Aurora

The Realm of English Language and Literature

To Kill a Mockingbird – Chapter 10

1. Scout compares Atticus to other fathers. What is different about Atticus, and how do Scout
and Jem seem to feel about the difference?

Atticus is older than the other fathers and does not do many of the things that they do. According to
Scout, "he never went hunting, he did not play poker or fish or drink or smoke.He sat in the living room and
read." Scout feels that Atticus is somewhat dull compared to other fathers, and she implies that she and Jem
are slightly ashamed of him. For example, she complains to Miss Maudie that Atticus "can't do anything...."
She later explains how Jem felt at the town's big football game: "Everybody in town's father was playing, it
seemed, except Atticus. Jem said he didn't even want to go...and he stood gloomily on the sidelines with
Atticus and me watching Cecil Jacobs's father make touchdowns for the Baptists."

2. How might the killing of a mockingbird be a metaphor for one of the novel's major
themes? For example, what might mockingbirds symbolize?

As Miss Maudie states, mockingbirds cause no harm; their only goal is to sing for people and bring
them enjoyment. Because they are harmless and benevolent creatures, they symbolize innocence itself. If a
mockingbird symbolizes innocence, then the title, To Kill a Mockingbird, suggests the death or destruction of
innocence, one of the novel's major themes.

3. Which of the novel's characters thus far might be considered similar to mockingbirds?

SHORT ANSWER:

Jem and Scout, Boo Radley, Tom Robinson

LONG ANSWER:

Scout and Jem embody the innocence of childhood. However, as they mature and gain knowledge of the
problems in the adult world, their innocence becomes threatened. Boo Radley can also be compared to a
mockingbird. Everything about his character indicates that he is a kind, gentle, and harmless person. He has
been mentally abused and imprisoned by his family. Additionally, the townspeople, in their ignorance, vilify
him as some kind of a monster. Finally, Tom Robinson may be seen as a mockingbird as well. Although it is
not yet known if he is innocent of the crime of which he is accused, it is obvious that he is the victim of the
town's racial prejudice and that he will not receive a fair trial because of it. Like Boo Radley, he is probably an
innocent man who will be destroyed by ignorance and prejudice.

4. What dramatic incident causes people to lock their doors and stay inside?

A sick, rabid dog is stumbling down the street. People are terrified, as the bite from a mad
dog is fatal if not treated immediately.

5. What does Atticus do that surprises the children and makes them feel proud? What do
they learn about their father from Miss Maudie?

Atticus kills the mad dog with a single rifle shot to the head. Jem and Scout are surprised to learn that
Atticus was the best shot in the county when he was a young man. According to Miss Maudie, his
nickname had been "Oh' One-Shot." She adds, "Why, down at the Landing when he was coming up, if he
shot fifteen times and hit fourteen doves he'd complain about wasting ammunition." Not only is Atticus
an expert marksman, he is also extremely modest about it, having never even mentioned his skill to Jem
and Scout.

6. Some people suggest that the mad dog is a symbol for the evil that exists in Maycomb, specifically
the racist attitudes that many of the townspeople have. What evidence can you find in this chapter or
previous ones that support this idea?

Several characters note that it is extremely unusual to see a rabid dog in the month of February. The
rareness of the event suggests that the dog's appearance may be symbolic, as it coincides with the news
of Tom Robinson's trial and the deep-seated racial intolerance that begins to surface as a result. The
dog's sickness can be compared to the metaphorical sickness of the town. Students may recall that in the
previous chapter, Atticus referred to Maycomb's racism as a "disease" and noted that "reasonable
people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up." Since rabies is a highly
contagious virus that affects the brain and causes an animal to go "mad," parallels can be drawn
between the dog's disease and the town's. Finally, Atticus is the person who ultimately destroys the mad
dog and saves the neighborhood. He also is the only person in town who is willing to take on Tom
Robinson's case, confronting the racism of Maycomb head on. It is as if the sickness of the town has been
lying beneath the surface, and the upcoming trial brings it out into the open in all its ugliness, like the
image of a rabid dog suddenly appearing in the middle of the street.

6. Scout is excited about the thought of telling everyone in school that Atticus is the "deadest
shot in Maycomb County." However, Jem tells her not to say anything about it. What are his
reasons? How does this exchange further demonstrate that Jem is growing up?

Atticus is a modest person; Jem understands this and feels that it would not be right to brag about him:
"I reckon if he'd wanted us to know it, he'da told us. If he was proud of it, he'da told us." Jem makes it
clear that he loves and respects his father for the kind of person he is, explaining to Scout, "Atticus is
real old, but I wouldn't care if he couldn't do anything—I wouldn't care if he couldn't do a blessed
thing." Jem's words demonstrate that he is maturing. At the beginning of the chapter, he was somewhat
ashamed of Atticus because he seemed too old to do the things other fathers did. Now, however, Jem
realizes that a person's worth has little to do with youth and physical prowess. Although he is in awe of
his father's shooting abilities, he respects and admires Atticus for being "a gentleman" above all else.
Jem seems to be seeing his father in a new light and from a more mature viewpoint.