Name________Julianne_____________

To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions

SECTION 1 DUE: Friday 10/18

Chapter 1 - Choose 2 to answer

1. Jem and Scout call their father by his first name, Atticus, instead of calling him
Dad or Daddy. What does this tell you about their relationship?
Jem and Scout have more of a brotherly relationship with their father. The name symbolizes and
shows that they think of him more as an equal instead of this adult that has a bunch of control
over them. In a way, this makes their relationship closer because he is more relatable to them
and will most likely lead to them not fighting as much when Jem and Scout get into their teens.
2. Dill, the childrens neighbor during the summer, is described as a pocket Merlin, whose
head teemed with eccentric plans, strange longings, and quaint fancies. What does this
mean?
3. Who are the Radleys? Describe their house and yard.
4. Who were the Cunningham boys and what happened to them? Whats the irony
here?
The Cunningham boys were the people that Author Radley hung out with. They eventually got in
trouble for driving around a stolen a car and locking up a police officer. The boys were all
supposed go to the state industrial school but Authors dad considered it a disgrace and gave
his word that Boo would not create any more trouble as long as he could stay at home. This was
ironic because the Cunningham boys became these great engineers while Boo stayed at home
and became an even bigger disgrace. After age 35, he was still living with his parents. This
shows that sometimes when opportunities come, you should just take them. Author didnt and
now he may never move out of his parents house.

Chapter 2 - Choose 1 to answer

1. Attitcus says that country people, like the Cunninghams, were hit the hardest by the
crash. To what is he referring? Why would country people be the ones to suffer the
most?
2. An entailment is an unusual legality that prohibits a piece of land from being sold.
It was designed to protect a familys interest in a piece of land because it could
only be passed down to a member of the same family, never sold for profit. Jem
describes an entailment as a condition of having your tail in a crack, and Atticus
later says that Jems description is surprisingly accurate. How is this an apt
description for the Cunningham family?
There is not much that the Cunningham family can do. They cant sell their house and property
and they cant just leave it without an owner. Having your tail in crack is accurate symbolism for
their situation because they dont really have an option. They can try to but until they can get out
of their predicament they cant move forward. They have their land holding them back just like a
caught tail. This part of the story foreshadows their situation getting worse before it gets better.
 Name________Julianne_____________
To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
Chapter 3 - Choose 2 to answer
1. When Scout criticizes Walter Cunninghams eating habits, Calpurnia scolds Scout,
smacks her on the bottom as she sends the girl out of the room, and then lectures
her on proper manners, saying, Yo folks might be bettern the Cunninghams but
it dont count for nothin the way youre disgracin em. What does Calpurnia
mean here? Is she right?
Calpurnia means that the Finches may be better off financially but that does not matter if they
are rude to other people. She is right because if you dont give respect to other people then they
will not respect you and all of the money in the world is not going to change that. In Maycomb,
people care a lot about how people look in the eyes of their neighbors and their dignity. Being
rude to people and being lazy are the last things you want to do because then the people that
would otherwise help you, will no longer care. This is what happened to the Ewells and their
lifestyle is barely liveable. In a way, respect and dignity chose people's social ranks more than
money.
2. In the tiff between Scout and Calpurnia, Atticus takes Calpurnias side. What does this
show us?
3. Describe the way that Atticus treats Walter. What do you think of this?
4. Atticus tells Scout that you never really understand a person until you climb into
his skin and walk around in it. What does this mean? Give an example from your
world to illustrate this idea.
Atticus means that you cant understand someone until you see things from their perspective.
These words of the wiser mean that people have reason for the things that they do and until you
know those reasons, peoples actions may seem really awful. A few years ago, my mom was
planning a surprise birthday party for me and made me go pick up my brother from soccer with
my dad. I did not want to go and got really mad at my mom. Later, when I found out my moms
reason, I felt stupid because I had been telling my mom how mad I was at her while she was
actually doing something for me. My mom understood my reaction because she could easily
see that I didnt want to go and my perspective on the matter, but I could not see hers until I
came home and realized what she had been doing.
5. Who are the Ewells? How are they the same as the Cunninghams? How are they
different?

