To Kill a Mockingbird Answers free essay sample

To Kill A Mockingbird Reading Guide Questions Chapter 1 1. a) Pride in ancestry and â€Å"tradition†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Being Southerners, it was a source of shame to some members of the family that we had no recorded ancestors on either side of the Battle of Hastings. † (pg. 1,2)-pride in ancestry â€Å"It was customary for the men in the family to remain on Simon’s homestead, Finch’s Landing, and make their living from cotton. † (pg. 2)- pride in tradition b) Pride in conformity and distrust of those who are different â€Å"Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o’clock naps†¦Ã¢â‚¬ - pride in conformity â€Å"Calpurnia was something else again. he was all angles and bones; she was nearsighted; she squinted; her hand was a wide as a bed slat and twice as hard†¦Ã¢â‚¬ - distrust of those who are different c) Awareness of difference in social classes â€Å"The sheriff hadn’t the heart to put him in jail alongside Negroes†¦Ã¢â ‚¬  (pg. 14) d) Narrow span of almost no interest in the world outside Maycombâ€Å"†¦nowhere to go, nothing to buy, and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb county† (pg. 6) 2. I believe the story starts on page 7 where it says â€Å"That was the summer Dill came to us† . And right after this it goes into an anecdote; â€Å"Early one morning as we were beginning our day’s play†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Before this point in the story, the town and the folk in it were being described. 3. As a little boy he got involved with the wrong crowd. The group of boys (including Boo) came before the judge for many reasons including using abusive language in the presence and hearing of a female, assault and many other things. Mr. Radley thought the state industrial school was a disgrace and he wasn’t proud of it. So he asked the judge to release his son and told him Boo Radley would not be the cause of anymore trouble. The Radley boys were not seen for 15 years after this incident. One day after that, Boo was sitting in his living room cutting something from a magazine for his scrapbook, when his father walked in the room and he drove the scissors into his leg, pulled it out and resumed his work. This was at age 33. 4. Boo is fascinating to the children because all the rumours they hear about him make them want to see him. They try many times in the story to provoke him to come out of his house. Another reason is because children are very curious and they would want to see the â€Å"unknown entity† that inhabited the house 3 doors down. It is obvious that something very rarely seen becomes of great fascination Chapter 2 1. The three mistakes that Scout makes on her first day of school of school are (1) getting into a fight (2) reading and writing without Miss Carolines permission because she was taught by Atticus and (3) having a bad attitude in class; being ignorant. They make Miss Caroline angry because her job is to be a teacher, she cannot teach an ignorant student or a student who jumped ahead of the curriculum. Miss Caroline believes that Atticus cannot teach and that his teaching is interfering with Scouts reading and learning process. 2. The professional people are poor in Maycomb, at this time because the farmers in Maycomb country are poor. Maycomb was a farm county. Trying to give nickels and dimes to doctors and dentist and lawyers was difficult. 3. The WPA is Work’s Progress Administration which was a company who helped to employ workers who were unskilled to carry out public works projects. Mr. Cunningham will not work for them because of his land that he cherishes. If he worked for the WPA, his land would be destroyed and he would starve just to keep his land. Chapter 3 1. When Walter Cunningham is invited over, Scout questions the way he eats. Calpurnia pulls Scout out of the room and lectures her about manners. Atticus agrees with Calpurnia which tells me that they both respect others and think it is impolite to criticize the way somebody else does something, especially when they were never taught to not do it. 2. There are many differences between Burris Ewell and Walter Cunningham. One of the main differences is how they act. Walter shows up for school and attends class, trying to do his work while Burris shows up briefly on the first day and never again after that. They also look different. Burris is described as dark, dirty and large while Walter is smaller, cleaner and he looked as though he had been raised on fish food. Chuck Little was a poor boy and he had no idea if he would get enough to eat he didnt know where his next meal was coming from but he was a kind and gentle boy. He was a born gentleman. 