covert (adj.)
stealth (n.)
admonish (v.)
apprehensive (adj.)
trepidation (n.)
puckish (adj.)
capricious (adj.)
baffle (v,)
rebuff (v.)

_______________________________________________________________________________

Homework for the Week:

Tuesday (10/13) Night's Homework: Read Chapter 9 and review the study guide questions.

Wednesday (10/14) Night's Homework: Read Chapter 11 (stop at page 103) and review the study guide questions.

Thursday (10/15) Night's Homework: Study for a TEST on Part I on Friday. It will include the first unit of vocabulary as well. The format is as follows: 5 Short Answer Questions. You will have to choose three and write full paragraph responses for each.

To Kill a Mockingbird Vocabulary: Week 1

Name:________________________                     Vocabulary: Week 1

 

1. Describe one event from the chapters you've read so far that shows Scout's naïveté. In other words, why is she an ingénue? Be sure to be very specific in your answer.
   

   
    

   
    

   
    

   
    

   
    

   
    

   
    

2. How do you know that Scout is reminiscing about the events in the text? Be sure to cite a specific line from the chapter.
   

   
    

   
    

   
    

   
    

   
    

   
    

3. What makes Scout the narrator sagacious? How does her perspicacity affect the reader?
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. What ingenious game does Scout create with Dill and Jem during the first chapter?
   

   
    

 

 

 

 

 

1. Walter Cunningham has no money to pay for his lunch and refuses to borrow money from Miss Caroline Fisher. Why does Scout meddle in the situation? Explain Scout's interference and her candidness in this scene?
   

   
    

   
    

 

 

 

1. Indicate one event from the text that shows that how Scout can be considered unabashed.
   

   
    

   
    

   
    

   
    

   
    

2. Create two sentences that discuss the events of the first chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird using the following two words: audacity and nostalgia
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEEK 1:

Words that Describe Scout

 

Noun		Adjective	Adverb	Verb
Person Quality		Describes a Noun	Describes a Verb	Action
	naïveté	naïve	naively
ingénue	ingenuousness	ingenuous	ingenuously
	candidness	candid	candidly
meddler	meddlesomeness	meddlesome, meddling	meddlingly	meddle
		unabashed	unabashedly
	ingenuity	ingenious	ingeniously
	perspicacity	perspicacious	perspicaciously
sage	sagacity	sagacious	sagaciously
	nostalgia	nostalgic	nostalgically
	reminiscence	reminiscent	reminiscently	reminisce
	audacity	audacious	audaciously

Through the Tunnel Extra Credit Essay--DUE Wednesday, 10/7

Today in class, we discussed that many of you relied heavily on plot summary in your diagnostic essay. We talked about what that (plot summary) meant, and I began guiding you, using "Through the Tunnel," to help you all avoid this problem in the future. Thus, I offered an extra credit assignment: discuss the symbolism of one or two objects in "Through the Tunnel" without regurgitating the events of the story.

The symbols that we brainstormed as a class were:

1. the beach--childhood
2. umbrella--protection
3. mom--parents, guardians, supervision
4. Jerry--all humanity
5. the bay--adulthood
6. the tunnel--birth into adulthood//maturation
7. goggles--protection to help you see in difficult situations
8. older boys--admiration//desire to be older
9. fish and seaweed--difficulty of life

REMEMBER: "Through the Tunnel" is an allegory for life. All of the characters and objects represent something symbolic in this process.

UPDATED: Please Read--Homework for the Week: 9/30-10/5

Please read Chapter 2 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Friday. Please read Chapters 3 & 4 by Tuesday...be prepared for a quiz similar to the one you took for Chapter 1.

Also, continue to study your vocabulary words.

THERE WAS A MISTAKE IN MY PERIOD 1 ENGLISH CLASS. I CAUGHT THE MISTAKE WHILE I WAS LOOKING AT MY SECOND PERIOD CLASS' HOMEWORK TODAY:

Some people looked up the word INGENIOUS instead of INGENUOUS. The good news is that both words describe Scout. The word we discussed in my first period class was INGENIOUS. To clarify, I will post the definitions for both words here:

1. ingenious- (adj.) clever {noun is "ingenuity," which means cleverness}
2. ingenuous- (adj.) naive {noun in "ingenue," which means a naive character }

Vocabulary for the Week:

TOPIC: Scout

AS A CHILD:
MONDAY-
Naïvete (n)
Ingenuous (adj.)