Chapter 4

Chapter 5 - Choose 2 to answer

1. Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson. How typical is she of Maycombs women? What do the
children think of her?
2. Miss Maudie says, sometimes the Bible in the hands of one man is worse than
a whiskey bottle in the hand ofoh, of your father. Explain what she means.
This word of the wiser moment explains that some things that may seem harmless can cause
damage if the wrong person gets them. This can either be a person who is way too extreme,
like in the case of the Radleys or someone with a bad motive. On the other hand, things that
can be very dangerous can be harmless in the hands of experienced people or people that can
 Name________Julianne_____________
To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
control themselves, like Scouts father. Even when his senses are dulled, he still has more sense
than most other people. In short, it is the type of person they are that matters more than what
they have.
3. What does Miss Maudie tell Scout about Boo? How does this compare with what
Scout already believes?
Miss Maudie basically tells Scout that everything that Scout had heard about Boo was
completely false and made up by town gossips. She says that Boo is just someone who is
strictly religious and does not believe in self-indulgence. This aha moment turns everything that
Scout knows around. She sees a new side to Boo and begins to understand him better. This
foreshadows her getting to actually know Boo and being able to fully understand his actions by
the end of the story.
4. Scout says that Dill Harris could tell the biggest lies she ever heard. Why might Dill
have told such lies?

Chapter 6

SECTION 2 DUE: 10/24

Chapter 7 - Choose 1 to answer

1. After they find the soap dolls, what does Jem realize that Scout does not yet
understand?
Jem realize that the soap dolls were from Boo Radley and especially made for them. Scout
doesnt really suspect much when she realizes how much the dolls look like her and her brother
but Jem figures out that the dolls must have been made for them. With the tree being in the
Radleys yard, it makes sense that the presents are coming from one of the Radleys and it is
obvious that Mr. Radley is not happy about the hole on the tree. Jems internal conflict is
whether or not he should tell anyone about what he knows.
2. At the end of the chapter, Jem quietly cries alone on the porch. Give two reasons to
explain Jems tears.

Chapter 8 - Choose 2 to answer

1. Why does Atticus awaken Jem and Scout
instead of just letting them sleep through
the fire incident? Give a line of text to
support your answer.
2. After the fire is over, how does Miss
Maudie feel about the destruction of
her house? What does this tell you
about her character, her values?
Miss Maudie is not at all sad about losing her
house. To her, unlike most people, it had no significant meaning to her other than a place to
stay. This shows that she is a kind of person/character who looks for the future and does not
spend time wishing that the past was different or could be change. She is very well grounded
 Name________Julianne_____________
To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
and knowing that her house can be rebuilt, she doesnt waist time worrying about it. The fact
that after house burns time, she spends time in the garden shows that she values nature more
than anything and in a way fire and the burning of her house is just part of the natural cycle.
3. Write down the line of text from this chapter that shows Jem believes that he and Scout
are no better than anyone else in their town.
4. Once youve finished the chapter, go back and look at the portion that describes
Jem and Scouts snowman, which is covered with white snow on the outside, but
has a core of dark mud. Symbolically connect the snowman to either Mr. Avery (go
beyond the Morphodites physical similarity to Mr. Avery) or Boo Radley. How
could the snowman be seen as a symbol for one of these men?
The snowman symbolizes Boo Radley. The snow symbolizes the house that he always hides in
and the mud is him. All everyone sees of Boo is his house until the snow starts to melt. Then
Boo slowly starts to come out, like in the story when Boo is coming out of his house to put
presents in the tree or to secretly give a blanket to Scout. Like a snowman, Boo cant last
forever and no one can be sure in advance when that time will come.

Chapter 9 - Choose 2 to answer

1. Think about Scouts fight with Francis and Atticus message to Uncle Jack about children
being able to spot an evasion quicker than adults. How do these two elements connect
to the value of having Scout, a child, be the narrator of this story?
2. Thinking back to earlier chapters, what do we know about the Ewells? From this chapter,
what do we know about Tom Robinson? Given this, why would the townsfolk be more
likely to accept Mr. Ewells testimony than Mr. Robinsons?
3. According to Atticus, what is Maycombs usual disease? Why is he worried that
his children will catch it?
Atticus is worried that Scout and Jem will also start to think of blacks as badly as everyone else
in Maycomb. In that time period, many people had that view and it is especially easy to be
convinced or have your mind changed when you are still younger. Scouts wanting to fit in could
lead to her just following the tide on that idea as well and even though Jem has his mind more
firmly set, he still relatively young impressionable especially by older people who he might
consider his role models.
4. Read the final sentence of this chapter. Explain in your own words what it means.
In what way is his conversation with his brother also a message for his daughter?
Atticus wanted Scout to realize how much he cared about her and that he was always going to
be there for her. He chose to tell her indirectly instead of than directly in the hope that it would
help her believe and remember it better. When parents tell their kids over and over again that
they are there for them, it becomes kind of redundant and after a while the kids start to zone it
out. This way, Atticus conveyed the message, maybe not as clearly but to ears that were
listening intently.
 Name________Julianne_____________
To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
Chapter 10 - Choose 1 to answer
1. Record the line of text that includes the reference to the title. Explain its meaning in the
scene and take a guess as to the ideas larger meaning. You havent finished the book
yet, but still guess about how this line connects to the message of the novel.
2. At the beginning of the chapter, Scout is critical of Atticus because he seems old
and doesnt do anything that she deems impressive. By the end of the chapter, her
opinion has changed. Why?
Scout has this want to fit in in school that becomes apparent when all of the other students are
talking about their dad doing all of these great things. Scout wishes that she would also have
something to tell about her dad and be proud of like all of the other kids do. When she finds out
that her dad is the best shot in Maycomb, Scout wants to tell everyone right away and finally get
to feel what it is like to have everyone admiring her dad for once instead of talking bad about
him. Jem helps her see reason that Atticus would have told people himself if he would have
wanted them to know and Scout is left with restored faith in her dad.
3. Why isnt Atticus proud of his shooting ability?

