As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

TKAM Annotations Chart - Round Robin Name _________________________

Harper Lee uses rhetoric and various language styles in her novel ​To Kill a 
Mockingbird.​ ​She created characters such as Atticus, who mostly speaks in a formal 
tone and uses rhetoric towards his children, people throughout the community, and 
the jury in the courtroom. Harper created a 6-year-old narrator that uses many styles 
of language as she speaks to her father (Atticus), her brother (Jem), her housemaid 
(Calpurnia or Cal), her fiance’ (Dill), and neighbors.  

Language styles created by authors: 

​Rhetorical Appeals:​ the language authors, speakers, or ANYONE uses to make an 
impression or persuade others. Rhetoric is considered the art of persuasion.  
1. Ethos​ - speaker’s ability to establish himself as credible or an expert on the 
matter 
2. Pathos​ - speaker’s ability to appeal to the emotions of the listeners/audience. (a 
“play” on emotions) 
3. Logos​ - speaker’s ability to use logic, reason, facts, statistics to prove his/her 
point 
 
​Rhetoric can also be in the form of literary devices: ​allusions, irony, imagery, simile, 
metaphor, hyperbole, oxymoron, parallelism, repetition, personification, and more! 
 
Style: formal language vs. informal language:​ ​everyone switches up how they use 
language depending on where they are or who they’re with. The language we use 
depends on our circumstances. Author’s switch up the type of language they use 
when they write. 
1. Informal language ​- personal or slang language that we use with someone we 
know very well. We use personal pronouns and contractions when we speak to 
family or friends. Uses the active voice. 
2. Formal language​ - the professional and business-like language we use with 
people we don’t know. Uses passive voice and higher level words. 
3. Objective tone​ - States the facts or what was heard, seen, or said; no opinions. 
Can sometimes be used with formal language 
4. Subjective tone​ - speaks using opinions; usually associated with informal 
language 
 
Allusions: ​when authors refer to famous people, characters, stories, myths, to 
emphasize their point. Lee Harper uses a lot of unfamiliar allusions in TKAM. 
 
Fallacious reasoning/fallacies: ​a deceptive or misleading statement. A fallacious 
argument can fool human reasoning. 
 
 
As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

Rhetorical Devices  
Required  Character  Quote from character  Type of  What effect did it have on the 
chapter  (label formal or informal)  Rhetoric  situation? 

1  Jem  Informal  Pathos  When Jem said this it 

      shows that up he wasn’t 
 
 
  “It’s just that I can't  really scared of the dare 
  think of a way to  but rather trying to figure 
  make him come out  out how to do it without 
  without him getting  getting caught. Dill just 
Page #15  us”  thought he was Jem was 
  stalling so he continued to 
urge him on.   

2  Miss  Formal/subjective  Logos  When Miss Caroline tell 

  Caroline    Scout this, she gets upset 
 
 
  “Now you tell your  because she wants to be 
    father not to teach  able to read with her 
Page #19    you anymore. It’s  father. Fortunately, a 
best to begin  compromise is made 
reading with a fresh  between Scout and her 
mind”  father that solves the 
problem. 

3  Calpurnia  Informal  Loggos  When Jem and Scout have 

      Walter Cunningham over 
 
 
  “There’s some folks  for dinner, and Walter 
    who don't eat like us”  makes some interesting 
    food choices, Scout 
Page #27  “That boy’s yo’  judges him, so Calpurnia 
comp’ny and if he  tries to teach her a lesson 
wants to eat up the  by saying this to her even 
table cloth you let  though Scout still doesn't 
him, you hear”  fully understand.  

4  Jem  Informal/Subjective  Pathos   Jem says this to Scout to 

      show that he thinks she’s 
 
 
  “Nothin’ to it. I swear  acting like a girl when 
    Scout, sometimes  usually she is a tomboy. 
    you act much like a  He says this to get under 
    girl it’s mortifyin’ “  her skin so that she will 
Page #42  leave the topic alone. 

5  Atticus   Formal  Ethos   Atticus tells the kids to 

    stop tormenting Boo 
 
 
”I’m going to tell you  Radley because he doesn't 
  something and tell  want them being 
  you one time: stop  disrespectful and he 
Page #54  tormenting that  believes that if Boo Ridley 
man. That goes for  is minding his own 
As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

the other two of you”  business then they should 

mind their own as well.  

  Jem  Informal   Pathos   Scout is very hesitant to 

6      go with Dill and Jem to 
 
 
  “Scout, I’m tellin’ you  look in Boo Radley's 
    for the last time,  window. Jem then tells 
    shut your trap or go  Scout that she is acting 
    home- I declare to  like a ‘girl’, which she 
    the Lord you’re  doesn’t like being. This 
 
Page #58 
  getting more like a  makes Scout decide to 
  girl every day!”  come even though she 
  doesn’t want to do it.  

Required  Character  Quote from character  Type of  What effect did it have on the 
chapter  (label formal or informal)  Rhetoric  situation? 

  Atticus  Formal   Logos   When Atticus replies to Jem's 

7    question with this, Jem takes 
  “Well maybe is it. I’m sure  this information but is still 
  Mr. Radley knows more  upset about what happened so 
  about his trees than we  he goes and cries alone.  
  do” 
Page #71 

  Atticus   Formal   Ethos  Atticus tells Jem this when he 

8    starts to talk more about Boo 
  “Do not let this inspire  Radley. This makes Jem stop 
  you to further glory!  and think about what he is 
  Jeremy”  saying.  
 
