Chapters 1-3
Describe the setting (both time and place) of the novel.
What is Maycomb Alabama, 1930s
At the end of chapter four, after Scout lands at the Radley front door (after her time in the tire) she says that she heard something coming from inside the house. What did she hear, and why is this significant?
What is laughter. Boo Radley saw her.
List the items that are found in the knothole
ball of twine, two figures carved out of soap, a whole pack of chewing gum, a spelling bee medal, and a broken pocket watch
Why are Jem and Scout slightly embarrassed/ashamed of their father?
What is he is feeble. He doesn't play sports, he wears glasses, and all he does is read.
Why does Aunt Alexandra come to live with the Scout, Jem and Atticus?
Describe the Finch Family
What is Atticus is raising his son Jem and his daughter Scout alone because his wife died.
Describe Miss Maudie
What is an adult neighbor who Scout considers a friend. She bakes cake for the kids, gardens, and talks to Scout about Boo.
In chapter 8, what weather phenomena occurs?
What is snow.
Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird?
What is mockingbirds do not harm anyone; they only bring beauty to the world.
What does Scout find under her bed after her fistfight with Jem?
What do we learn about Burris Ewell and the Ewell family in these chapters?
What is the Ewell family is considered "trash" and Burris is a rude, lice-infested classmate of Scout.
Explain what Miss. Maudie means when she says, "The Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of -- oh, your father."
After noticing that Scout has a blanket wrapped around her, what did Atticus mean when he said “looks like all of Maycomb was out tonight”?
What is Boo came out of his house and put the blanket on Scout.
Describe the incident with the rabid dog. What does this event reveal to us about Atticus?
What is Heck Tate asks Atticus to shoot it. Atticus (One Shot Finch) is the most accurate marksman in the county.
Why has Dill run away? What does he tell them, and what is the truth?
What deal do Atticus and scout make at the end of chapter three (that might make Ms. Caroline unhappy)?
What excuse does Dill give to the crowd as to where they (the kids) have been, and why Jem appears as he does?
What is Dill says they were playing strip poker.
Describe the encounter between Scout and her cousin, Francis.
What is Francis said Atticus was ruining the family so Scout beat him up.
Atticus says to Jem, "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do." Explain this quote and its relevance to the story.
What is courage is when you do the right things even if you cannot win. It took courage for Scout to walk from fights over racial slurs, Ms. Dubose to beat a morphine addiction, and Atticus to defend Tom.
What does Dill say that he and Scout should get?
What is married. (or... What is they should get a baby from a mysterious island where men pick up the babies that married couples have ordered. Note: Scout informs him that babies actually come down the chimney.)
Why is Scout so unhappy after her first day of school? (two reasons)
What is she punished and she was bored.
Describe the plan that the kids devise to see/talk to Boo Radley
What is to deliver a message to him on a fishing pole offering to be his friend and buy him ice cream.
What reasons did Atticus give for defending Tom Robinson?
What is he was following his conscience and couldn't live himself (hold his head up) if he didn't.
What do we learn about Calpurnia when she takes the Finch children to church?
What is she speaks differently at the church than she does at the Finch house, she is older than Atticus, and she is proud to bring "her children" to the church as her "comp'ny."
Why did Atticus sit in front of the jail reading on Sunday night?
What is he was there to protect Tom if a mob arrived.