Chapter 11 - Choose 2 to answer

1. When Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose pushes Jem too far, he loses his mind a bit,
destroying her flowers and breaking Scouts baton. What other rough thing does
he do in that moment? What message can we take from this part of the incident?
Jem is so mad that he also starts attacking Scout. This shows lost
and alone he feels. He feels alone and like he cant trust anyone.
This causes him to attack Scout, and if only for that second, Jem
was so mad at the world and didnt really care who he hurt. He just
wanted someone else to be able to understand his hurt so that he
was no longer alone. This incident leads readers to believe that
things in school were also going really bad for Jem and that this
could be leading to him feeling the need for someone else to get it.
2. Atticus is not upset that Mrs. Dubose calls him foul names
behind his back. To Scout, he explains, ...its never an insult to be called what
somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesnt hurt
you. Explain his meaning. Do you agree or disagree with him? Why? Finally, give a
real-world example from your life to illustrate your point.
3. Why does Mrs. Dubose keep the children a few minutes longer each day? In what ways
was Mrs. Dubose heroic?
4. Other than living on the same street, what do Boo Radley, Atticus, and Mrs.
Dubose all have in common? What larger message is supported by examination of
these three characters?
All three of them refuse to just go with the flow. They are all fighting their own separate battles
and are different from most of the people of Maycomb. Atticus agreed to take on Tom
Robinsons case, which is widely despised by the people of Maycomb but is keeping his head
high even through their criticism. Mrs. Dubose was also very disliked but because she was a
grumpy person. This was not entirely her fault because she was trying to get off morphine,
 Name________Julianne_____________
To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
which does not leave someone in a good mood. She had to deal with a lot of pain and suffering
but she was strong enough to succeed in the end. Boo Radley is quite plainly hated and feared
by the town. His battle is not as obvious but he is trying to come out of his house. His father was
why he was stuck there in the beginning and no one knows if he actually liked it there. Boo was
giving Scout and Jem presents but his brother obviously did not like this a put cement in the
hole of the tree. Later, Boo actually continues to try to break that social barrier that has been
blocking him for along time by going out of his house to give Scout a blanket. This all leads to
the larger message of doing what you believe or think is right no matter who or what stand in
your way.

SECTION 3 DUE: 10/27

Chapter 12 - Choose 1 to answer

1. Why do Jem and Scout go to church with Calpurnia? Where is Atticus?
2. Why cant Helen Robinson work and support her three children?
No one is willing to hire Helen Robinson and get mixed up in the trial concerning her husband. It
is already obvious that most people in the town think poorly of Atticus with helping Tom in his
trial, and people are worried that they will shift some of that negative attention to themselves as
well. Everyone either really doesnt have anything that they could use help on or is too afraid.
Without any income from either parent (Tom being held in prison), the family is relying on
outside help, like their church, to through this hard time.
3. During the church service, we find out that Calpurnia is one of the few African-American
residents of Maycomb who can read. The children get to know Cal better during this
Sunday and realize lots of things about her that they didnt know, including that shes
older than they realized. Look closely at this passage:
But, Cal, Jem protested, you dont look even near as old as Atticus. Colored
folks dont show their ages so fast, she said.
Maybe because they cant read...
Whats humorous or interesting about this short passage?

