Characters
Which character does Atticus use to show Jem and Scout what true courage is?
Mrs. Dubose
What do the children do as Miss Maudie's house burns down?
Wait outside by the Radley Place. Boo puts a blanket around Scout.
What does Scout do to Mr. Cunningham to make him disperse the mob?
She talks to him about his son and tells him to tell Walter she says "hey."
Who is the first person to testify at the trial?
What does Scout think of Mayella Ewell?
She thinks she is the loneliest person in the world.
Who is the small child that tells a lot of lies and runs away from home?
Dill
When and how do Jem and Scout meet Dill?
Start of the novel, Jem and Scout are 6 and 10. Dill was playing in Miss. Rachel's collard patch.
Why does Atticus represent Tom Robinson?
He is appointed to do so, Tom Robinson goes to the same church as Calpurnia, he believes it would be morally wrong not to do so.
Who says they felt bad for Mayella?
Tom Robinson
What does Dill say he wants to be when he grows up? Why?
A clown because he doesn't like the way people treat each other. He wants to make people laugh.
Describe the Ewell family.
How do the children know the gifts left in the tree are meant for them?
The soap carvings resemble Jem and Scout.
What does Bob Ewell do as a result of the trial?
Threatens Atticus, spits in Atticus's face, attacks Jem and Scout.
What do we learn during Tom Robinson's testimony?
He did favors for Mayella in the past, she tried to kiss Tom, Tom didn't want to fight back, Bob Ewell caught them.
What is one of the major themes of the novel? How is it evident in the story?
Answers will vary!
Good vs evil, loss of innocence, prejudice, courage, etc.
Describe Aunt Alexandra.
At the Finch's to help Scout become better mannered, a "perfect southern lady," obsessed with Scout's clothing, disliked by Scout
What does Miss. Maudie think of the Radleys?
She thinks they deserve their privacy and have the right to do whatever they please.
They are concerned for Black people half way around the world but have no sympathy for the black people in their own town.
How does Atticus prove that Tom Robinson couldn't have committed the crime in which he was accused?
Mayella's bruises are on the right side of her face. Atticus makes Bob Ewell sign his name, which shows that he is left-handed. Tom Robinson's left hand was caught in a cotton gin as a child.
What is the "official" reason Bob Ewell died? Why did the sheriff choose to report it this way?
Bob Ewell "fell" on his knife. It was reported this way so Boo Radley wouldn't receive public attention.
Why is Mr. Radley described as a "foot-washing Baptist?"
He takes the Bible literally.
How is Atticus shooting the mad dog symbollic?
The mad dog represents the racism in Maycomb. Earlier in the novel, Atticus referred to the town's racism as a "disease." Atticus saves the town and kills the dog; similarly, Atticus is the only person willing to defend Tom Robinson and confront the town's racism head on.
At what point do the two main plots of the novel intertwine?
When Boo Radley saves the children from Bob Ewell.
What is the message in Atticus's closing argument?
How do the people of Maycomb view justice?
Justice is following tradition/sticking to what the town is used to. Tom Robinson was found guilty because of race--the town views this as justice because deep-rooted racism is instilled in them.