Understanding the Plot
Why is Atticus away from home more often during chapter 12?
Atticus is attending an emergency session of the state legislature in Montgomery, Alabama, leaving Calpurnia to care for Jem and Scout.
How does Jem’s behavior toward Scout change as he turns twelve?
Jem becomes more moody, dismissive, and insists Scout act “like a girl,” reflecting his transition into adolescence.
What differences do Scout and Jem notice between their church and Calpurnia’s church?
First Purchase is simpler, uses hymnals with no written music, and the congregation takes up a collection for Helen Robinson, emphasizing communal support.
Why does Aunt Alexandra criticize Scout for wearing overalls?
She believes Scout should conform to traditional gender roles, symbolizing her rigid views on how “proper” Southern girls should behave.
Define Divulge
Make private or sensitive information known.
Where does Calpurnia take Jem and Scout on Sunday, and why is this significant?
She takes them to First Purchase, her African American church. This exposes the children to the racial segregation and solidarity within Maycomb’s Black community.
What does Aunt Alexandra want Scout to act like?
Like a proper lady.
Why is Scout especially disappointed at the beginning of the summer?
Dill writes that he won’t visit Maycomb because his new stepfather wants him to stay in Meridian, leaving Scout lonely.
How does Aunt Alexandra’s obsession with “background” reflect Maycomb’s social hierarchy?
She judges people by family lineage and land ownership, reinforcing the town’s rigid class divisions and exclusion of marginalized groups.
Use the word Divulge in a sentence
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Who do Jem and Scout find waiting for them when they return home from church?
Aunt Alexandra, who has arrived unannounced to live with the Finches, foreshadowing her attempts to reshape the family’s dynamics.
Does Aunt Alexandra like Calpurnia?
No, she thinks Calpurnia is not a good influence.
What are Aunt Alexandra’s views on family and heritage, and how do they differ from Atticus’s?
Alexandra obsesses over “gentle breeding” and land ownership, while Atticus values empathy and moral integrity over social status.
What does Scout’s reaction to Aunt Alexandra’s arrival reveal about her personality?
Scout resents Alexandra’s criticism and rules, showcasing her defiance of authority and preference for authenticity over social pretense.
Define Fruition
the point at which a plan or project is realized.
Why does Aunt Alexandra come to live with the Finches?
To provide a “feminine influence” for Scout and reinforce the Finch family’s social standing in Maycomb.
How does Aunt Alexandra fit into Maycomb society?
She quickly becomes a prominent figure, hosting missionary circles and embodying traditional Southern notions of class and propriety.
Why does Scout cry at the end of Chapter 13?
She senses Atticus’s discomfort and hypocrisy, fearing he’s abandoning his principles to please Alexandra, which disrupts her trust in him.
Why does Calpurnia speak differently at her church than at the Finch home?
She switches her language to fit in with the Black community at church.
Use the word "incite" in a sentence.
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What does Atticus awkwardly try to explain to Jem and Scout at Aunt Alexandra’s urging?
He tells them to behave in ways that “live up to your name” as Finches, but he struggles to enforce Alexandra’s rigid views on heritage.
How does Aunt Alexandra feel about Calpurnia’s role in the Finch household?
She distrusts Calpurnia, believing a Black woman shouldn’t raise white children, and subtly pressures Atticus to dismiss her.
How does the tension between Atticus and Alexandra reflect broader conflicts in the novel?
Their clash represents the struggle between progressive values (equality, justice) and traditional Southern norms (racism, classism).
What does the church collect money for during the service?
To help Tom Robinson’s wife, Helen, since she can’t find work
Use the word employ in a sentence.
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