Chapter 13 - Choose 1 to answer

1. Scout and Aunt Alexandra communicate very poorly with each other. Is the fault
more with one than the other, or are they equally at fault? Explain your answer.
I think that Scout and Aunt Alexandra are equally at fault because Scout tries to talk as little as
she can with her Aunt and Aunt Alexandra talks right by Scout. Scout is not interested in what
her aunt has to say and does not even try to understand anything. Aunt Alexandra is the kind of
person who is used to everyone always listening to what she has to say, that she does not even
consider Scout not wanting to listen or her not getting what she means. Scout is having an
internal conflict of whether she should try what her Aunt says, even if it is just to shut her up, or
just keep on as she is and has always done. Scout is also slightly scared of her aunts ways
because they are stricter and seem to be rubbing of and her dad. She is desperately holding on
to the way things were before Aunt Alexandra came.
 Name________Julianne_____________
To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
2. Aunt Alexandra is critical of many of Maycombs families. According to Jem, whats ironic
about this?
3. Look at the last short paragraph of the chapter. What was Atticus trying to do? Why is
this sort of thing, according to Scout, better left to a woman?

Chapter 14 - Choose 2 to answer

1. How does Aunt Alexandra feel about Calpurnia? Explain why this is in character for
Aunt Alexandra?
2. What does Jem do that, to Scout, symbolizes the end of his childhood?
Jem tells Atticus that Dill is there. This shows Scott that Jem is no longer a child because they
used to keep secrets to themselves and not tell Atticus things until he found out about them
himself. Jem is being too reasonable and making an adult decision to do what is the best for all
of them even though he knows that this will make Scout and Dill mad. They used to stick
together no matter what, so Jem telling on them made and breaking their childhood bond him
seem like a traitor to Scout and Dill. This is a big change for Scout because this event shows
that Jem will have less time for her and no longer understand her as well as he once did. For
Scout and Jem, this means that they will probably start growing apart before they can start to
grow back together.
3. Dill tries to explain to Scout why he did not want to stay with his mother and new
stepfather. State his reasons briefly in your own words.
4. Twice now, Scout has considered running away. Dill did, in fact, run away from
home. Why, according to Dill, hasnt Boo Radley ever run away from his terrible
home?
Boo doesnt have anywhere to go to. Dill ran away from his family where he felt he didnt
belong, to Jem, Scout and his aunt. He had a destination where he enjoyed his life more and
wanted to be. Scout wasnt sure where she could run to and she did not end up leaving. This is
like the push and pull factors of immigration. Boos push factor was his father and eventually his
brother keeping him shut away and most-likely making his life extremely boring and miserable.
Unlike Dill, Boo did not have a pull factor and so he never ended up running away to go
somewhere else.

Chapter 15 - Choose 2 to answer

1. What was the sickening comic aspect of Atticus exchange with the small mob of men?
What does this show us about the men in the small mob? About Atticus?
2. Why does Jem openly defy Atticus and refuse to leave?
Jem notices that the men were there to harm Atticus. He knew that once he left, they would
attack and he refused to left that happen. In a way, he was hoping that the mob would draw the
line at attacking children and stop their planned attack. This shows Jems character
development throughout the story. At the beginning, he did things without thinking through the
dangers like sneak up on the Radleys house in the middle of the night but throughout the story,
he knew what he was doing and that they could die if things went wrong. Jem also thought
about how just the day before, he had helped his father out of the ugly situation of the mob in
front of the house by pretending that someone was calling them. He wanted to help his father
 Name________Julianne_____________
To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
again and showed great courage not because he was defying his father, but because he was
doing his best to help him.
3. What does Scouts childish attempt at conversation accomplish? Explain.
Scouts talk with Mr. Cunningham reminds him of his children at home and how innocent they
are. He would not want them to be there to witness something like this happening to him. By
bringing up the entailment, Scout reminds Mr. Cunningham how Atticus had been there for him
during his own troubles and still helped him even though he could not pay in cash. This
realization, brings him out of this mob mindset and helps him see what he was doing to Atticus
especially after Atticus had been so kind to him. Mr. Cunningham realizes the harm that he was
about to inflict and notice that through it he could only lose a friend and not gain anything.
4. Why was Atticus so affectionate toward Jem, even after Jem disobeyed him?