TUESDAY-
Candid (adj.)
Meddle (v.)

WEDNESDAY-
Audacity (n.)
Unabashed (adj)

AS AN ADULT AND NARRATOR:
THURSDAY-
reminisce (v)
sagacious (adj)

FRIDAY-
perspicacious (adj)
nostalgia (n)

Notes from 9/24

Meet the People of

Maycomb, Alabama

 

Character	Nouns to Describe	Pronoun	Description
Jean Louise (Scout) Finch	Child, narrator, student, daughter, sister	She/ her	Has no filter, which leads to awkward conversations with adults. Tomboy who loveeeeessss to hang out with her older brother. Has fist fights with a boy in her class Hates her teacher because she is smarter than her teacher.
Jeremy (Jem) Finch	Preteen/teenager, boy, brother, son, football player	He/him	Average, all-American boy Plays sports Hangs out with his friends Accepts any dare Much more mature than Scout (finds her to be a nuisance)
Atticus Finch	Father, lawyer, brother of Jack and Alexandra	He/him	Strict Enforces morals and values instead of letting the children play & be "kids." Much older than the other father than the other fathers, so he cant do as much with them (Jem and football) Only man willing to defend a black man in a RAPE CASE
Jack (John) Finch
Alexandra Finch	Aunt of Francis, Scout, and Jem Sister to Atticus and Jack	She/her	Annoying Materialistic Bossy with how to raise the children, especially obsessed with making Scout a "lady" Gossip queen of the town Disapproves of Atticus defending a black man
Calpurnia
Charles (Dill) Baker Harris
Miss Rachel Haverford
Miss Caroline Fisher
Bob Ewell	Father, Drunkard	He/him	Spends all of his welfare money on alcohol, so his children have no clothes, no food Has no wife, so he makes his eldest daughter take on all of the "wife" responsibilities (i.e., cleaning, cooking, etc.) Abusive alcoholic, who beats his children all of the time
Mayella Ewell	Eldest Daughter, Teenager	She/her	Has no friends (not even 1) because she is taking care of a household of children "Raped" by a black man Really lonely
Burris Ewell	Boy (same age as Scout)	He/him	Curses out the teacher the first day of school Has lice crawl down his back during class Feels that school isn't important, so he decides to leave after the first day
Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose	Woman	She/ her	Yells at any child that steps on her lawn Morphine addict Crabby old woman
Miss Maudie Atkinson	Woman	She/her	Isn't married, she has no children She bakes pies and cakes for the children She's very kind Loves to garden
Mr. Avery	Middle-aged man	He/him	Urinates off of his porch Believes children are going to cause the end of the world
Miss Stephanie Crawford
Mr. and Mrs. Radley
Arthur (Boo) Radley
Mr. Walter Cunningham
Zeebo
Francis Hancock
Cecil Jacobs

Homework for the Weekend

Please finish "Chapter 1" of To Kill a Mockingbird and take notes on what you've read. Come into class on Tuesday ready to discuss the questions listed on the study guide. Please remember that you can write your answers, type the answers, or use post-it notes. However, no matter what you choose to do, you must take notes so that you can justify that you, in fact, did read.

Have a great three-day-weekend!!

Study Guide

Name:__________________________________                 Mrs. Thompson

 

To Kill a Mockingbird Study Guide

*Counts as a TEST Grade*

 

Chapter 1

• What do you notice about the narration and the point of view in the novel?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• What do you learn in this chapter about:
  
  • Maycomb
    

  
   

  
   

  
   

  
   

  • The Finch family
    

    
     

    
     

    
     

    
     

  • Atticus Finch
    

 

 

 

 

• What is unique about the appearance of the Radley house?
  

 

 

 

 

 

• What is Arthur's father, Mr. Radley, like (i.e., Calpurnia's opinion, the neighborhood's opinion)?
  

 

 

 

 

 

• List Arthur "Boo" Radley's physical description according to Jem.
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• What does the analogy of the turtle tell us about Dill and Jem? How does Scout interpret this comparison?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

  
   

  
   

  
   

  
   

Chapter 2

• What does Miss Caroline, Scout's teacher, look like?
  

 

 

 

• Describe Scout's first day at school. Be sure to cover her conflicts with her teacher, Miss Caroline Fisher.
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

  
   

Chapter 3

• Calpurnia lectures Scout on manners when Scout criticizes Walter's manners. Atticus, then, supports her. What does this tell you about the relationship between Calpurnia and Atticus?
  

