Plot 1
What is Scout's real name?
Jean Louise
Who killed Bob Ewell?
Boo Radley
Scout's best friend who doesn't understand how people can be so mean to Tom Robinson at the trial.
Dill (Charles Baker Harris)
Where does this story take place? (City and state)
Maycomb, Alabama
What does Mr. Raymond actually drink out of his brown paper bag?
Coca-Cola
Why would it have been impossible for Tom to have hurt Mayella Ewell in the way she claims?
His left arm was injured in a cotton gin when he was a child, and it is deformed and doesn't work.
How does Tom Robinson die?
He is shot 17 times while trying to escape from prison.
A very stereotypical example of a low-class, white Southern man.
Mr. Bob Ewell
In which decade did To Kill a Mockingbird take place?
What is something Aunt Alexandra disapproves of in the book?
Scout isn't ladylike enough, Scout and Jem don't appreciate their family background, she thinks Atticus should fire Calpurnia, she doesn't like that Atticus is defending Tom Robinson, she doesn't want Scout to hang out with Dill or Walter Cunningham, Jr.
Why does Aunt Alexandra come to live in Maycomb? (There is more than one possible reason.)
1. To help Scout become more ladylike
2. To help protect the kids during the Tom Robinson trial
3. To help raise the kids in general
Why do the men come to the jail and confront Atticus? (What do they want to do?)
They have come to lynch Tom Robinson.
Which man does Scout convince to leave the jail by talking to him about how she knows his son?
Mr. Walter Cunningham
In what year was To Kill a Mockingbird published?
1960
This character seems like a traditional Southern lady, but she is actually quite progressive and supports Atticus in defending Tom Robinson. She stands up for Atticus with the missionary ladies.
Miss Maudie Atkinson
What are the two reasons people judge Mr. Dolphus Raymond?
1. He lives with an African American woman and has children with her.
2. He appears to be an alcoholic.
How do Aunt Alexandra's interests in family cause conflict in the Finch home?
By thinking the Finches are better than other families, she doesn't want Scout and Jem to spend time with people "less than" them, like Calpurnia, Dill, and young Walter Cunningham.
How does Boo Radley show a conflict/contrast between good and evil?
People think and talk about how he has done "evil" things, and his own family forced him to stay inside the house. However, he loves Scout and Jem and saves their lives.
Racism is a major part of this story--list two significant examples of it.
1. Tom Robinson is found guilty at trial despite no evidence because he is African American.
2. Mr. Dolphus Raymond is judged for living with an African American woman.
3. Aunt Alexandra doesn't allow Scout to visit Calpurnia's house, and she is upset that Scout and Jem went to Calpurnia's church.
If you had to describe the moral of this story, what would it be, and why?
Answers will vary. Don't judge people before you get to know them, do the right thing even when it's hard, don't take advantage of people, etc.
What is something Cousin Francis says that leads to Scout trying to beat him up?
1. He calls Atticus a n****r-lover.
2. He tells Scout Aunt Alexandra says Atticus is disgracing the family.
3. He insults Dill by implying that he is "trash."
What is a lesson Scout learns regarding people in this book? (It is possible to have more than one answer.)
She realizes learns that some people aren't as bad as they seem (like Boo). She learns to put herself in others' shoes to see what their lives are like and understand them better. She becomes more empathetic.
This character breaks a "moral code" (not a law, but a Southern tradition) and tries to cover it up.
Mayella Ewell (for coming on to Tom Robinson)
Which two historical events/time periods were really important to this story and its publication?
The Great Depression (1930s) and the Civil Rights Movement (1950s-1960s)
Explain what it means to be a mockingbird in this book and state who the two mockingbirds are.
A mockingbird symbolizes a person who is innocent/hasn't done anything wrong, but people judge and/or hurt them, anyway.
Boo Radley and Tom Robinson