3. When Atticus tells Scout that â€Å"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view†¦until you climb in his skin and walk around in it. † she begins to realize that she shouldnt judge people unless she knows what it is like to be them. She should judge Walter Cunningham because she doesnt know how he was raised or what it is like to live as a poor farmer. She learned that she shouldnt judge her teacher Miss Caroline because she was new to town and it was impossible for her to learn Maycombs customs on her first day. Scout learned many things when Atticus said this 4. Atticus says that the law is bent in certain ways for the Ewells because people become blind and dont pay attention to some of the Ewells activities. One thing that the Ewells do that they shouldnt is hunting and trapping out of season. Burris Ewell shows up to school for one day and nobody tries to force him to come again. 5. The compromise that Atticus suggests at the end of the chapter is if Scout agrees to go to school, he promises they will continue to read every night. Scout agrees to this compromise and promises to not mention their agreement at school since some people may not agree with what Atticus proposed. Chapter 4 1. Scout is criticizing the school’s teaching curriculum. She uses Atticus and Jem as an example, both of them are smart individuals who learned the same way she is learning now. However, the new school staff doesn’t approve of the method by which Atticus has chosen to teach his children. Scout believes she can learn and accomplish more by studying with Atticus. She believes that learning at school right now is too easy, too slow paced and seemingly, â€Å"a waste of twelve years†. 2. It is likely that the person placing gifts in the tree is Boo Radley because the tree is at the edge of the Radley lot. Jem also appears to suspect Boo. 3. Scout wants to quit the Radley game because Atticus suspects what they are doing. Also she heard someone laughing inside the Radley house, and all of the rumors about Boo have made Scout fearful of him and the Radley property. Chapter 5 1. Miss Maudie is someone who loves everything God made, except nut grass. She is a woman of influence in the town and along with Atticus, represents the voice of reason among the various prejudices and outcastings existing in the town. 2. Miss Maudie only puts down those Baptists who believe anything that is a pleasure is a sin. 3. Miss Maudie feels that some people are as unacquainted with the bible and its true meaning as Atticus would be with the idea of getting drunk. . Atticus feels that what Mr. Radley does is his own business, and that he has a right to stay inside if he wants to. Atticus also felt that the children were interfering with Mr. Radley’s rights and that they were to try and spy on him or impersonate him. Chapter 6 1. Nobody would see them at night, Atticus wouldnt notice them because he was absorbed in a book, if Boo Radely killed them they would miss school and not vacation, and finally it was easier to see into a dark house when it was dark. 2. I declare to the lord youre gettin more like a girl every day! 3. It shows that Jem treasures his relationship with his farther, and that he does as much as he can to keep this good relationship intact, aside from missing out out something he and dill would consider f un. Chapter 7 1. Jem was frightened because he left his pants crumpled up on the ground and then left to go inside. When he came back for them they were patched and hung neatly on the fence. He said it was as if someone knew what he was thinking and that is why he was frightened. 2. The gifts were mysterious because there was one every week. The soap figures were somewhat disturbing because they resembled Jem and Scout. It seems likely that the gifts have been put there by someone who knows what the children like. 3. Mr. Nathan Radley says that he is filling the hole because the tree is dying. When Atticus denies this, Jem realizes that Mr. Radley has done this to end the exchange of gifts and notes between Boo and the children. Jem cries more in anger than in disappointment. Chapter 8 1. Jem and Scout Finch created the snowman to look like Mr. Avery because Mr. Avery told them the weather changes for the worst because of bad children like them. They wanted to make their first snowman look similar too Mr. Avery to either mock him by using the bad weather that â€Å"they† brought to make a figure of him or too apologize for â€Å"bringing† the bad weather by building a snowman that has a strong resemblance to Mr. Avery. 2. Atticus decide to keep the blanket incident a secret because Boo Radley slipped the blanket on Scouts shoulders. The neighborhood and town already have judged the Radley family to an extreme extent and Atticus felt that they did not need to be publicized for the little good deed. He thinks that if this was to spread around the town that Boo Radley had secretly placed a blanket on the shoulders of his daughter scout, that Boo would be accused of spying, or harassing children. The town harshly jumps to conclusions about the Radley’s since the earlier incidents many years ago. 3. After Miss Maudie’s house caught fire the night of the first snowfall, her house was burned to a crisp; the neighborhood men had rescued few pieces of furniture before it collapsed. The next morning Scout and Jem went to return the hat to Miss Maudie that