Ch. 1
1. What relationship does Jem have to the narrator, Scout? Jem is Scout's brother
2. What happened to Jem when he was nearly thirteen? He broke his arm badly at the elbow
3. How much older is Jem than the narrator? A little less than four years
4. What happened to the Finches as a result of the Civil War?
They lost all their money but not their land
5. Who is the narrator's father and what is his occupation? Atticus Finch is a lawyer
6. Who is Alexandra? Atticus' sister; Scout's and Jem's aunt
7. In what town do the narrator and her family live? In what state? Maycomb, Alabama
8. What does John Hale Finch do? He's a doctor
9. Describe Maycomb.
It's a tired, poor old town, where people move slowly
10. Who is Calpurnia? The Finches' black cook/housekeeper/caretaker of the children
11. What happened to Scout's and Jem's mother? She died when Scout was two
12. How old are Jem and Scout the summer Dill first comes?
Scout is almost six and Jem is nearly ten
13. What were their "summertime boundaries"?
Mrs. DuBose's house 2 doors north and the Radley place three doors South
14. What is Dill like?
He's from Meridian, Mississippi, spending the summer with his Aunt Rachel; very small for his age (7); he has snow white hair that sticks out and blue eyes. Scout says he's a "pocket Merlin" with a great imagination.
15. How do people feel about the Radley place? Scared - a malevolent phantom supposedly
lives inside.
What supposedly went on there? Young Arthur got in trouble running with a gang and was kept inside; but 15 years later he stabbed his father in the leg with scissors. In both cases, his father refused to send him to the place the court recommended-- first the county technical school and later the asylum. He considered both to be "beneath" the Radleys, so he locked his son up or intimidated him into staying in the house.
Ch. 2
1. What trouble does Miss Caroline have on the first day of school?
Misunderstandings and conflicts with some of the students. The first graders think the story she reads them about a cat family is stupid, and many of them have repeatedly failed first grade. Then she offers Walter Cunningham lunch money, which he is too proud to take. Scout tries to explain what the Cunninghams are like, but the teacher just thinks she's being wise.
What is the root cause of this trouble? She is not familiar with the people of Maycomb or their ways
2. What trouble does Scout have the first day of school? She can read already, and the teacher doesn't like it. There's also the incident with Walter.
Why? The teacher wants to do it HER way.
3. Describe what happens with Walter Cunningham. He has no lunch or money because he's too poor. The teacher doesn't understand why he won't borrow from her; Scout explains the Cunninghams never take anything they can't pay back. The teacher thinks she's being wise and punishes her, so Scout starts a fight with Walter b/c she blames him for getting her in trouble.
Ch. 3
1. What does Walter do at the table, and how does Scout react? He pours syrup on his dinner and Scout criticizes him.
2. Describe Burris Ewell. He's filthy, mean, and swears. He comes to school every year only the first day.
4. What advice does Atticus give Scout to help her "get along with all kinds of folks"? Climb into a person's skin and walk around in it.
5. How are the Ewells different from the Cunninghams, even though both families are poorer and less educated than the Finches? They disobey the law, don't even TRY to work or keep clean, don't even want to be educated, live off what public assistance there was at the time, and the father usually spends the $ on booze. The Cunninghams obey the law, try to keep clean, never take charity, and are basically good people, not mean.
6. What does Atticus promise to keep doing for Scout? Reading to her
What must she do in return? Keep going to school
Ch. 4
1. Why doesn't Scout like school? It bores her since she's so far ahead of the other kids
2. What things do Jem and Scout find in the tree? Gum & a box with foil on it and 2 Indian Head pennies inside
3. What sorts of games do Jem, Dill and Scout usually play? Rolling in the tire, acting out stories, books and movies
4. What new game do they come up with? Pretending to be the Radley family
5. What does Atticus have to say about his game? He doesn't say he knows it's about the Radleys, but says he hopes it doesn't have anything to do with them; he takes away the scissors and seems pretty angry
6. What did Scout think she heard inside the Radley place? Someone laughing
Ch. 5
1. Do they keep on playing the Radley game? Yes
2. Whom does Scout visit often that summer? Miss Maudie
Why? Dill and Jem play together and make fun of her because she's a girl
3. What does Scout ask Miss Maudie? Do you think Boo Radley's still alive?
What does she reply? Yes, Boo's alive - she hasn't seen him carried out yet.
