Characters and Characterization
This character narrates the events of the novel from a child's perspective.
Who is Scout Finch
One of the first gifts Scout finds in the knothole of the Radley tree.
What is chewing gum
This is what Atticus believes the court system should be: fair and unbiased
What is justice (or fairness)
This literary technique is used when adult Scout reflects on her childhood experience.
The fictional town where the novel takes place.
What is Maycomb, Alabama
He is a lawyer who defends Tom Robinson.
Who is Atticus Finch
The central event in the courtroom chapters involving Mayella Ewell.
What is Tom Robinson's trial
According to Atticus, doing this to a certain bird is considered a sin.
What is killing a mockingbird
The mockingbird represents this literary device.
The decade during which the story is set
What is the 1930s
This mysterious neighbor never leaves his house and fascinates the children.
Who is Boo Radley
The person who ultimately saves Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell.
Who is Boo Radley
The trial serves as a reflection of these flawed moral values in Maycomb.
What is racial prejudice
The children's curiosity about Boo Radley serves as this narrative hint of what's to come.
This real-life case inspired the events of Tom Robinson's trial.
What is the Scottsboro Trials
Over the course of the novel, this character learns to see the world from other people's perspectives.
Who is Scout Finch
The moment that reveals Atticus's unexpected marksmanship skills.
What is when he shoots the mad dog
These two characters are often seen as symbolic mockingbirds.
Who are Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.
Harper Lee uses this tone when addressing racism in the novel.
What is critical or condemning
These cultural forces in the South shape the beliefs and behavior of the characters.
What are racism, sexism, and classism
This character's wrongful conviction highlights deep racial injustice in Maycomb's legal system.
Who is Tom Robinson?
The reason Sheriff Tate claims Bob Ewell fell on his own knife.
What is to protect Boo Radley
These opposing characters demonstrate contrasting views of what justice means.
Who are Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell
The jury's conviction of Tom Robinson despite clear evidence of innocence is an example of this device.
What is irony
Harper Lee draws on this to add realism and weight to the courtroom scenes.
What is historical context (or the Great Depression, Jim Crow laws)