  
   

 

 

 

• What is Walter Cunningham like? What does his behavior during lunch suggest about his home life?
  

 

 

 

• Does Scout learn anything from Walter's visit? If so, what do you think this is?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• Atticus says that you never really understand a person "until you climb into his skin and walk around in it". What does this mean? Is it an easy concept for any child to understand?
  

 

 

 

• What do you learn about the Ewells in this chapter, specifically Burris Ewell?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 4

• What does Scout think of current fashions in education (p. 32-33)?
  

 

 

 

• What superstitions do the children have in connection with the Radley house?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• Why do the children make Boo's story into a game? What do they do in this game? Do you think the game is an accurate version of what happens in the Radley's home?
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5

• Explain what Miss Maudie Atkinson is trying to communicate to Scout through the metaphor of nut grass.
  

 

 

 

 

 

• Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson. How typical is she of Maycomb's women? What do the children think of her?
  

 

 

 

 

 

• What does Miss Maudie tell Scout about Boo? How does this compare with what Scout already believes?
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Scout claims that "Dill could tell the biggest ones (lies)" she ever heard. Why might Dill have told such lies?
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Atticus tells the children not to play the Boo Radley game. What reasons does Atticus give them? Do you think he is right? Why?
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6

• Why does Scout disapprove of Jem's and Dill's plan of looking in to one of the Radleys' windows?
  

 

 

• After the incident, Jem's real desire is not just to recover his pants but to keep on good terms with Atticus. What does this tell you about Jem's relationship with his father?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 7

• What does Jem tell Scout about "that night" at Boo Radley's?
  

 

 

• Can you find any evidence that Jem is beginning to understand more than Scout about Boo Radley? What do you think this is?
  

 

 

• When the children plan to send a letter to the person who leaves the gifts, they are prevented. How does this happen? Who does it, and why might he do so?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 8

• How do the people of Maycomb respond to the burning of Miss Maudie's house? What do their actions reveal about the people of this community?
  

 

 

• Given what you know of Miss Maudie, explain her reaction to the loss of her house.
  

 

• Why does Atticus save Miss Maudie's oak rocking chair?
  

  
   

  
   

• Why does Atticus decide to keep the blanket incident a secret?
  

 

 

 

• When Scout comes home with the mysterious blanket wrapped over her shoulders, "Jem seemed to have lost his mind. He began pouring out our secrets right and left…." What is it that Jem is trying to get Atticus to understand?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 9

• Why does Scout fight her cousin after the Christmas dinner at Finch's landing?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• What is "Maycomb's usual disease"?
  
• Look closely at the reasons Atticus gives Scout for defending Tom Robinson. Also look at his statement, "every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one's mine, I guess." What is it about this case that strikes so deeply at what Atticus believes?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• Compare Scout's reasons for walking away from the schoolyard fights with Jem's reasons for returning to the Radleys' to get his pants. How are the two situations similar and different?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• What lesson does Scout teach Uncle Jack about children and what further lesson does Atticus add? What element do the two lessons have in common? Consider whether you agree with both lessons and defend your opinions. Does Scout learn anything from overhearing Atticus's conversation with Uncle Jack? What might this be?
  

 

 

 

• Read the final sentence of this chapter. Explain, in your own words, what it means and why it might be important in the story.
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

  
   

Chapter 10

• Scout says that "Atticus was feeble." Do you think that this is her view as an adult or her view when she was younger? Does she still think this after the events recorded in this chapter?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• In this chapter Atticus tells his children that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." What reason does he give for saying this?
  

 

 

 

• Why does Heck Tate not want to shoot Tim Johnson?
  

 

 

 

• Near the end of this chapter, Atticus cuts off Heck Tate as he is speaking to Jem. What might Heck have been about to say, and why would Atticus want to stop him from saying it?
  
  

 

 

• Jem and Scout have different views about telling people at school how well Atticus can shoot. Explain this difference. Which view is closer to your own?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

Chapter 11

• How does Atticus advise Jem to react to Mrs. Dubose's taunts?
  

 

 

• What does Mrs. Dubose say about the children's mother? How does Jem feel about this?
  

 

 

 

• What request does Mrs. Dubose make of Jem? Is this a fair punishment for his "crime"?
  

 

 

 

• Explain, in your own words, what Atticus thinks of insults like "nigger-lover." Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
  

 

• Why, in Atticus's view, is Mrs. Dubose "a great lady"?
  