4. What does Maudie say about the Radleys and their religion? The Radley's religion was very strict; they believed everything that was a pleasure was a sin - women especially. She remarks that sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of another, and that people like old Mr. Radley and his brother are so busy worrying about the next world that they've never learned to live in this one.
How did they interpret the Bible, and what do they believe about women? Literally - women are a sin by definition
WHY do they believe this? Literal interpretation of Genesis
5. What is in Jem's and Dill's note? Please come out and tell us what you do in there; we won't hurt you and we'll give you ice cream.
Why did they write it? To get Boo to come out
Whom is it for? Boo
6. What does Atticus think of the note? He's really mad, says "Stop tormenting that man."
7. Did Atticus know that they were still playing the game? Yes; he just wanted to get them to admit it, which is what he tricks Jem into doing
Ch. 6
1. On Dill's last night in Maycomb, what do he, Jem, and Scout do? Go over to the Radley house to see if they can peek in the loose shutter and get a look at Boo
2. Why do they choose this night? Nobody will see them; Atticus is reading; if Boo kills them they'll miss school instead of vacation; it's easier to see into a dark house at night
3. Do they see anything? A little light and a shadow
4. What happens to Jem? He gets caught on the fence going under it and has to leave his pants there, stuck to the fence
5. What does Nathan Radley do? Fires his shotgun in the air, saying next time he won't aim high
6. What does Nathan Radley think was outside? a Negro prowler in his collard patch
7. What does Jem go and do later? Gets his pants, saying Atticus has never whipped him and he doesn't intend for this to be the first time.
Ch. 7
1. What does Jem tell Scout about that night at the Radley place? When he went back, he found the pants all sewn and folded
2. During this chapter, what items are found in the tree? Twine, soap dolls, a pack of gum, a pocket watch with a chain and knife
Who probably left these there? Boo
3. What does Nathan Radley then do to the tree? Cements up the hole
WHY does he do this? What does it show about him?
He wants to stop Boo from enjoying giving things to the kids
4. How does Jem react to Nathan's action? He cries
What does this show us about Jem? He's growing up and realizes that what is going on in the Radley house is cruel and sad, not scary or a game to play at
Ch. 8
1. Who dies? Mrs. Radley What does Scout ask Atticus? When he went over to pay his respects, did he see Boo?
2. What is the weather like? Cold and snowy
3. What do Jem and Scout make? A snowman that looks like Mr. Aver with a little of Miss Maudie to disguise the "libel"
4. What happens to Scout during the fire? A blanket is placed around her shoulders
Who did this? Boo
Why does Jem make such a fuss when Atticus suggests wrapping the blanket up and returning it?
Because then Nathan would know what Boo had done and be mad and maybe punish him for it.
5. How is Miss Maudie doing since the fire? Fine - she takes it in stride and isn't bitter
Ch. 9
1. Why does Scout fight Francis and almost fight Cecil Jacobs? They call Atticus "nigger lover" and the like for defending a black man
2. Why is Atticus taking Tom Robinson's case, other than that he was asked to? He wouldn't respect himself or be able to expect others to respect him if he didn't
