GRADE IX

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

QUESTIONS: CHAPTER 11, 12 and 13

15 th OCTOBER, 2020

Chapter 11.

a. Write about Mrs Dubose and the Finch children’s chemistry in chapter 11. How does Atticus

behave with her? What do the children learn from their tussle with her? ( Long answer question)

Mrs Dubose is an old woman who continuously yells at Jem and Scout as they pass by her house. The
children are afraid of her because of the yelling and they are afraid that she might actually call to them.
Jem and Scout usually just ignore her, but they don't like her very much.

Atticus greets Mrs. Dubose simply by coming into her house (after knocking and being told to come in)
and by going over to where the old lady lay and taking her hand. He does not address Mrs. Dubose by
name or anything. Atticus tolerates Mrs. Dubose's insults and cruelty by being understanding of the fact
that she suffers from a morphine addiction. Whenever he sees her, Atticus is always gallant and polite.
Mrs Dubose is being courageous but very few people in Maycomb will even know she is going through a
very difficult personal battle to beat her addiction. Atticus feels this makes her even braver and this is
why he wants Jem and Scout to witness what she is doing. He wants them to understand that being
courageous sometimes means doing difficult things that other people will never understand or will
criticise you for.

The encounter with Mrs Dubose teaches the children that people aren't always what they seem, that
one can't understand someone until one has the facts and that there are many different kinds of
courage. Atticus says that because he wants him and Scout to realize what kind of person Mrs. Dubose
really is. He admires the old woman and wants his children to see the real Mrs. Dubose. He teaches
them that you don't always have to like someone to admire and respect them, and that is exactly what
Jem and Scout learn from Mrs. Dubose.

b. What is Atticus’ philosophy about defending Tom Robinson’s case? (short answer question)

Atticus is a morally upright man who believes that African Americans should be treated equally. He also
realizes that Tom Robinson is innocent and feels like it is his responsibility to protect Tom from the racist
community members of Maycomb. Atticus believes in justice and the justice system. He doesn't like
criminal law, yet he accepts the appointment to Tom Robinson's case. He knows before he begins that
he's going to lose this case, but that doesn't stop him from giving Tom the strongest defense he possibly
can.

Chapter 12

a. Briefly describe the church meant for the blacks. Why was it named so? What does its existence
tell you about Maycomb? (Long answer question)

(First Purchase African M.E. Church) was called First Purchase because it was paid for from the
first earnings of free slaves. The church is an ancient building. Its churchyard and cemetery is
brick-hard clay; unveiled and unpainted within. Scout notices that is lacks the piano, organ,
hymn-books and church programs that she is used to seeing at her own church.
Maycomb Methodist Episcopal Church South the black church which allows the children, Scout
and Jem, to remain whereas the white churches are strictly segregated. Thus, the spirit of
charity abounds in the poor, little church that has few hymn books and no organ or piano. the
ladies of the Methodist Episcopal Church who practice charity abroad by sending missionaries
and charity to Africa, help no one at home who is outside their perimeters. That the
congregation of Calpurnia's church are poor and oppressed as well is evident when the hymns,
which are sung jubilantly, end "in a melancholy murmur." When the preacher gives his sermon,
the children notice that Reverend Sykes "used his pulpit more freely to express his views on
individual lapses from grace." The Reverend scolds the more recalcitrant of his congregation,
even to the point of defining their sins.
The church only made for coloured folks tells us how racism existed in Maycomb back then, how
blacks weren’t treated equally and how everyone believed they were bad people and don’t
deserve justice or any good. The society thought that they were sinners and are lower people
compared to the whites.

b. What is Tom Robinson accused of and by whom? (short answer question)

Tom Robinson was accused of raping Bob Ewells girl (Mayella Ewells).

Chapter 13
Write a short character sketch of Aunt Alexandra based on Scout’s description about her entry
in Maycomb as well as her behavior in chapter 13. ( long answer question)

Alexandra Finch Hancock, otherwise known as Aunt Alexandra, is the formidable matriarch of
the Finch family. She is the sister of Atticus Finch and aunt to Scout (the book's narrator) and
Jem. Aunt Alexandra lives at Finch's Landing, the family homestead, with her husband Jimmy.
According to Scout, Jimmy is a quiet man who largely stays out of Aunt Alexandra's way. This is a
very smart idea, because Aunt Alexandra likes to have both her say and her way when it comes
to most matters. We first meet Aunt Alexandra when Scout, Jem, Atticus, and Uncle Jack pay a
Christmas visit to the Landing. Scout does a pretty good job of painting a clear picture of Aunt
Alexandra before the holiday encounter, but Aunt Alexandra far surpasses expectations. She has
plenty to say about how Scout behaves and how Atticus is raising her, leading her to eventually
move in with their family in Maycomb.
Aunt Alexandra is a poised, well-mannered Southern woman. She is critical of Scout's tomboyish
ways. She considers family breeding important to how a person behaves. Despite her cold
demeanor, Aunt Alexandra is shown to care deeply for her family. Aunt Alexandra does her
absolute best to convert her niece into a 'proper' young lady. Their near-constant conflict
emphasizes just how strict and rigid Aunt Alexandra is compared to Scout. Scout has little in
common with her aunt and purposely tries to avoid Alexandra. Alexandra also views Scout as
being "dull" because Scout rarely speaks to her when the family gets together. Overall, Aunt
Alexandra feels that Scout is an immature tomboy that needs to develop manners as well as
social skills. Aunt Alexandra, initially comes across as a cold, unfeeling and an unloving person.
She embodies all the local prejudices of the Maycomb society, like the snobbishness over the
black society and the hard heartedness for the poor whites. She, therefore, is very easily
accepted into the Maycomb society. But she annoys Scout by her insistence on ladylike behavior
and she even irks the otherwise patient Atticus by her racial prejudices and her insistence on
ousting Calpurnia from the house.