they had put on their snowman the day before. When talking to her they apologized for her loss of a home and without a sense of sorrow in her voice she replied, â€Å"Always wanted a smaller house, Jem Finch. Gives me a yard. Just think, I’ll have more room for my azaleas now! † (Lee, To Kill a MockingBird, 97). She seemed unaffected by the fact that her home and belongings had been destroyed. This proves that Miss Maudie is not Materialistic, her house and belongings are not who she is and she does not need them to be who she is. She is happy that she was not harmed by the fire and can easily move on from her loss. Chapter 9 1. a) Atticus feels â€Å"nigger† is used by â€Å"common† people. ) Every lawyer has one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. Atticus feels that Tom Robinson’s case is his. c) Negroes have been discriminated against for more than a hundred years in the United States. d)Atticus shows that through Calpurnia he is aware of the latest changes in habits of his chi ldren. e) Atticus reaffirms his honest, straight forward approach with his children. f) Atticus and Scout have excellent two-way communication, as this statement reveals. g) Atticus fears his children will be affected by the irrational attitudes which are bound to overcome the town during the trial. He cannot understand such a prejudiced behavior. 2. a) Atticus’s sister, the children’s aunt b)Atticus’ nephew, the children’s cousin c) Atticus’ brother, the children’s uncle d) Aunt Alexandra’s husband, the children’s uncle Chapter 10 1. Scout sees Atticus as old, feeble, having a boring job, nearly blind, and as never doing anything interesting. 2. According to Miss Maudie, it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, or nest in corncribs. 3. She said that he â€Å"was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time. (pg 129) She also said that that marksmanship was a gift of god and that Atticus did not believe in having an unfair advantage over everyone else. 4. Jem told Scout not to brag because if Atticus wanted them to know that, he would have told them about that. I agree with Jem because his dad never told them about him being a great marksman so he does not want Scout going around bragging about it. Chapter 11 1. A) The vicious Mrs. Dubose would always shout at Scout and Jem as they walk by her house to reach the business section of Maycomb. Numerous times, Atticus found an extremely angry Jem come home after walking by her house. Atticus informs Jem that Mrs. Dubose is old and ill and that he should keep his head high and be gentlemen. He says that she should not be accountable for the things she says due to her illness. B)For punishment of tearing Mrs. Dubose camellias, Jem had to spend two hours every day including Saturday’s reading to Mrs. Dubose. Scout tagged along also. When Mrs. Dubose’s timer would ring, Jem and Scout dashed on home. As each day passes, the kids notice that the timer is set a few minutes longer. After Jem’s month was up, Mrs. Dubose said the punishment would end after one extra week and to this she says â€Å"just to make sure†. By this, I think she knew that she would die after a week and soon enough she did. Jem is given a white camellia in a candy box from Mrs. Dubose, which was given to Atticus by her maid. Atticus knew that Mrs. Dubose was morphine addict who was sick for a very long time. She took pain killers for years from her doctor. Atticus says that she was suffering for a very long time. Reading to her got her mind of her addiction. He was surprised that Jem did not know why she had occasional fits. Scout did notice that she was not alright by the way she had her quilt on her body which covered her from feet to shoulders and how she have her mouth open and spat. On page 149, Atticus admits he looks up to her as a lady with courage and bravery. He wanted to show Jem what true courage by insisting that he read to Mrs. Dubose. Much more courage than a guy who carries a gun. 2. The description of Mrs. Dubose is meant to show two points of views in my opinion. To Jem and Scout, all they saw from her appearance was pure ugliness. Perhaps their hatred for her made them forget that Atticus said that she is ill. If I were them especially at their age, I would have thought she looked horrible as well. Another perspective is of my own. As I read the description of Mrs. Dubose, I notice there were no common words to describe ugly but illness. Her skin was dirty looking and her cheeks were covered with old-aged liver spots and she had pale black pin-point pupils. The kids did not realize that these were signs and effects of sickness. 