3. Why doesn't Atticus think he can win the case? Everyone on the jury will be white - and prejudiced.
4. What do the Finches always do on Christmas? Go to the old homestead at Finches Landing; then Uncle Jack stays with them for a week in Maycomb
5. What do Scout and Jem get as presents? Air rifles and a chemistry set
6. What sort of person is Scout's cousin Francis? Prissy, annoying
According to Francis, what is wrong with Dill? He doesn't come form a traditional family with a mother and father
What is wrong with Atticus? He's a "nigger-lover"
From whom has Francis gotten these ideas? Alexandra
What does Scout do to Francis because of the way he insults her loved ones? Beats him up (punches him in the mouth)
7. What is Atticus worried about concerning his children, especially Scout? Scout has to learn to control her temper. Many people will be criticizing Atticus during this time of the Robinson trial, and the kids will have to ignore it
Ch. 10
1. How old is Atticus? Almost fifty
2. In what other ways is he different from other fathers? He works in an office, doesn't play football, wears glasses, and never plays poker
3. To whom is Scout going to confine her fighting? Family
4. What does Atticus tell Jem and Scout about rifles? They should shoot only at cans, may shoot some birds, but it's a sin to kill a mockingbird
What does Miss Maudie say about this? Mockingbirds don't do anything but give pleasure to people
5. Who is Heck Tate? Sheriff of Maycomb County
6. Why do Jem and Scout gain a new respect for their father now? He is able to kill a rabid dog with one shot; he used to be known as One-shot Finch, and is regarded as the best shot in the county
Ch. 11
1. Where does Mrs. DuBose live? Two doors north of the Finches
2. Why do Jem and Scout go past her house? It's impossible to get to town without doing so, and the meet Atticus as he comes from work each evening
3. What does Mrs. DuBose say about Atticus? What does Jem do to get back at her?
That he's "lawing for niggers" and is "no better than the niggers and the trash he works for," so Jem cuts all the tops off her prized camellia plants
4. What is Jem's punishment for this?
Go over - alone - and apologize and then go over after school every day and on Saturdays and read to her
5. Explain what happens to Mrs. DuBose.
She is addicted to the morphine she's been prescribed for her fatal disease. She wants to break the addiction and so sets the alarm clock (signaling the time for her next dose) for a longer and later time each day. Jem's reading provides distraction. Finally she doesn't need the morphine anymore and dies a free woman.
6. How did Atticus feel about her? Why?
That she was a great lady because she had so much courage.
7. Why, according to Atticus, would he have sent Jem over there anyway, even if he hadn't been being punished? He wanted the kids to see what real courage was, instead of having the idea that courage was a man with a gun in his hand.
Part II
Ch. 12
1. How old is Jem and what is he like now?
Twelve - he's inconsistent, moody, and difficult to live with.
2. Why doesn't Dill come as usual? He has a new stepfather who plans to build a fishing boat with him.
3. Where is Atticus? At the State Legislature
4. Describe Cal's church. It is plain, unfinished, and white men gamble in it during the week. They have rough benches instead of pews, and no hymnals (not just because of cost, but because only a couple of people there can read). So they sing by "lining."
5. What happens with Lula, and what does this episode show us about prejudice?
Lula doesn't want white kids in her church, the black church; she wants them to stick with the white church. This shows that prejudice - the inability to see people as individuals and let them prove themselves - is not only a white trait.
6. What does Scout notice is different about Cal when they are at church?
She uses Black English.
What does Cal say about this? It would seem snobby to use Standard English among the black folks.
Ch. 13
1. Why has Alexandra come? To stay with the children during the Robinson trial
2. What does Alexandra say about other families? They all have some sort of "streak," meaning a fault
3. According to her, what constitutes a "fine family"? One that has lived on the same piece of land for a long time.
What is wrong with this theory? This would make the Ewells a fine family
4. What information does Scout give us about Maycomb?
It was started too far inland from a river to grow much, but it contains a high percentage of professionals
5. What does Alexandra want Atticus to explain to the children? That they have to live up to the Finch name; i.e., be snobs
What does Atticus think about this? It's nonsense - don't worry about it (just be yourself)
Ch. 14
1. Does Scout understand what rape is? She thinks she does, but clearly she doesn't
2. What trouble does Alexandra cause now? She is prejudiced against Cal as a caretaker for the children, and wants Atticus to fire her so she can exert her influence on Scout and Jem
3. What does Jem tell Scout that causes a fight? That he is a "Grown folk," can hold things in his mind longer than she, and that he will spank her!
