Guided Reading: To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee

CHAPTER 1

1. Who is the narrator of this novel?

2. What do we find out about the Finch family history?

3. Why kind of place is Maycomb, Alabama? Describe it.

4. Who is Dill Harris? Describe him.

5. How do the children feel about Boo Radley?

6. Describe the “neighborhood legend” that explains why Boo is kept inside all the time.

7. Why do you think Jem takes the dare?

CHAPTER 2

1. Who is Miss Caroline? Describe her.

2. When Miss Caroline discovers that Scout can read, how does she react?

3. Why won’t Walter Cunningham accept lunch money from Miss Caroline?

4. Why does Miss Caroline punish Scout?

5. Why doesn’t Scout feel bad for Miss Caroline?

CHAPTER 3

1. Why did Scout start to beat up Walter Cunningham on the playground?

2. Why does Jem invite Walter to come home for lunch with them?

3. How do Atticus & Walter interact with one another at lunch?

4. Why has Walter been unable to pass the first grade?

5. a) How does Scout react to Walter pouring molasses on his food?

b) What does Calpurnia tell Scout?

6. “He ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham.” What does Scout mean by this?

7. Compare & Contrast the Cunningham family & the Ewell family.

8. Who is Burris Ewell, & how does he make Miss Caroline “freak out”?

9. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view; until you climb into his skin &
walk around in it.” What does Atticus mean?
 Guided Reading: To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee
10. According to Atticus, why are the Ewells allowed to skip school & evade the law, while Scout must obey the law & go
to school?

11. How does Atticus get Scout to agree to go back to school the next day?

12. Why do you think Scout & Jem call their father “Atticus”, instead of “dad”?

CHAPTER 4

1. What does Scout find in the tree knot?

2. What does Jem find in the tree knot?

3. Considering what the items are, where they were found, who would value them, etc., who do you think put them
there, & why?

4. What is the “Boo Radley Game”, & what does this tell us about how the kids feel about the Radley family?

5. a) What is Atticus’ reaction to the “Boo Radley Game”? b) Why does he react this way?

CHAPTER 5

1. Who is Miss Maudie Atkinson, & why does Scout spend time with her?

2. a) What is Miss Maudie’s opinion of Arthur “Boo” Radley?

b) How is calling him “Arthur” different from calling him “Boo”?

3. Why do Dill & Jem want Boo to come out? How do they try to do it?

CHAPTER 6

1. Why did Scout go along with Jem & Dill, when they went for “a walk”?

2. Describe the kids’ adventure over at the Radley house that night?

3. Who does the town suspect to be the person in the collard patch? Why is this?

4. a) Why does Jem insist going back? b) How does Scout react?

CHAPTER 7

1. a) What did Jem discover when he went back to the collard patch?

b) Why is this so disturbing to Jem?

2. What items appear in the tree knot hole? How are they different from the other items found in the knot hole earlier?

3. What reason does Mr. Nathan Radley give for filling the knot hole with cement?
 Guided Reading: To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee
4. How does Jem react to the filled-up knot hole? Why does he react this way?

CHAPTER 8

1. Why are the kids awoken in the middle of the night by Atticus?

2. How does Scout get the blanket around her shoulders?

3. a) How does Miss Maudie react to the fire that destroyed her home?

b) How does her reaction reveal about her character & personality?

CHAPTER 9

1. Why does Scout want to fight Cecil Jacobs?

2. Why is Atticus’ defense of Tom Robinson unpopular with the community?

3. Atticus tries to explain to Scout why he feels compelled to defend Tom Robinson. What does he say to her?

4. Why doesn’t Atticus want Scout to fight in school in his defense?

5. Who is Uncle Jack? Describe him.

6. What do Jem & Scout get for Christmas from Atticus?

7. Why doesn’t Scout like Francis? How are they different?

8. Why does Aunt Alexandra disapprove of Scout?

9. What does Scout learn about Dill?

10. What does Scout learn about her family’s attitude about Atticus defense of Tom Robinson?

11. Why does Scout fight Francis? Why is Scout punished for what happened?

12. After the fight, what does Uncle Jack learn from Scout?

13. What does Atticus want Scout to overhear when she eavesdrops on him & Jack?

CHAPTER 10

1. How do Scout & Jem view their father as compared to the fathers of their peers?

2. Why does Atticus say it is a sin to kill a mockingbird?

3. How does Atticus’ act of shooting the mad dog change his kids’ attitude toward him?

4. Why does Jem tell Scout not to tell anyone at school about Atticus & the dog?
 Guided Reading: To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee
CHAPTER 11

