Setting and Context
Where does the novel take place?
Maycomb, Alabama
Who is Dill?
Charles Baker Harris, imaginative summer visitor.
What major theme does Atticus teach Scout early in the novel?
Empathy—understanding others before judging them.
What game do Jem, Scout, and Dill play?
Boo Radley” game, acting out rumors.
What do the soap carvings represent?
Boo’s kindness and desire for connection.
In what time period is the novel set?
1930s, Great Depression
Who is Miss Caroline?
Scout’s first-grade teacher, new to Maycomb.
Explain the quote: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…”
It means practicing empathy and fairness.
What happens during Scout’s first day of school?
She clashes with Miss Caroline over reading.
What does the Mockingbird symbolize?
Innocence
Who is the author of the story?
Harper Lee
Who is Miss Maudie and why is she important?
Wise neighbor who explains Boo Radley and supports Atticus.
What theme is revealed through Boo Radley’s isolation?
Loneliness and misunderstanding.
What do Jem and Scout find in the knot-hole?
Gum, pennies, soap carvings, and more.
What does the snowman symbolize?
Blending of races and classes—fragile harmony.
How does the novel begin?
With a flashback.
Who is Mrs. Dubose and what does she represent?
Elderly woman who fights morphine addiction—symbol of courage.
What does Atticus say real courage is?
Fighting a battle that you may lose.
Why does Scout fight with her cousin Francis?
He calls Atticus a disgrace.
What does the Radley house symbolize?
Fear, mystery, and misunderstanding.
How do historical factors like Jim Crow laws affect attitudes in Maycomb?
Racism foreshadows Tom Robinson’s trial
How does Jem’s character develop from Chapter 1 to 11?
He matures from playful curiosity to understanding moral courage after Mrs. Dubose’s death.
Connect Atticus’s quote about empathy to two characters’ experiences.
Mrs. Dubose/Boo Radley
Why is the knot-hole being filled significant?
Ends Boo’s communication.
What does the tree’s knot-hole being filled with cement symbolize?
The cement symbolizes the destruction of communication and innocence