3. On page 144, Atticus says the term â€Å"nigger lover† is used by trashy and ignorant people who think that somebody favours Negros over and above. It does not mean anything just like other silly terms do not mean anything. When someone insults you, it only shows how low they are. It is exactly how I see it as well. It is useless to care about an insult that is means nothing coming from someone who goes out of their way to make you feel bad. 4. I think that Atticus envied how Mrs. Dubose got her point across without hesitation. She stood up to what she believed in and what her view on thing was. That shows she is brave and has courage in Atticus’s eyes. Atticus as a man with morals, wants to get his point across that he believes in racial equality. To be as brave as Mrs. Dubose and help people such as Tom Robinson who cannot defend himself. Chapter 11 Why is Atticus so insistent about: a. Jem and Scout being polite to Mrs. Dubose? b. Jem’s reading to Mrs. Dubose? A) The vicious Mrs. Dubose would always shout at Scout and Jem as they walk by her house to reach the business section of Maycomb. Numerous times, Atticus found an extremely angry Jem come home after walking by her house. Atticus informs Jem that Mrs. Dubose is old and ill and that he should keep his head high and be gentlemen. He says that she should not be accountable for the things she says due to her illness. B)For punishment of tearing Mrs. Dubose camellias, Jem had to spend two hours every day including Saturday’s reading to Mrs. Dubose. Scout tagged along also. When Mrs. Dubose’s timer would ring, Jem and Scout dashed on home. As each day passes, the kids notice that the timer is set a few minutes longer. After Jem’s month was up, Mrs. Dubose said the punishment would end after one extra week and to this she says â€Å"just to make sure†. By this, I think she knew that she would die after a week and soon enough she did. Jem is given a white camellia in a candy box from Mrs. Dubose, which was given to Atticus by her maid. Atticus knew that Mrs. Dubose was morphine addict who was sick for a very long time. She took pain killers for years from her doctor. Atticus says that she was suffering for a very long time. Reading to her got her mind of her addiction. He was surprised that Jem did not know why she had occasional fits. Scout did notice that she was not alright by the way she had her quilt on her body which covered her from feet to shoulders and how she have her mouth open and spat. On page 149, Atticus admits he looks up to her as a lady with courage and bravery. He wanted to show Jem what true courage by insisting that he read to Mrs. Dubose. Much more courage than a guy who carries a gun. 2. Why do you think the author gives such a detailed and ugly description of Mrs. Dubose? How does it make you feel? The description of Mrs. Dubose is meant to show two points of views in my opinion. To Jem and Scout, all they saw from her appearance was pure ugliness. Perhaps their hatred for her made them forget that Atticus said that she is ill. If I were them especially at their age, I would have thought she looked horrible as well. Another perspective is of my own. As I read the description of Mrs. Dubose, I notice there were no common words to describe ugly but illness. Her skin was dirty looking and her cheeks were covered with old-aged liver spots and she had pale black pin-point pupils. The kids did not realize that these were signs and effects of sickness. 3. Discuss Atticus’ description of the phrase â€Å"nigger-lover† on p. 113. Do you agree with his ideas on this subject? Why? On page 144, Atticus says the term â€Å"nigger lover† is used by trashy and ignorant people who think that somebody favours Negros over and above. It does not mean anything just like other silly terms do not mean anything. When someone insults you, it only shows how low they are. It is exactly how I see it as well. It is useless to care about an insult that means nothing coming from someone who goes out of their way to make you feel bad. 4. On p. 116, Atticus explains to the children why he considered Mrs. Dubose to be a â€Å"great lady† and a brave person. How does this â€Å"fit in† with his explanation of why he is defending Tom Robinson? I think that Atticus envied how Mrs. Dubose got her point across without hesitation. She stood up to what she believed in and what her view on thing was. That shows she is brave and has courage in Atticus’s eyes. Atticus as a man with morals, wants to get his point across that he believes in racial equality. To be as brave as Mrs. Dubose and help people such as Tom Robinson who cannot defend himself. Chapter 12 1. Jem wants to be alone and independent quite often, he also gets moody quite easily. Jem starts to tell Scout what to do according to his values, tells her to start being a girl, treats her as if she knows little about things important to men. . Lula represents the kind of Negro who knows her place and keeps it. She probably resented the close relationship Calpurnia had with the Finch children. 