1. Why do Jem & Scout hate Mrs. Dubose?

2. a) What does Atticus say when Jem & Scout complain to him about Mrs. Dubose?

b) How does Atticus want them to handle her remarks?

3. Why does Jem cut the tops off all Mrs. Dubose’s camellias?

4. Why does Atticus insist that Jem apologize to Mrs. Dubose, even though Jem was defending Atticus’ honor?

5. What change came over Mrs. Dubose as he read to her?

6. “It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it
doesn’t hurt you.” What does Atticus mean by this?

7. Why does Atticus think Mrs. Dubose was “a great lady” and had “real courage”?

CHAPTER 12

1. Describe Jem & Scout’s visit to First Purchase Church.

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

3. What does Scout learn from Calpurnia’s account of Zeebo’s education?

4. Explain why Calpurnia speaks differently in the Finch household than among her neighbors at church.

CHAPTER 13

1. Why does Aunt Alexandra come to stay with Atticus & the kids?

2. Based on the first two things she says, what is Aunt Alexandra like? Explain.

3. How does Aunt Alexandra involve herself in Maycomb’s social life?

4. a) Describe Aunt Alexandra’s ideas about breeding & family.

b) Why does Atticus tell them to forget it?

CHAPTER 14

1. a) Comment on Atticus’ explanation of rape. b) How suitable is this answer to Scout?

2. a) Why does Alexandra think Atticus should dismiss Calpurnia?

b) What is Atticus’ response to this suggestion?

3. a) Why is Scout pleased when Jem fights her back?

b) Why is she displeased when Jem tells Atticus about Dill?

 Guided Reading: To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee
4. 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 happens at the Finch house as the chapter
begins?

2. Describe the Ku Klux Klan’s history in Maycomb.

3. How does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why?

4. a) Where do the children find Atticus? b) Why is he there?

5. What persuades the lynching party to give up their attempt on Tom’s life?

6. Describe the way Scout affects events without realizing it at the time.

CHAPTER 16

1. What “subtle changes” does Scout notice in her father?

2. Describe Dolphus Raymond.

3. How does Reverend Sykes help the children see & hear the trial?

4. a) Comment on Judge Taylor’s attitude toward his job.

b) Does he take the trial seriously? Explain.

CHAPTER 17

1. What are the main points in Heck Tate’s testimony?

2. What do we learn indirectly of the home life of the Ewell family in this chapter?

3. a) Why does Atticus ask Bob Ewell to write out his name? b) What does the jury discover when he does this?

CHAPTER 18

1. Is Mayella like her father, or different? Explain.

2. What might be the reason for Mayella crying in court?

3. a) How does Mayella react to Atticus’ politeness? b) Why does she react this way?

4. How well does Mr. Gilmer prove Tom’s guilt in the eyes of the jury? Explain.

CHAPTER 19

1. What made Tom visit the Ewell house to begin with?

2. Why does Scout think that Mayella Ewell was “the loneliest person in the world”?
 Guided Reading: To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee
3. In your own words, explain Mayella’s relationship with her father.

4. a) How does Dill react to this part of the trial? b) Why do you think this is?

CHAPTER 20

1. Scout says that “Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man.” Is she right?

2. Why does Dolphus Raymond hide Coca-Cola in a bag?

3. What, according to Atticus, is the real thing that Mayella has done wrong?

4. Explain, in your own words, Atticus’ views on the equality of people.

CHAPTER 21

1. a) What does Jem expect the verdict to be? b) Does Atticus think the same?