Chapter 16 - Choose 2 to answer

1. What does Scout learn about mob mentality?
2. Mr. Dolphus Raymond is evidently a complicated and interesting person. Describe his
way of life and comment on its effect upon the town.
3. Why did Mr. Dolphus Raymonds fiance die? What does this show the reader about life
in Maycomb?
4. Jem says that mixed children are sad because they dont belong anywhere.
What does he mean? Is having a sense of belonging important in life? Explain
your thoughts.
Jem explains that mixed children are not accepted by the whites or blacks because they were
different then both. This shows how racism is not just a flaw in white people of that time but also
among blacks. They are subjected to racism and should know what it feels like but they also
choose to leave people out, just like white people did to them. Having a sense of belonging is
important in life because it helps you realise that you are important. When everyone shuns you
and will not accept who you are, then you start to question yourself. If everyone else noticed
what little worth you have, isnt it more likely that that they are right. Believing in yourself can
help you get a long way but if you never believe in yourself, then you will not try. Everyone
needs people that they can depend on for support and without them, these mixed children will
have to realize to depend on each other because otherwise, they will have a very hard life
ahead.
5. Judge Taylors appearance and his ability are two different things. What comment
might the author be making in building the judge in this way?
The author is showing you that things are not always as they seem. Judge Taylor may be
pretending that he is slacking off while in reality, he is keeping a firm hand on the situation. His
outward appearance lets people put their guard down around the judge and feel in control while
they are actually being controlled. This is a universal lesson in books because it so simple but
also so important for life. The judge shows that you shouldnt just assume that things are one
way until you are actually sure that this is true because otherwise, you could be surprised, and
not in a good way.
6. Symbolically, what does the physical structure of the courthouse show us about the
people of Maycomb?
 Name________Julianne_____________
To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
7. Why didnt Atticus tell his children that he had to defend Tom Robinson, that he was
appointed by the court and didnt really have a choice about taking the case?
8. Why do the four men give up their seats for Jem, Scout, Dill, and Reverend Sykes?
What does this show us?
____________________________________________________________________________
SECTION 4 DUE: 10/31

Chapter 17 - Choose 2 to answer

1. Scout says that Atticus has an infinite capacity for calming turbulent seas. What
does she mean by this? Is this true?
Scout means that Atticus is really good at calming people down and getting them to see reason
even if at that moment they really dont want to. This is mostly true because as a lawyer, Atticus
has a lot of experience dealing with emotionally unstable people. However, it is not true that he
has an infinite capacity because he is not able to always get people to see reason. One
occasion where things got out of hand, was the mob around around the jail. Then Atticus was
not able to talk himself out if the situation and things would have gotten pretty bad if it werent
for Scout, Jem and Dill.
2. Looking at the Ewell property, what item stands out as not belonging with all of the other
broken junk? What might this symbolize?
3. Reverend Sykes has second thoughts about allowing the children to stay and listen to
the graphic testimony, but ultimately relents to Jem and allows them to stay. Why doesnt
Rev. Sykes force them to leave?
4. Judge Taylor refuses to close the courtroom and says, People generally see what
they look for, and hear what they listen for, and they have the right to subject their
children to it... What does he mean?
He means that if people really want to know what happened, they will find out a way to figure it
out so he might as well let them be there to see it. If the parents think that this is something their
children should know, no one can stop them from telling their children. Judge Taylor would
prefer it if people werent there to see the rest of the trial but he also knows that he cant stop
the news from getting out and people and children from learning about the cruelties in life. Of
course, most peoples curiosities get the better of them and they decide to watch the end of the
trial without thinking that they might see and hear things that they will later wish they hadnt.

Chapter 18 - Choose 1 to answer

1. What does Atticus do that makes Mayella Ewell think that hes making fun of her?
What does this show us about Mayellas life?
Atticus calls her Miss Mayella and maam. Mayella is not used to giving or receiving respect and
thinks that Atticus is making fun of her and how she lives. Atticus, however, is doing it out of
respect and is being polite as always. This shows their different backgrounds and social class.
Their past experiences are giving them each a very different view of the situation. Atticus is at
home in the courtroom and is used to similar situations. Mayella is coming from this really poor
family that are almost outcasts among the town and dont get any respect. She is in a totally
new situation and she does not know how to respond to be treated respectfully.
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To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
2. Is Mayella like her father or different from him? In what ways?
3. What does Scout notice about Mayella as she leaves the witness stand and passes
Atticus defense table?

