Chapters 11-17

Chapter 11

1. How does Atticus advise Jem to react to Mrs. Dubose's taunts?

2. What does Mrs. Dubose say about the children's mother? How does Jem feel about this?

3. Atticus says that Mrs. Dubose is a model of real courage rather than “a man with a gun in his hand”. What does he mean? Do you think he is right?

Chapter 12

1. What new things does Scout learn here about how the black people live?

2. Explain why Calpurnia speaks differently in the Finch household, and among her neighbours at church.

Chapter 13

1. Why does Aunt Alexandra come to stay with Atticus and his family? What is she like?

2. Alexandra thinks Scout is “dull” (not clever). Why does she think this, and is she right? Are all adults good at knowing how clever young people are?

Chapter 14

1. Why does Alexandra think Atticus should dismiss Calpurnia? How does Atticus respond to the suggestion?

2. Why is Scout pleased when Jem fights her back? Why is she less pleased when he tells Atticus about Dill?  What do we learn from Dill's account of his running away?

Chapter 15

1. What is the “nightmare” that now descends upon the children?   What was (and is) the Ku Klux Klan? What do you think of Atticus's comment “The Ku Klux's gone. It'll never come back."
2. How does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why?  What persuades the lynching-party to give up their attempt on Tom's life?

Chapter 16

1. What “subtle change” does Scout notice in her father?
2. How does Reverend Sykes help the children see and hear the trial? Is he right to do?

3. Comment on Judge Taylor's attitude to his job. Does he take the trial seriously or not?

Chapter 17

1. What are the main points in Heck Tate's evidence? What does Atticus show in his cross-examination of Sheriff Tate?

2. What do we learn indirectly of the home life of the Ewell family in this chapter?
3. What do you learn from Bob Ewell's evidence?
4. Why does Atticus ask Bob Ewell to write out his name? What does the jury see when he does this?

 

Chapters 6-10

Chapter 6

1. Why does Scout disapprove of Jem's and Dill's plan of looking in at one of the Radleys' windows?
 
2. What does Mr. Nathan Radley know about the intruders in his garden?

Chapter 7

1. When Jem tells Scout about getting his trousers back, he tells her of something strange. What is this?
 
2. When the children plan to send a letter to the person who leaves the gifts, they are prevented. How does this happen? Who does it, and why might he do so?

Chapter 8

1. Why does Scout quiz Atticus about his visit to the Radley house? How much does Atticus tell her?

2. When Atticus asks Scout about the blanket around her shoulders, what does Jem realize?

Chapter 9

1. How well does Atticus feel he should defend Tom Robinson? Is it usual for (white) lawyers to do their best for black clients in Alabama at this time?

2. Scout and Jem have “mixed feelings” about Christmas? What are these feelings and why?

3. Does Scout learn anything from overhearing Atticus's conversation with Uncle Jack? What might this be?

4. Read the final sentence of this chapter. Explain in your own words what it means and why it might be important in the story.

Chapter 10

1. Scout says that “Atticus was feeble”. Do you think that this is her view as she tells the story or her view when she was younger? Does she still think this after the events recorded in this chapter?

2. In this chapter Atticus tells his children that “it's a sin to kill a mockingbird”. What reason does he give for saying this?

3. Jem and Scout have different views about telling people at school how well Atticus can shoot. Explain this difference. Which view is closer to your own?

Chapters 3-5

Chapter 3:

1. Who is Calpurnia? What is her place in the Finch household?

2. What is Walter Cunningham like? What does his behavior during lunch suggest about his home life?

3. What do you think of the way Atticus treats Walter?

4. Atticus says that you never really understand a person “until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”. What does this mean? Is it an easy thing for Scout to learn?

Chapter 4:

1. What superstitions do the children have in connection with the Radley house?

2. Why do the children make Boo's story into a game?

3. What might be the cause of the laughter from inside the house?

Chapter 5:

1. Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson? How typical is she of Maycomb's women? What do the children think of her?

2. What does Miss Maudie tell Scout about Boo? How does this compare with what Scout already believes?

3. What reasons does Atticus give for the children not to play the Boo Radley game? Do you think he is right? Why?

Chapters 1 and 2

Chapter One questions:

1. What do you learn in this chapter about Maycomb, Atticus Finch and his family?

2. What do you learn about Dill's character?

3. What, briefly, has happened to Arthur “Boo” Radley?
4. Why does the Radley place fascinate Scout, Jem and Dill?

5. What do you notice about the narrative voice and viewpoint in the novel?


Chapter Two questions:

1. Why is Scout so looking forward to starting school?

2. Why does Jem not want anything to do with Scout at school? Is his behavior typical of an older child?

3. What do you think of Miss Caroline Fisher as a teacher?

To Kill A Mockingbird - by Harper Lee (PDF)

To Kill A Mockingbird - by Harper Lee (PDF)

http://tecfaetu.unige.ch/etu-maltt/R2D2/dacostj7/stic-2/ex14/epub/ex14.pdf