2. What is unusual about how long it takes the jury to reach a verdict?

3. a) Do you think the verdict is predictable? b) Why or why not?

CHAPTER 22

1. What does Aunt Alexandra call Atticus?

2. What does Jem mean when he says “it ain’t right”?

3. a) What special thing do the people do to show their appreciation for Atticus?

b) How does Atticus respond to their gesture of appreciation?

4. Miss Maudie says that Atticus is one of those men who were born to do unpleasant jobs for the rest of us. a) What
does she mean? b) Do you agree with this idea? Explain.

5. “We’re making a step – it’s just a baby step, but it’s a step.” What does Miss Maudie mean by this comment,
regarding the trial?

6. What does Dill want to be when he grows up, and why?

7. What does Mr. Ewell say & do to Atticus on the post office corner?

CHAPTER 23

1. a) How did Atticus respond to Bob Ewell’s gesture? b) Why does he handle it this way?

2. What is Atticus’ response when the children ask him to borrow a gun?

3. Why is Jem so dissatisfied with the way the law & court are set up & run? Explain.

4. Why wouldn’t Miss Maudie be able to serve on a jury?

 Guided Reading: To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee
5. Why aren’t Maycomb citizens generally interested in serving on Maycomb juries?

6. Which jury member took “wearing down”? Explain this ironic situation .

CHAPTER 24

1. Where are Jem & Dill, and what are they doing?

2. What do Aunt Alexandra & the missionary circle discuss at their meeting?

3. How does Scout feel about her place at the meeting, and about the ladies in general?

4. Notice how the ladies speak about the black Mrunas, and then their black neighbors. How is this ironic?

5. What news about Tom Robinson did Atticus bring home? What happened?

6. How did both Scout & Alexandra behave as ladies at the end of the chapter?

CHAPTER 25

1. What did Jem insist that Scout not kill?

2. Who had Atticus picked up on the way to the Robinsons?

3. What did Mr. Underwood compare Tom’s death to?

CHAPTER 26

1. a) What grade is Jem in now? b) What about Scout?

2. How did Scout now view the Radley House?

3. What did Atticus know about that Scout didn’t know he knew about?

4. What were some of the problems that arose from Current Events period?

5. a) What had Scout heard Miss Gates say on the courthouse steps?

b) What is Scout beginning to realize about the people of Maycomb?

CHAPTER 27

1. What were the three out-of-the-ordinary things to happen that October?

2. How did Atticus explain Bob Ewell’s actions to Aunt Alexandra?

3. a) Describe the Barber sisters. b) What happened to them on Halloween last year?

4. What is the town’s plan for Halloween this year? What is Scout’s role?
 Guided Reading: To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee
CHAPTER 28

1. Who scared Scout & Jem on their way to the school on Halloween night?

2. What happened while Scout was waiting for her turn to take the stage?

3. Describe (in detail) what happens to Scout & Jem on the way home from the school.

4. What (or who) did Heck Tate find at the “scene of the crime”?

CHAPTER 29

1. Why do you think Bob Ewell chose to attack the kids in the dark night, rather than confront Atticus face-to-face?

2. a) Who was the other man at the “scene of the crime”? b) What did this person do at this scene?

3. How did Scout react when she noticed who this person was?

CHAPTER 30

1. Why did Atticus invite everyone outside, rather than in the well-lit living room?

2. Once Atticus and Heck Tate got an idea of what had actually happened…

a) How did Atticus plan to move forward (legally speaking)?

b) How did Heck Tate intend to move forward (legally speaking)?

c) Who do you think is approaching this the “right” way? Explain.

3. How would making Boo a hero be like “shootin’ a mockingbird”? Explain.

CHAPTER 31

1. How had Arthur “Boo” Radley acted the entire time he was at the Finch house?

2. Why did Scout lead Boo home the way that she did (her arm linked through his arm)?

3. What did Scout do when she found herself standing on the Radley porch?

4. “Most people are…when you finally see them.” a) What does Atticus mean by this?

b) Do you agree with Atticus? Why or why not? Explain.

5. How does this novel go “full circle”? How do its final chapters link up with the first?