Chapter 19 - Choose 2 to answer

1. Why does Atticus mention Toms previous record of conviction?
Atticus doesnt want the jury to find out half-way through the case that Tom has been convicted
before. It would be enough to sway the jury against him if it came out as an uncovered secret
and would dramatically decrease the effectiveness of the ethos argument for Tom Robinsons
case. It would make it seem like Atticus and Tom were hiding things from the jury and make
them less believable. Instead of taking that risk, Atticus mentioned Toms previous record of
conviction as part of Toms background which decreased the impact when people found out
about it.
2. Explain Toms version of the events on the evening of Nov. 21.
3. In that moment with Mayella, Tom is in a no-win situation. Explain the subtlety of
Toms predicament.
If Tom would pushed Mayella or do anything that might hurt her, he could get into serious
trouble for that but if he did nothing, he could also get into trouble for going through with it.
Whatever Tom does could get him in trouble. Being black was hard back then especially with
most people against you and you constantly having to watch where you step so that you dont
cross some hidden boundary. Tom Robinson was a respectful man but because of his skin
color, he did not get much respect back. His word would count as nothing and in court, he would
always look like the bad guy.
4. Why was it a mistake for Tom to say that he felt sorry for Mayella?
5. Miss Maudie once said that Atticus Finch is the same in the courtroom as he is on the
public streets. What makes this such an awesome compliment?
6. Dill becomes physically sensitive at the end of the chapter, so he and Scout leave to get
some fresh air. Is Dill too sensitive? Whats the authors message in having Dill become
ill?

Chapter 20 - Choose 2 to answer

1. At the beginning of the chapter, we find out that Mr. Raymond sips only Coca-Cola
from a paper sack, deliberately pretending to be drunk. Why does he do this?
He finds it easier for everyone to think that he is not thinking straight and because of that is
living the life that he is. He is making things easier for other people because they do not have to
try to understand him and why he prefers to live his life among colored people. He is preventing
a conflict. However, in a way, Mr. Raymonds is also a coward. He hides himself behind the
drunk disguise so that he doesnt have to hear what other people think about his views. He
hides his views and refuses to stand up for what he believes in he. He would rather pretend to
be intoxicated than worry about what his actions could mean to him and his family.
2. Why does Mr. Raymond tell Scout and Dill about his life?
3. Scout says that Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man. Is she right? Explain your
answer.
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To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
4. Why, according to Atticus, did Mayelle throw her false accusation at Tom?
According to Atticus, Mayella is afraid that the truth of what happened will come out. She
doesnt want to lose what little dignity she has and is worried about what people would do if they
knew. Considering that her father beat her and gave her some awful bruises, this concern
makes sense. Mayella would not tell anyone but she is worried that Tom might. The safest way
for her would be to get rid of Tom but in a way that would not make anyone suspect her. If she
could also blame him for her bruises than she could protect her father and kill two birds with one
stone, so to speak.
Chapter 21 - Choose 1 to answer
1. Jem is confident that Atticus has won the case, but Atticus is not as certain. Write
the line of text that shows Atticus knows hell lose, but that hes not ready to take
away Jems hope.
Weve won, havent we? I have no idea, Atticus said shortly. (p.277)
Atticus has been a part of a lot of trials. He would at least have a feeling of what the result will
be. He doesnt want to be the bearer of bad news and decides to hold off with the information by
pretending that he doesnt have it. After that, Atticus rapidly changes the subject to Jem and
Scout leaving which indicates not only that he no longer wants to talk about this but that he
would not like them to see the results of the trials and wants to spare Jem the bad news for
even longer.
2. Why do the people in the balcony gallery stand when Atticus leaves the courtroom?

SECTION 5 DUE:

Chapter 22 - Choose 2 to answer

1. Aunt Alexandra tries to scold Atticus for allowing the children to attend the trial, but
Atticus says, This is their home, sister...Weve made it this way for them, they might as
well learn to cope with it. Explain Atticus message.
2. Atticus lost the case, yet the black community has reacted with generosity, filling
his kitchen with food. Why did people drop off so much food?
The black community wanted to thank Atticus and also show him that they supported him. He
was very brave in standing up for Tom Robinson and black people in general. Atticus may be
getting a rough time from white people but the black community wanted to show him that they
were still there and that not everyone was against him. Atticus was fighting for a good cause
and he was not fighting alone. Atticus thought that the gifts were too much because the black
community had a harder time getting by than his family did but they also really touched him and
raised his hopes after they were down from losing the trial the day before.
3. What baby step was made with this case?
4. What does Dill say he wants to be when hes grown? Why?
Bill says that he wants to be a clown and laugh at people because they often act so ridiculous.
This goes back to perspective because all of the adults, of course, dont think that they are
acting ridiculous. Bill is very open-minded and not caught up with the way things are. He doesnt
care that clowns are currently ment to be laughed at. He thinks differently than most adults and
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To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
that leaves him more open to most things, including treating blacks equally. This could be do to
the fact that he has not lived long enough to recognise the class system and get into the
mindset of this is how things are.