 
Page #82 

  Atticus   Formal  Pathos   Scout meets Cecil to fight him 

    but decides not to when she 
  “But remember this, no  remembers when Atticus said 
9  matter how bitter things  this to her. This leads to Scout 
  get, they are still out  being called a coward but she 
  friends and this is still  still decides to be the better 
  our home”  person in this situation.  
Page #87  

  Jem   Formal  Pathos  When Jem says this to Scout 

    you can tell that Atticus is not 
  ”I reckon if he’d wanted  proud of being a good shot 
10  us to know it, he’da told  because he doesn’t like killing 
  us. If he was proud of it,  animals. This shows a deeper 
  he’da told us”  development of Jem's 
  character as well because Jem 
Page #112  is growing up and understands 
matters in a more serious way 
especially when it comes to 
Atticus.  

  Jem   Informal   Pathos  When Jem clipped all the 

As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

    flowers off Ms. Dubose’ shrubs 

  ”Jem yanked my hair,  and then did this to Scout, it 
11  said he didn’t care, he’d  really shows how even though 
  do it again if he got a  he had been trying to keep his 
  chance,and if I didn’to  composure around people he 
  shut up he’d pull every  couldn’t handle when Ms. 
Page #118  hair out of my head”  Dubose talked bad about his 
father and he finally snapped.  

  Calpernia  Formal   Logos   Calpurnia says this to Scout 

    and Jem when they are at her 
  ”Can’t but about four  Negro church when Scout was 
12  folks in the First  wondering why it didn't matter 
  Purchase read… I’m one  if the had books. Her saying 
  of ‘em’.”  this portrays to readers that 
  Calpurnia is very smart 
Page #141  compared to most Negros and 
she has more education.   

 
7 
Examples of Fallacious Reasonings 
Page  Character  Fallacy Used  What effect did it have? 

  Mayella  Straw Man  Mayella trying to get an 

    argument out of atticus 
  “Long’s he keeps on  calling her ma'am shows that 
  callin’ me ma’am and  she was trying to go past the 
  sayin’ Miss Mayella. I  argument that Atticus was 
  don’t hafta take his  presenting with a 
  sass, I ain’t called upon  misrepresented proposition. 
Page  to take it” 
#207 

  Mr. Gilmer   False Cause  Tom Robinson was called to 

    the stand and Mr. Gilmer was 
  “Were you so scared  trying to say that you run 
  that she’d hurt you, you  away if your guilty so Tom 
  ran, a big buck like  was automatically guilty 
Page  you?”  because he ran away.  
#225   
   

  Mayella   Appeal to Pity   When Mayella Ewell was 

    called to the stand and 
  “Mayella started at him  began to cry she was doing 
  and burst into tears”  this to get sympathy from the 
  jury so that she could look 
  like the victim.  
Page 
#204 
As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

  Miss Caroline   Begging the Question  Miss caroline telling scout 

    that atticus didn't know how 
  “Now you tell your  to teach and that she'd have 
  father not to teach you  to undo the damage shows 
  anymore. It’s best to  that she liked to be the 
  begin reading with a  smartest and better then all 
Page #19  fresh mind. You tell him  the children.  
i’ll take over from here 
and try to undo the 
damage.” 
“Your father does not 
know how to teach.” 

  Atticus   Appeal to Fear  Atticus used this scare tactic 

    to try and convince the jury 
  “ The defendant is not  that it was not Tom Robinson 
  guilty, but someone in  who comment it the crime but 
  this courtroom is”  rather Mayella’s father who 
  did it. He says this last thing 
Page  to try and further his case.  
#231 

Allusions (use the ​Allusions Survival Guide​ to help you ) 

Chapter  Character  What allusion did they use?  How did it affect the meaning or tone? 
& 
Page # 

Chpt#1  Scout  ”There was no hurry, for  This was referring to the Great 
Pg#6  there was nowhere to  depression. It informs the reader 
  go, nothing to buy and  of the town's financial position 
  no money to buy it with,  and allows us to associate many 
  nothing to see outside  of the actions throughout the 
  the boundaries of  book back to the knowledge that 
  Maycomb County”  they are experiencing a very 
  drastic economic downfall. 
 
 
 

Chpt#1  Scout  ”Dill had seen Dracula,  This introduced us to the types 
Pg#8  a revelation that move  of stories that the children were 
  Jem to eye him with the  interested in as well as 
  beginning of respect“  foreshadowing into Jim’s, 
  Scout’s, and Dill’s involvement 
  with Boo Radley. 
 

Chpt#2  Miss  ”Here’s a quarter,’ she  this was another reference to 
Pg#21  Caroline   said Walter. ‘Go and eat  the great depression. It puts 
  downtown today, you  things in perspective because we 
As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

  can pay me back  are more used to things being 

  tomorrow.”  expensive while during this time 
  everything was cheap due to the 
  economic depression. 

Chpt#  Miss Maudie   ”mockingbirds don’t do  This was a very important 
10  one thing but make  message in the novel that 
Pg#103  music for us to enjoy.”  represents innocence and the 
  fact that we should not harm 
  something that has not done us 
  wrong. 
 
 
 

Chpt#1  Scout  ”Macomb county had  This statement points towards 

Pg#6  recently been told that I  something that President Andrew 
  had nothing to fear but  Jackson said during his 
  fear itself”  inaugural address. This 
  emphasizes how the town was 
  going through a hard time and 
  that they needed something 
  encouraging to hear.