What does Atticus tell her regarding this issue?
She has to mind Jem when he can make her do so
4. What does Scout find under the bed? Dill
5. Why are Dill and Scout mad at Jem now? He tells Atticus that Dill is there
6. Why did Dill run away? His new father and his mother didn't seem to have time for him - didn't NEED him
7. What does Dill suggest he and Scout do? Get themselves a baby
What does this show about Dill? What problems is he having? Why?
He needs to be needed by someone (like a baby), because he isn't at home
8. What do Dill and Scout say at this point about Boo Radley?
Maybe Boo never ran off because he, unlike Dill, never had anywhere to run off TO.
Ch. 15
1. What is decided about Dill? He can stay (with Aunt Rachel) for the summer
2. Who are the men in the yard and why are they there ?
Heck Tate, Link Deas, Dr. Reynolds, Mr. Avery -merchants and in-town farmers. They want to warn him of trouble over Tom, who's coming back to town after being jailed elsewhere.
What don't the men really understand about Atticus? Why he's defending Tom; the ethics involved
3. What is going to happen to Tom Robinson? His trail starts Monday
4. What does Atticus say about the KKK? It's gone and will never come back.
Who was Sam Levy, and what happened concerning him? A merchant whom the Klan harassed
WHY did it happen (Sam Levy was not black)? He was Jewish
5. What are Atticus and Alexandra fighting about now? She doesn't think he ought to defend Tom, who was accused of raping a white woman
6. Where does Atticus go? The jail Why? to protect Tom
7. Who are the men who come to the jail and why are THEY there?
A bunch of poor farmers from Old Sarum; they want to lynch Tom
What is the difference between this group and the one earlier in the yard?
They are lower-class, drunk, and NOT by any means on Atticus' side
8. At first, what does Scout not realize about these men? That they aren't men like her father, as the other group were
9. How does Scout drive the entire group away eventually? Explain what she does to them, psychologically, especially as concerns the Cunninghams.
She makes Mr. Cunningham look at things from Atticus' point of view, as a parent. Mostly, she makes them feel very ashamed of doing this to Atticus, who's a parent trying to do the right thing and who has always helped them when they needed it.
10. Was Atticus really in danger? Explain.
Not really; Mr. Underwood had a gun on them all the time.
Ch. 16
1. What does Scout do at home? Cry, realizing how serious the situation was
2. What does Atticus tell everyone about Mr. Underwood? He can't stand Negroes
3. What does Alexandra say about this? Don't say it in front of Cal
4. What does Atticus say about Mr. Cunningham?
He's a good man, but when he is part of a mob, he develops blind spots
5. What did the children do to Mr. Cunningham, according to Atticus?
Made him stand in Atticus' shoes
6. Who is Dolphus Raymond?
He's a man from an old, wealthy family who now lives with a black woman and has children with her
7. What does Scout find confusing about people's attitudes on Atticus' defending Tom Robinson?
Atticus was appointed to defend Tom - he didn't really choose to do it. She doesn't understand that most appointed public defenders wouldn't do anything substantial for Tom, while Atticus really intends to give the case a great deal of effort.
8. Where do blacks sit in the courtroom? In the upper balcony
9. Explain what Judge Taylor is like. Very informal, appears to be sleeping but is really listening carefully; eats his cigars.
Ch. 17
1. Describe what Heck Tate says in his testimony.
He was called to the scene and found Mayella beaten up on the right side of her face. No one called a doctor. There were finger print marks all around her throat.
2. Where and HOW do the Ewells live?
They live behind the dump, like animals. Their cabin is a shack and most of their food and belongings they pick from the dump. In one corner of the yard, though, are some geraniums. There are 6-9 kids on the place.