Chapter 23 - Choose 2 to answer

1. How does Atticus react to Bob Ewells threat against him?
2. In thinking about the injustices faced by Tom and other
members of the African-American community, Atticus
says, Dont fool yourselves its all adding up and one
of these days were going to pay the bill for it. I hope its
not in you childrens time. What is his
concern/prediction about the future?
Atticus thinks that sometime African-Americans will have had
enough and start fighting back with violence. They already have
hard lives and many of them die due to social injustices. They wont
just continue letting this happen to all of them for forever. Sometime,
some of them are just going to have enough, like a sprite bottle
being shaken until it finally explodes. This is not something that
Atticus wants Jem and Scout to have to live through. Atticuss
prediction was right. Luckily, a lot of the Civil Rights Movement was peaceful but some people
did use violence and people finally began standing up for their rights.
3. Aunt Alexandra accepts that the Cunninghams may be good people, but she still thinks
theyre not our kind of folks. Later, she calls them trash. This book was first published
in 1960 and set in the 1930s, yet these class distinctions are still with us today. Why do
you think, as Scout says so clearly toward the end of the chapter, folks just dont get
along with each other? Why do we allow this separation of race and class to still exist?
4. At the end of this chapter, Jem forms a new theory about why Boo Radley rarely
leaves his house. What is this? How likely is it to be true?
Jem figures that perhaps Boo Radley does not want to leave his house because he doesnt
want to live with all of the hardships and injustices of life. This is very unlikely because his
current life must be terribly boring and lonely. At some point he would get curious and come
back out again. If he really just couldnt deal with everyone in Maycomb, it would have been
more likely for him to move someone isolated and where he had more places to be by himself
than being cooped up in his house for the rest of his life. There has to be a better reason or
more to it than Boo not being able to stand the harsh reality of life.

Chapter 24 - Choose 2 to answer

1. Do you think the missionary ladies are sincere in worrying about the Mrunas, a tribe in
Africa? Give reasons for your answer. Be sure to include any ironic elements you notice
in this part of the chapter.
2. Compare the reactions of Miss Maudie and the other ladies when Scout says she
is wearing her britches under her dress.
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English 9 Honors Study Questions
Most of the ladies laugh but Miss Maudie doesnt. The other ladies dont know Scout and
assume that she meant to be funny. However, Miss Maudie knows that was not true. She
realises that Scout was not telling a joke and was feeling uncomfortable. Miss Maudie was
supportive of Scout and silently helped her through her awkward moment. This shows how
close Scout and Miss Maudie are and that Scout can rely on her. Miss Maudie treated Scout as
an equal and not as some funny little girl who doesnt know what she is saying. This shows their
respect for each other and also brought them closer together.
3. Miss Maudie says, Were paying the highest tribute we can pay a man. What
does she mean?
She means that they believe in Atticus to do the right thing. They cant do any more. So, instead
of getting in the way and constantly checking if he is doing the right thing, they chose to put their
faith into Atticus. Atticus knows what he is doing better than most people, so help would be
unwelcome but he does have to believe in himself. This especially true during hard times where
it seems like he has failed, like when Tom dies but he has to continue on. It is easier to have
faith in yourself when you know others believe in you and Miss Maudie means that that is the
most they could possibly do to help.
4. Toward the end of this chapter, we see Aunt Alexandra in a new light. How so? Explain
how Miss Maudie becomes a sudden supporter of Alexandra.

Chapter 25 - Choose 1 to answer

1. Explain how Scouts treatment of the roly-poly bug mirrors the way the town of Maycomb
treated Tom Robinson.
2. Everyone in town talks about Toms death, most saying its typical. What do
they mean?
People in town mean that this is the kind of thing that happens every once in awhile and is not
very shocking. They seemed to not really care or expect more of Toms life. This shows what a
major problem racism is. People not caring shows that they did not think that Tom had a lot of
worth as a person and that is the key driver of racism, people thinking that colored skin
decreases self worth. If Tom had been a white man, this would have been outrageous but
people had different expectations for people of different ethnicities. In this time period, white
males are expected to make something of their life and do something important and earn money
but black males are thought of more as labor and the kind of people arent smart enough to
make something of themselves or make good choices that could save their lives. Instead people
have this image of blacks being people who are pretty much good for nothing and die every
once in awhile because they cant follow instructions and dont know whats good for them.