3. The Negro church has no hymnals and the hymns are sung by lining. Prayers are Said for specific individuals. The offering is collected for on person—Helen Robinson, Tom’s wife. 4. Calpurnia does not want to appear superior to other Negroes. She knows they would think she was putting on airs if she spoke with them as she speaks in the French Household. There is an obvious cultural divide here between black and white. Caplurnia is simply adopting the situation in which she lives in the best way she feels possible. Chapter 13 1. I believe that although Scout and Aunt Alexandra do not always see eye to eye, and do not communicate well, neither of them are particularly at fault. The situation proves to be more of a personality conflict. They just do not seem to get along. As for the communication issue between them, they are equally at fault because they both do not seem to be particularly fond of each other, which results in a communication issue. . Atticus said that Joshua Finch was nothing more than a sewer inspector. Aunt Alexandra stated that Joshua Finch â€Å"‘was a beautiful character. † The difference in opinion surrounds that Atticus’ views of Joshua were negative whereas Aunt Alexandra’s were very positive. 3. I think what Scout means by this is that Atticus was attempting to be a middle man, or trying to bring his children to respect their Aunt, but that it was really a woman or mother’s job to talk to the children about respecting family. Chapter 14 1. Aunt Alexandra feels the family no longer needs Calpurunia. She undoubtedly resent the influence Cal has upon the children. Having a Negro so involved in the raising of her niece and nephew goes against Alexandria’s idea of â€Å"fine folks†. 2. Scout continues to resent Jem’s maddening superiority and is delighted when he isent to bed at her bedtime. 3. Jem calls Atticus when the children discover a runaway Dill under Scout’s bed. 4. Dill’s mother and stepfather show little interest or concern for him. Chapter 15 1. Atticus discusses the Klu Klux Klan on p. 49 and concludes by saying that the Klan is gone. Is this statement correct? Explain In literal terms No, because The Klu Klux Klan is a gang that is sometimes not open about who they are plus at the time in the 30’s which is the time period this book took place in is when the KKK was thriving down south because they were the people who never comprehended the rules that blacks and other m inorities have rights and the KKK was a form of rebelling against that. But this is a book and maybe they were gone or Atticus could just be telling a fib to put Jem at ease. 2. Describe events prior to the scene at Maycomb county jail that down the tension and unrest of the town. Be specific. The scene or events that caused one of the main climaxes of the book was that Atticus Finch was sitting outside of the jailhouse when 4 cars filled with men from the town show up with shotguns and demand Atticus moves in which Atticus refuses to do. Then Scout Jem and Dill come out from their hiding spots and then Bob Ewell makes a threatening demand to Atticus telling him that he and his kids have 15 seconds to move. Prior to this Scout looks around the group and recognizes Mr. Cunningham, the father of her classmate Walter Cunningham. She starts talking to him about his legal entailments and his son, and asks him to tell his son â€Å"hey. † All of the men stare at her. Mr. Cunningham, suddenly ashamed, squats down and tells Scout that he will tell his son â€Å"hey† for her, and then tells his companions to clear out. 3. . Discuss the irony of the following statement and the situation which it describes in this chapter â€Å"†¦ there followed what I later realize was a sickeningly comic aspect of an unfunny situation: the men talked in near-whispers. 4. Why does Jem openly defy Atticus and refuse to go back home ? It is not specific of Jem’s reasoning’s to go home so you mostly have to infer, and by inferring I realized that since I am a son I am trying to prove my worthiness or toughness to my father and I think thats what Jem was trying to do, he was trying â€Å"to play with the big boys†. Also I think Jem under stood that his father was in danger and he wanted to stay their to protect him and make sure that he was okay. 5. What does Scouts childish attempt at conversation accomplish? Explain. I don’t personally think it was childish per say but I think that what she was trying to accomplish was either to make him seem like a disgrace by saying that his son was hanging out with Atticus Finch’s daughter, (the lawyer who was defending the Negro). Or to sub consciously make Mr. Cunningham lose his â€Å"train of focus† away from â€Å"lets kill this negro† to make him think about his son and his family and by doing that it was a domino effect in which all the other farmers in this angry mob had a thought switch from anger to lovingness and playfulness of their children if they had any. 6. Why was Atticus so affectionate toward Jem after Jem had disobeyed him? Because Atticus began to realize that Jem wanted to protect him and that Jem was being disobedient to be helpful rather than to make Atticus mad or to rebel against Atticus Chapter 16 1. Jem and Scout see Atticus and Alexandra, his sister, begin to disagree more frequently while she is staying with them. During breakfast the morning after the mob swarmed the courthouse, Aunt Alexandra stated that children who sneaked out at night were disgraces to the family. Atticus openly disagrees with her, and