 

 

• Atticus says that Mrs. Dubose is a model of real courage rather than "a man with a gun in his hand". What does he mean? Do you think he is right?
  

  
   

  
   

• Chapters ten and eleven are the last two chapters in the first part of the book. Explain why Harper Lee chooses to end the first part here.
  

 

 

 

Chapter 12

• What is the meaning of the cartoon in the Montgomery Advertiser that Scout doesn't understand?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• Describe Jem and Scout's visit to First Purchase church. What new things does Scout learn here about how the black people live?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• What purpose is served by the scene between Cal and Lula at First Purchase? List several possibilities.
  

 

 

 

• Why does Calpurnia speak differently in the Finch household then among her neighbors at church?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

Chapter 13

• How are Aunt Alexandra and Atticus different?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• Scout describes Maycomb's society in the paragraph beginning, "There was indeed a caste system in Maycomb…" Reread this paragraph and explain the dicta (i.e., "No Crawford Minds His Own Business."). What affect can statements like these have on a community? What problems does this caste system create?
  

 

 

 

• How does Alexandra change the family? More specifically, how does she change Atticus?
  

 

 

• The last line in Chapter 13 is: "I know not what he was trying to do, but Atticus was only a man. It takes a woman to do that kind of work." Explain the quotation, and then argue its truth or falsity.
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

Chapter 14

• What new violation causes Scout to say: "Then [Jem] rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood"?
  

 

 

 

• Dill's answer to the question, "Why do you reckon Boo Radley's never run off?" is only partial. Why do you think he's never run off? Try for a more complete response then Dill's; consider all you know of Boo's life.
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• Comment on Atticus's explanation of rape. How suitable is this answer to Scout?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

  2.    Explain why Dill runs away from home. What solution does Atticus offer to the problem of Dill's presence?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

Chapter 15

• What is the "nightmare" that now descends upon the children?
  

 

 

• What was (and is) the Ku Klux Klan? What do you think of Atticus' comment about it?
  

 

 

• How does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why?
  

 

 

• What persuades the lynching-party to give up their attempt?
  

  
   

• Comment on the way Scout affects events without realizing it at the time.
  

  
   

 

 

Chapter 16

• Scout says that "The full meaning of the night's events hit [her] and she began crying." Reread the preceding paragraphs. What parallels has she seen between the mad-dog and the mob scenes?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• Try to explain why Braxton Underwood, who "despises Negroes," would protect Atticus from a mob that wanted to lynch a black person accused of raping a white woman.
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• Explain in what ways Scout and Jem made Mr. Cunningham stand in Atticus' shoes?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• What makes a "mixed child real sad"? What does this tell you about society? In your opinion, why does Lee make Scout ask, "Well how do you know we ain't Negroes?"
  

 

 

Chapter 17

• What are the main points in Heck Tate's evidence? What does Atticus show when he cross-examines Sheriff Tate?
  

 

 

• What do we learn indirectly about the home life of the Ewell family?
  

 

 

• What do you learn from Bob Ewell's evidence?
  

 

 

• Why does Atticus ask Bob Ewell to write out his name? What does the jury see when he does this?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 18

• Is Mayella like her father or different from him? In what ways?
  

 

 

• Why does Mayella Ewell break into tears at the beginning of her testimony?
  

 

 

• What makes Mayella think Atticus is mocking her? What does this tell you about her?
  

 

 

• How well does Mr. Gilmer prove Tom's guilt in the eyes of the reader (you) and in the eyes of the jury? Why?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

Chapter 19

• As Tom gives his testimony, Scout draws parallels between Mayella and several other people she has recently learned to understand. To whom does she compare Mayella and why?
  

 

 

 

• In your own words explain Mayella's relationship with her father.
  

 

 

 

• How does Dill react to this part of the trial? Why is this, in your opinion?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 20

• Scout says that "Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man." Is she right? Why or why not?
  

 

 

• Why does Dolphus Raymond hide Coca-Cola in a bag?
  

  
   

• What, according to Atticus, is the thing that Mayella has done wrong?
  

 

• Explain, in your own words, Atticus's views on people's being equal.
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

Chapter 21

• What does Jem expect the verdict to be? Does Atticus think the same?
  

  
   

  
   

• What is unusual about how long it takes the jury to reach a verdict? Is the verdict predictable or not?
  

 

 

• As Scout waits for the verdict, she thinks of earlier events. What are these and how do they remind us of the novel's central themes?
  

