Characters
She is the narrator of the novel.
Scout Finch
The item Scout finds in a tree that begins the children’s fascination with Boo.
Chewing gum (or later, the pennies)
The man Atticus defends.
Tom Robinson
This “mockingbird” symbol represents innocence harmed by evil.
Innocence / the mockingbird symbol
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.”
Atticus Finch
He is Scout and Jem’s reclusive neighbor.
Boo Radley (Arthur Radley)
The reason Atticus shoots Tim Johnson.
Because the dog is rabid and dangerous
The crime Tom Robinson is accused of.
Raping Mayella Ewell
The theme shown when Atticus tells Scout to “climb into someone’s skin and walk around in it.”
Empathy / seeing things from others’ perspectives
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” Who says it?
Miss Maudie
Atticus’s sister who cares about “proper” behavior and social class.
Aunt Alexandra
What happens to Jem when he sneaks onto the Radley property at night.
His pants get caught on the fence and he loses them
The witness whose testimony Atticus dismantles by showing he’s left-handed.
Bob Ewell
The way the book demonstrates the flaws in the justice system.
Through Tom Robinson’s unjust conviction
“Stand up, your father’s passin’.” Who says it and in what scene?
Reverend Sykes, during the trial as Atticus leaves the courtroom
This character leaves gifts for the children in the knothole.
Boo Radley
Who REALLY stabbed Bob Ewell in the final confrontation.
Boo Radley
The key physical fact that proves Tom Robinson could not have beaten Mayella.
Tom’s left arm is crippled and useless
The lesson Scout learns after walking Boo Radley home.
She understands Boo’s perspective and sees how he watched over them
“In the name of God, do your duty”?
Atticus Finch (in his closing argument)
The fiercely loyal but mysterious friend from Meridian who visits Maycomb only in the summer.
Dill Harris
The event that reveals the truth about Mrs. Dubose’s struggle and bravery.
She was battling a morphine addiction and wanted to die free of it
The reason the jury still convicts Tom despite the clear evidence.
Because of racial prejudice in the jury and community
How the novel uses the children’s perspective to highlight moral growth.
It contrasts innocence with the growing awareness of injustice
Which character says that Mayella is “the loneliest person in the world”?
Atticus Finch (referring to Mayella Ewell during the trial)