3. Where do the blacks live?
500 yards beyond the Ewells, in neat, clean cabins
4. Describe Robert E. Lee Ewell's attitude and testimony.
He is obscene and disrespectful. In his testimony, he claims he saw Tom raping Mayella. So he ran for the sheriff but never called a doctor. He also proves that he's left-handed.
Ch. 18
1. Describe Mayella Ewell's life. She's 19 and a half, has 7 brothers and sisters. She went to school 2-3 years. Her mother is dead, and she tries to keep the family together when her father drinks. She has no friends whatsoever, and is apparently treated so badly at home that she thinks "ma'am" and "Miss" are insults
Why did she think Atticus was mocking or making fun of her?
She has no friends whatsoever, and is apparently treated so badly at home that she thinks "ma'am" and "Miss" are insults
2. How does Mayella act on the witness stand?
Confused, angry, stupid - but stubborn
3. What indication does Mayella give that she is lying?
She contradicts herself and then insists that Tom did all this stuff, even when he shows that he has only one complete, working arm.
Ch. 19
1. Describe Tom Robinson's life. He's 25, married, and has three children. Was once arrested for fighting. He has a worthless left arm but works picking and doing other work for Link Deas.
2. According to Tom, what really happened the day of the alleged rape?
Mayella made a pass at him. He tried to resist but of course had to stop short of pushing or striking a white woman.
Why did he run even though he wasn't guilty? Because as a black man, he was in trouble no matter what he did, and so he was scared.
3. What does Link Deas do during the trial? Gets up without permission and starts speaking in Tom's defense.
4. What does Gilmer keep calling Tom as he is questioning him? Boy
What does this signify? Disrespect - the feeling of southern whites that blacks are all
inferior children who need to be kept in line
5. Why did Tom make a fatal mistake in saying that he felt sorry for Mayella? As a black in 1935 Alabama, he has no right to feel sorry for any white, even a Ewell - he's being "uppity" in saying this
6. Does Tom actually call Mayella a liar? No, he says she was "mistaken in her mind"
Explain why. He wouldn't dare call a white woman a liar
7. Why does Dill cry? Why is he able to empathize so well with Tom's situation?
He can't stand how Gilmer is treating Tom so disrespectfully. Dill, too, has been treated by society as an inferior, because he doesn't live with both parents.
What does Dolphus Raymond tell him? It makes you sick to see the prejudice - noting wrong with Dill except his hide isn't thick
Ch. 20.
1. What do we find out here about Dolphus Raymond? He isn't really a drunk, but pretending so gives people a reason for why he chooses to live with the blacks, and that makes it easier on him, if people have a "reason."
2. What does Dolphus say will happen to Dill in a few years?
In a few years, he won't cry anymore - he'll become sort of used to bigotry even if he still knows it's wrong
3. What does Dolphus say about Atticus?
He's not a "run-of-the-mill" man
4. What does Jem predict about the trial's outcome? Tom will be acquitted
5. In his summation, what does Atticus tell the jury? All about how there's no evidence that a rape actually took place; how the Ewells were lying because they were ashamed of what Mayella did; and how in the courtroom everyone really IS "created equal."
What does Atticus suggest Bob Ewell may have done?
Raped Mayella himself, or at least been the one who beat her
Ch. 21
1. What does Rev. Sykes say about the verdict? He has never seen a jury decide in favor of a colored man.
2. As the verdict is handed down, how does Jem react? As though he were being stabbed in the back. Then later he cries.
3. What do the blacks do as Atticus leaves the courtroom? Stand up, out of respect
Ch. 22
1. What does Jem ask his father? How could they convict Tom?!
2. What does Atticus reply?" I don't know, but they did it. 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."
3. What do the blacks do for Atticus? Bring all sorts of food
How does he react? He almost cries, then says they shouldn't have because times are so
tough.
4. What does Miss Maudie say about Atticus? Judge Taylor picked him on purpose; when the right thing needs to be done, Atticus goes and does it for the community. And he's the only one who could have kept a jury out so long in a case with a black defendant.