 

 

Chapter 22

• Although Atticus did not want his children in court, he defends Jem's right to know what has happened. Explain, in your own words, Atticus's reasons for this (Look at the speech beginning, "This is their home, sister.").
  

 

 

 

• Miss Maudie tells Jem that "things are never as bad as they seem." What reasons does she give for saying this?
  

 

 

 

• Why does Dill say that he will be a clown when he grows up? Do you think he will keep this ambition for long?
  

 

 

 

• Why does Bob Ewell feel so angry with Atticus? Do you think his threat is a real one, and how might he try to "get" Atticus?
  

  
   

 

Chapter 23

• What do you think of Atticus's reaction to Bob Ewell's challenge? Should he have ignored Bob or retaliated?
  

 

 

 

• What is "circumstantial evidence"? What role does this play in Tom's conviction?
  

  
   

  
   

 

 

• Why does Aunt Alexandra accept that the Cunninghams may be good but are not "our kind of folks"? Do you think that people should mix only with others of the same social class? Are class divisions good or bad for societies?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• At the end of this chapter, Jem forms a new theory about why Boo Radley never leaves his house. What is this theory? How likely is it to be true, in your opinion?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 24

• Who are the Mrunas and who is J. Grimes Everett?
  

 

 

• Do you think the missionary ladies are sincere in worrying about the "Mrunas"? Give reasons for your answer.
  

 

 

• Compare the reactions of Miss Maudie and the other ladies when Scout says she is wearing her "britches" under her dress.
  

 

 

 

• How are the ladies of Maycomb depicted in this chapter?
  

 

 

• In your opinion, why does Tom run for the fence?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 25

• How does Maycomb react to the news of Tom's death?
  

 

 

 

 

• Scout contrasts the court where Tom was tried and "the secret courts of men's hearts." What does this mean? In what way are hearts like courts?
  

 

 

 

• What remark does Mr. Ewell make on hearing of Tom's death and what seems to be the significance of the remark? Why doesn't Jem want Scout to tell Atticus about this? Was this a wise thing to ask her to do?
  

  
   

 

 

Chapter 26

• In her lesson on Hitler, Miss Gates says that "we [American people] don't believe in persecuting anyone." What seems odd to the reader about this claim?
  
• Why is Scout puzzled by Miss Gates' abhorrence of Hitler?
  

 

 

 

• In your opinion, why is Jem upset by Scout's question? Is there a simple answer, or any answer, to the question ("How can you hate Hitler an' then turn around an be ugly about folks right at home?")?
  

 

 

Chapter 27

• What are three threatening things that happen in Maycomb by the middle of October? How do the methods of each occurrence tell you about the kind of man Bob Ewell is?
  

  
   

  
   

  
   

• Why, according to Atticus, does Bob Ewell bear a grudge? Which people does Ewell see as his enemies? Why?
  

 

 

 

• What is the purpose of the Halloween pageant? What practical joke persuaded the grown ups to have an organized event this year?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 28

• How does this chapter remind you of earlier events in the novel?
  

  
   

  
   

• Why does Jem say that Boo Radley must not be at home? What is ironic about this? (Is it true? Does he really mean it? Why might it be important for him and Scout that Boo should not be at home?)
  

 

 

• Scout decides to keep her costume on while walking home. How does this decision benefit her later on?
  

 

 

• What does Heck Tate find under the tree?
  

 

 

 

Chapter 29

• What causes the "shiny clean line" on the otherwise "dull wire" of Scout's costume?
  

  
   

  
   

• What explanation does Atticus give for Bob Ewell's attack?
  

 

 

 

• What does Heck Tate give as the reason for the attack?
  

Chapter 30

• Who does Atticus think is responsible for Bob Ewell's death?
  

 

 

 

• Why does Heck Tate insist that Bob Ewell's death was self-inflicted? In what way is this partly true?
  

  
   

 

 

• Is Heck Tate right to spare Boo the publicity of an inquest? Give reasons for your answer.
  

 

 

 

Chapter 31

• How do the events of the final chapters explain the first sentence in the first chapter?
  

 

 

 

• How does the writer summarize earlier events to show their significance?
  

 

 

 

• How does Scout make sense of Boo as she stands on the Radley porch (Think about Atticus' comment in the beginning of the novel.)?
  

 

 

 

• At the end of the novel, Atticus reads to Scout. Comment on his story choice. Does it have any connection with the themes presented earlier in the novel and with the novel's ending?