says that he was glad his disgraces had come along. Atticus is very wise, and he knew that he could have possibly been injured during the night, but the appearance of his children had stopped that risk. Scout talked to Walter Cunningham about his legal affairs, which she knew about because of Atticus, and about his son, who she went to school with. Alexandra did not know fully about the events that took place the previous night, but was very opinionated and said only what she had learned growing up at Finch’s landing. Another topic Atticus and Alexandra discuss at breakfast is the truth that Mr. Underwood, a known hater of Negros, was watching over Atticus, who was defending a Negro. After Calpurnia left the room to wash the dishes, Alexandra says that Atticus and his children should not talk about someone hating Negros in Calpurnia’s presence, but Atticus retorts, saying that anything that is fit to say while at the table is fit to say in front of Calpurnia, because she is part of their family. Alexandra does not understand Atticus’ reasoning, but he is more experienced with both the Negro community and what to say to certain people and what to withhold to others. . Atticus tells Scout at the breakfast table about the mob that swarmed around Atticus the previous night. Walter Cunningham, one of Atticus’ previous clients, was a member of the mob, and Scout did not understand why he was there, even though he was a friend of Atticus. Atticus tells Scout that Mr. Cunningham is a good man, but has his â€Å"blind spots,† like any other. She does not u nderstand what that means, and tells Atticus that Mr. Cunningham might have killed him if she, Jem and Dill had not of stepped in. Atticus explains to his two kids that all mobs are made up of people, and in a small town such as Maycomb, you may know most or all of the people that are seeking to do bad. This does not mean they are bad people, but they have made a wrong decision, that are their â€Å"blind spots† 3. Mr. Underwood is a known hater of Negros in Maycomb County, but curiously he is standing in the window of a building across the street with a double barrelled shotgun in his hand, protecting Atticus in case the mob attacks Atticus. There is no explanation for this, but I believe that there are two possible reasons. The first and less likely reson is that Mr. Underwood knew Tom, and knew that Tom would never rape a woman. I do not think this is the reason because Mr. Underwood was an outspoken hater of the black community, and I doubt he would know one of them. The other and more likely reason is that Mr Underwood respects Atticus, even though he does not agree with the side Atticus is taking. Mr. Underwood understands that Atticus is a good lawyer and a good man, and he should not be punished for his actions. 4. The first time Jem, Scout and Dill see Mr. Dolphus Raymond, he is on his way to the courthouse to attend the trial of Tom Robinson. Although it is just past eight o’clock, Mr. Raymond is drunk in the saddle of his horse. The children see him again, during the lunch break of the trial, sitting with the Negros. He was drinking from a paper bag, which Jem explained to Scout and Dill contained whisky, concealed so not shown to the women in the square. He married a Negro woman, and has mixed children; half-white, half-black. His children do not fit in, as they are not either black or white, and they are the only ones of their kind in Maycomb. He sent some of them to the North to get away from racism. Dill thinks he is â€Å"trash,† but Jem quickly changes Dill’s mind when Jem explains Mr. Raymond’s history. He was going to marry a white woman, but just before the wedding his fiancee committed suicide by shooting herself with a shotgun, which changed Mr. Raymond’s ideas about life. He sits with the Negros in the balcony during the court case, and he does not care about what the white people of Maycomb think of him, only that his friends, the blacks, appreciate and like him. 5. Scout describes Judge Taylor as an old, stereotypical southerner that is weathered by age and experience. Although he appears incapable, Atticus knows and tells his children that he is wise and thoughtful. I believe he looks and acts this way on purpose, in order to seem to the population that he is not an all-powerful being, and that he is just as much like any other man in Maycomb. His actions are not like any others, and he has perfected his judgments through many years of practice. Chapter 17 1. Atticus attempts to establish the exact nature and position of Mayella Ewell’s injuries. He seems to be wanting to show exactly which side of her face and throat were bruised. 