Quotes
What is the quote that gives the book its title?
What is...
“Your father’s right,' she said. 'Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.'”
What is the significance of the roly-poly scene?
What is...
It's a small example of the mockingbird philosophy, and it shows Jem being empathetic while Scout still has things to learn.
What is direct characterization?
What is...
When qualities about a character are told to the reader directly.
EX: She was a stubborn, hateful child.
Why are people fascinated with ghost stories and urban legends like the one about Boo Radley?
What is...
It’s fun to be scared AND
they’re trying to understand difficult subjects like death and mortality.
What position does Jem play on the seventh-grade football team?
What is...
the waterboy
What does Atticus mean when he says the following:
"They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it - seems that only children weep."
What is ...
They still believe in being fair and have not yet developed discriminatory attitudes.
AND
They still have some innocence left and are not yet desensitized to the cruelty in the world.
What does Boo Radley represent?
What is...
A mockingbird who is always under criticism despite his frequent acts of compassion, and a gauge by which to measure the children's growth and maturity.
What is unusual about the way Atticus raises Scout?
What is...
--letting her be an individual rather than forcing her into what society expects of a "lady," letting her cuss without consequence, letting her wear overalls and play with a gun
Why does Dill cry during the trial?
What is...
He is disgusted by the way Tom is being questioned by Mr. Gilmer. He's seeing racism first-hand and can't believe how cruel people can be to one another.
How did Miss Maudie's house catch fire?
What is...
She was trying to keep her flowers warm by the fire during a snowstorm.
What has Jem learned when he says the following quote:
"I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time...it's because he wants to stay inside"
What is...
how cruel people can be to one another
What is revealed when Aunt Alexandria forbids Scout from inviting over Walter Cunningham?
What are...
the prejudiced social hierarchies in Maycomb
Who does Scout think is the loneliest person in the world, and what does this thought reveal about her?
Who is...
Mayella Ewell because she is disowned by society and an outcast in her family. This quote reveals that Scout is finally learning to empathize.
Why is this novel still relevant today, nearly fifty years after it was written?
What is...
Oppression still occurs, even in modern society, and Atticus's life philosophy will NEVER be irrelevant.
What type of flowers does Mayella Ewell grow on a corner of their property?
What are...
red geraniums
What does Atticus mean when he says the following:
“Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win,’ Atticus said.”
What is...
That racist attitudes dating from before the Civil War will prevent them from winning.
Why does Scout have a difficult time understanding why her teacher can hate Hitler?
What is...
She sees the hypocrisy in her behavior, as Scout's also seen her teacher be racist. She's learning that people aren't ALL good or ALL bad, but a combination.
What type of conflict is Scout experiencing when she misses her cue in the school play?
What is...
External conflict, person vs. person, as Mrs. Merriweather yells at her for ruining the pageant
AND
Internal conflict, as she feels embarassed and guilty for falling asleep and messing up the scene
What does the way Tom died reveal?
What is systematic racism not only in the court system that sentenced him to prison, but in the prison itself
AND
He’d lost all hope and knew he would continue to to be oppressed regardless of his behavior, so he essentially committed suicide
Name ALL of the items Boo left for the children in the tree.
What are...
a pocketwatch
a spelling bee medal
soap carvings of the children
a ball of twine
gum
a small knife
Indian pennies
What is the significance of this quote from Scout?
"I saw something only a lawyer’s child could be expected to see, could be expected to watch for, and it was like watching Atticus walk into the street, raise a rifle to his shoulder and pull the trigger, but watching all the time knowing that the gun was empty.”
What is...
She's drawing similarities between when he was called upon to kill the rabid dog and when he was called upon to defend Tom Robinson. He’s an expert lawyer and shooter, but the racist attitudes prevented him from reaching his target in court.
How are fear, bigotry, and empathy related in the novel?
What is...
People fear what is different, which causes them to be bigoted, which can be cured with empathy.
What qualities are revealed about Atticus in the following quote?
"Every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine, I guess. You might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will: you just hold your head high and keep those fists down."
What are...
Integrity, as he is doing what's right even when it's difficult.
Positive role model and mentor, as he's taking the time to explain a difficult situation and encouraging Scout to take the high road.
Compassion, as he knows this case will be emotionally difficult, but he wants to help anyway.
What is difficult about Tom's position in court?
What is...
He appeared to be guilty because he ran from the scene; he shows compassion for Mayella and is criticized for it; and his side of the story is different from Mayella's, so he's immediately assumed to be a liar. Regardless of what he says, it will be used against him.
How is Atticus saved from danger the night men come to kill Tom Robinson at the jail?
What is...
Scout's conversation with Mr. Cunningham, reminding them all that they're connected by community and family.