5. What does Bob Ewell intend to do? Get back at Atticus if it takes him the rest of his life.
Ch. 23
1. What does Ewell do? Spits tobacco juice on Atticus
2. What does Atticus tell Jem about Ewell? Ewell is frustrated because thought he "won," no one really believed his story; and so he's taking it out on Atticus; but that's better than taking it out on his houseful of kids.
What does Alexandra say about him? Don't be so sure it's all out of his system; he'll try something furtive sometime.
3. What does Atticus say about the jury; why weren't they "reasonable men"? They were a "mob," just like at the jail that night. They lose their heads when it comes to black versus white. But they are "trash" for cheating a white man.
4. Atticus remarks that the bigotry and injustice is "all adding up, and one of these days we're going to have to pay the bill for it. I hope it's not in you children's time." Explain what eventually did happen in future years concerning these issues.
Many people lost their lives fighting for civil rights, and today no one is allowed by the law to discriminate on the basis of race, though many still do.
5. How does Atticus know the jury had at least a slight doubt about Tom's guilt?
They were out for such a long time
6. Who on the jury wanted to acquit Tom? A Cunningham
Why? He respected Atticus
7. What does Alexandra say about Walter? He is trash and Scout shouldn't play with him
8. What does Jem show Scout to cheer her up? A supposed chest hair
9. What are Jem's opinions on different types of folks? There are different levels: Finches, Cunninghams, Ewells, blacks. The finches have been learning longer, hence the difference between them and the Cunninghams
What does Scout think? There's just one type of folks - folks
10. What does Jem say about Boo? He's staying inside because he doesn't want to go out
What has brought him to this conclusion? The bigotry and cruelty he's seen
Ch. 24
1. How do the ladies treat Scout? They laugh when she doesn't mean to be funny; grill her about her future, and tell her to wear dresses more often
2. What does Mrs. Farrow say? They aren't safe in their beds with all these unChristian black around
What does Mrs. Merriweather say about Atticus without actually mentioning his name?
He thought he was doing right but just "stirred up" the blacks
3. What does Miss Maudie reply? "His food doesn't stick going down, does it?"
What does she mean by this? Mrs. Merriweather is a hypocrite for criticizing Atticus while she's in his house eating his food!
4. What does Scout say to the reader about men (part of her thought is supplied at the end by a word that someone else speaks)?
She likes them because they aren't hypocrites
5. What difference does Mrs. Merriweather point out between the North and the South?
Up north, they pretend to like blacks and to give them equality, but in the south they just come right out and segregate by law.
6. Explain what has happened to Tom Robinson.
He tried to escape during an exercise period and the guard shot to kill and did kill him. He was probably "tired of white men's chances and preferred to take his own."
Ch. 25
1. What are the townspeople now saying about Tom Robinson? "Typical of a nigger to cut and run," etc.
2. Explain what Mr. Underwood says in his editorial. To what does he compare Tom's fate? He says it was a sin to shoot Tom, like it is to kill innocent songbirds, because Tom was a cripple (that's why he couldn't get over the fence)
3. What is meant by the comment that "Tom Robinson was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed" ?
The vast majority of whites would never believe - or at least say publicly that they believed - Tom's version of what happened. Mayella had her way because she was white, and white southerners considered it their duty to protect white womanhood, period. It is always death for a black man to be accused of so much as looking the wrong way at a white woman.
4. When Bob Ewell says "one man down and about two more to go," to what three people is he referring?
One is Tom; the others are Judge Taylor and Atticus.
Ch. 26
1. How have Scout's feelings about Boo Radley changed? The Radley place doesn't terrify her, but she still thinks of what it would be like to meet and talk to Boo. She realizes that what they did when they were younger was wrong.
2. What does Atticus let Scout know? He knows that Nathan shot at them that night, not any prowler.
3. Why does Scout come to the conclusion that "people are just peculiar" ? Despite Atticus' being a "nigger lover," "disgrace," bad father, etc., they still re-elect him to the State Legislature.