Chapter 26 - Choose 1 to answer

1. Despite the drama of the summer, Atticus wins an unopposed re-election to the state
legislature in the fall. Give two possible meanings that could be taken from this.
2. In her lesson on Hitler, Miss Gates says that Americans dont believe in
persecuting anybody. Whats ironic about her statement?
Miss Gates thinks that it was awful for Hitler to persecute Jews for being Jews. She however is
against blacks because they are blacks. She and most other people in the town are persecuting
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To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
black people even while she is saying that American dont believe in persecution. Miss Gates
doesnt seem to realize that she is being a hypocrite. Just the fact that there are no black
children in the class show that blacks are not treated as equals. She is teaching these students
about how Americans believe in justice while most black adults cant even read or write.
3. Why does Scouts question upset Jem?
____________________________________________________________________________
SECTION 6 DUE: 11/08

Chapter 27 - 29 - Choose 2 to answer

1. What were the three notable things that happened in Maycomb by the middle of
October? How does the circumstance of each show the reader something about
Bob Ewells character?
The first is that Mr. Ewell loses his job and blames Atticus for it. This shows both that Mr. Ewell
does not take responsibility for his actions and that he is not forgetting his grudge against
Atticus any time soon. The second is that a mysterious stranger happens to be lurking around
Judge Taylors house at night. Most people seem to believe that this was Mr. Ewell because of
how recently this is after the case and how mad Mr. Ewell is a anyone who was against him in
the case. This proves that Mr. Ewell is too cowardly to do anything to peoples faces but will get
his revenge in a more indirect manner. In this case, he was hiding in the dark, too afraid to show
his face but wanting make Judge Taylor pay. The final event is Mr. Ewell bothering Mrs.
Robinson on her way to work until Mr. Link finally gets him to stop. This reinforces the idea that
Mr. Ewell is mad at everyone and with his low standards, is not above taunting people. This
could prove to be dangerous for anyone he has a grudge against because he does not hold
himself back.
2. What part of the Mruna family structure do the
Maycomb ladies find particularly offensive? What do
you think of this system?
3. Whats significant about the clothing that Aunt
Alexandra hands to Scout when she arrives
home?
Aunt Alexandra brought Scout her overalls. Normally, Aunt
Alexandra would be the one telling Scout to take them off
but in this case, she realises that there are more important
matters than clothing. In this moment family and sticking
together was most important and Aunt Alexandra knew that
it was important that she support Scout in any way she could during this hard time. This
includes accepting Scout the way she was, trousers and all. Even Aunt Alexandra knew that
there were times when being a lady was required and times it wasnt. After a traumatizing fight
in which her brother was injured is not a time where being a lady is important. It is much more
important to keep a cool head and try to figure out what happened.
4. Briefly describe the meeting between Scout and Boo.
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To Kill a Mockingbird
English 9 Honors Study Questions
Chapter 30 - 31 - Choose 2 to answer
1. When Atticus first thinks that Jem was the one who killed Bob Ewell, what is
Atticus ready to do? What does this show the reader about Atticus?
Atticus was ready to take everything to court and get it out in the open so that it could not sneak
up on Jem in the form of rumors later. This shows Atticus tendency to try to uncover the truth
just like he does in court cases. He also prefers to face things soon on before they have the
ability to gain momentum. Another point in the book when he does this is in Tom Robinsons
court scene. There he brings the fact that Tom has been convicted before out into the open
before that fact can be used against him. Atticus has a tendency to always think like a lawyer
even outside of court cases and this makes him a very good lawyer but is not always the best
way to think about every problem.
2. Atticus and Heck Tate have a heated argument, as Atticus assumes Heck is ready
to cover up Bob Ewells killing as a move to protect Jem. Who is Heck really trying
to protect? Why does Heck fight so hard to protect this person?
Heck is really trying to protect Boo Radley. Boo was there to carry Jem back, so he must have
been there when Bob was stabbed. Sense Jem was out cold and Scout had no idea what was
going on, it must have been Boo who stabbed Bob. Atticus hasnt realized this and is believing
what Scout said without considering that she couldnt see anything that was going on. Heck was
protecting Boo Radley because he realized that all of the attention from such a trial would ruin
Boo, who has hardly ever been out in public within the last decade or more and prefers to stay
in his house. Like a mockingbird, Boo has only been there helping and never harming anyone.
He gave Scout and Jem presents, he warmed Scout with a blanket when the Miss Maudies
house was burning down and most importantly of all, he saved their lives. Heck realises that
Boo is a good person and makes an important decision as sheriff to spare Boo all of the trouble
a court case would bring. He decides to help someone who has earned it more than anyone
else.
3. After she takes Boo home, Scout understands many new things because she is able to
see the street from his point of view. Explain some of the things she now understands
about Boos perspective.
4. In what way is Scouts neighborhood/street similar to the Mruna tribe in Africa?