4. Explain what happens with Cecil Jacobs' current event, and what this incident shows about people's prejudices.
Cecil's current event is about Hitler and his persecution of the Jews; Miss Gates says how we here in the US are so different from Hitler, because here we're good to everyone! Then Cecil says he cannot understand Hitler's not liking the Jews, because "they're white, ain't they?" Miss Gates just lets the remark go and says she can't understand it either, thus making the point that as long as you're white, there's no reason to persecute you. This shows that she's a hypocrite, and that she cannot make the connection between persecution somewhere else and here. She also probably wasn't even thinking of blacks as people when she said that in the US we don't persecute anybody.
Ch. 27
1. What happens to Bob Ewell in the WPA? He gets fired for laziness, but accuses Atticus of pulling strings to make him lose his job.
2. What happens to Judge Taylor? Someone breaks into his house
3. What happens to Helen Robinson, and who protects her? The Ewells harass her, and Link Deas protects her
4. What is different about Halloween in Maycomb this year? All the activities will be held in the school auditorium, so there'll be no pranks
5. What is Scout playing in the pageant? A ham
6. What foreshadowing is seen at the end of the chapter? "Thus began our longest journey together"
Ch. 28
1. What does Cecil Jacobs do? Jumps out and scares Jem and Scout on their way to the pageant
2. How does Scout perform? She sleeps through her cue, and then leaps onto the stage at the wrong time
3. Explain what happens to Jem and Scout as they are walking home.
They are attacked by someone (Bob Ewell); Scout is wearing her ham costume and can't see much, but there is a fight, another man comes in, and he carries Jem home.
4. What happens to Bob Ewell? He's stabbed to death
Ch. 29
1. How did the costume save Scout's life? It acted as a protective cage around her so Ewell's knife blade couldn't reach her body
2. What does Heck Tate say about Bob Ewell? There's just some kind of men you have to shoot before you can say hidy to 'em
3. How does Scout come to realize that the "country person" standing against the wall is really Boo Radley?
His skin is so pale
Ch. 30
1. Why does Scout run to Jem's bed? Instinctively she wants both his protection and to share this moment with him
2. What does Dr. Reynolds say to Boo? "evenin', Arthur" - very casually
3. Why don't they all sit in the living room? Boo isn't used to the light
4. How does Scout feel as they walk to the porch?
Unreal; it's like a fantasy
5. Who does Atticus think killed Ewell? Jem
6. When Heck says Jem didn't kill Ewell, what does Atticus think Heck's reason for saying this is?
He thinks Heck is trying to cover it up so Jem won't have a record
7. What is Heck insisting happened?
Bob Ewell fell on his knife
What does he say about Scout? She's too young and scared to know what went on
8. What does Heck mean when he says he's "not thinking about Jem" ? Of whom is he thinking? Who did stab Ewell? Why doesn't Heck want anyone to know this?
Boo did it. The publicity would be very positive (everybody would thank him for protecting the kids and killing Ewell), but it would destroy Boo because he's so shy and reclusive. It would actually be cruel to let people know he did this heroic thing.
9. What does Scout say about Heck's not wanting anyone to know who killed Ewell -what would it be like if they told everyone?
Heck's right - to tell everyone would be sort of like killing a mockingbird
Which two people can be seen as being like the mockingbird of the title? Why?
Boo and Tom, because both tried only to give pleasure to or help others and both have been persecuted or punished in return
Ch. 31
1. What physical problem does Boo have? Breathing difficulty - asthma, probably
2. What is the only thing Boo says? "Will you take me home?"
What is the significance of this line, do you think (why did the author have him say this instead of something else)? Scout is now able to do something for Boo after all he's done for them. It also symbolizes everything turning out okay, with things back to "normal"
3. About what does Scout feel sorry? That she couldn't repay Boo for all he's done
4. Through whose eyes is Scout seeing things here? Boo's
5. How does Scout feel as she walks home? Very old
6. What is the significance of Atticus' last words in the novel?
Most people are really okay once you see them, not just look at the surface.