2. â€Å"Poor white trash† is a term that describes people of slovenly ways, lack of industry, and prejudice toward Negroes although their ways are less to be admired than the Negroes. Chapter 18 1. Pathetic: â€Å"Long’s he keeps on callin’ me ma’am an sayin Miss Mayella, I don’t hafta taek his sass, I ain’t called upon to take it. † â€Å"Friends? † She states she only went to school two or three years. Disgusting: â€Å"I don’t recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do. Chapter 19 Question 1: In contrast to the Ewells, what kind of person is Tom Robinson? Explain with evidence? In contrast to the Ewells Tom was a great person. Tom was polite, honest, respectful and overall just a good guy. Ms. Ewell was rude and very untruthful. She made the whole thing up, Tom never raped her, he did not even lay a single hand on her. She just wanted to keep her reputation in Maycomb and did not want to disappoint her father so she lied to everyone. Question 2: Why does Atticus mention Tom’s previous record of conviction? At the trial Atticus mentioned Tom Robinson’s previous record of conviction to show that Tom had nothing to hide, he was always be honest and that he had never really been in serious trouble. This one incident was because he got in a fight with another man who had tried to cut him. Tom Robinson had to serve the time because he could not afford to pay the fine, unlike the other man. Question 3: According to Tom’s testimony, what actually happened on November 21? Be specific. According to Tom’s Testimony November 21 started off just like any other day. He claimed that Ms. MayellaEwell called him over to help her out with some house work, just like she had done many times before. Tom said that she tried to pay him but he never would accept because he truly felt bad for the poor lady, her father being a drunk and trying to practically raise her sibling’s on her own. So on the evening of November 21 Ms. Ewell told him that the door was practically off the hinges and that it needed to be fixed, so Tom entered her house, but the door looked perfectly fine. Ms. Ewell found another job for him, she told him to step up on the chair and to grab something down from a shelf. Tom followed her directions and got up on the chair. The next thing he knew Ms. Ewell had grabbed him around the legs, she scared him to death, he hope down off the chair, and flipped the chair over by accidently. Then she jumped on him, not aggressively though more like a hug. Then she kissed him, and she kissed him again and she insisted that he kissed her back but Tom refused. The Mr. Ewell (her father), had returned home and called Ms. Ewell a â€Å"god damn whore† and was practically sprinting towards them, so Tom just ran away, he ran as fast as he could. And those are the events that took place on November 21. Question 4: What â€Å"mistakes† did Tom make in saying that he felt â€Å"sorry† for Mayella? Tom should not have announced that he felt sorry for Ms. Ewellbecause back in the day a Negro was not supposed to feel sorry for a white lady. In the 1930’s most whites were terribly rude to all the black people and they had much better lives, and jobs then the black people. So for Tom to say he felt bad for her almost was saying that he felt as though his life was better, which for the black man to have a better life, should never had happened. Question 5: Explain Scout’s statement that â€Å"she (Mayella) was even lonelier than Boo Radley. † I think that Scouts statement â€Å"she (Mayella) was even lonelier than Boo Radley† was true. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense because Boo Radley, had some of his family, and quite a few of the elders in the area did not mind him, and respected him. For Mayells it was a different story, her father was a drunk and abused her and after the trial most of Maycomb realized that she was lying and lost all respect for her. 1. Tom Robinson is a 25 year old black man who has been accused of assaulting and raping Mayella Ewell. As Atticus noticed, his left arm is â€Å"hardly nothing†, because it was caught in a cotton gin at age 12, making it quite difficult for him to have beaten Mayella because her bruises were on the right side of her face. He is polite and frequently helps Mayella, and a few other characters from the book out of kindness. The Ewells are white so Mayella’s communication with Tom (considering he was black) was not accepted. 2. Tom was convicted for getting in a fight with another man. He received thirty days for disorderly conduct. Because he couldn’t pay his fine he had to spend the time in prison. The other man involved in the incident had tried to cut him so Tom was merely defending himself. His conviction was thus based on his race. 3. On November 21st, Mayella invited Tom inside to help her fix a broken door. The door was fine though and there appeared to be no problem with it. Mayella shut the door to lock her and Tom in the room once he realized there were no children home, and they were all alone. Mayella explained that they went downtown to get some ice-cream with the money she had given them. Tom thought that was awfully kind of her. She asked him to step on a chair and get a box down from the closet for her. When he got up on the chair Mayella grabbed him around the legs. He was so scared he jumped off the chair and it tipped over. That was the only toppled piece of furniture in the room. Then he turned around she jumped on him and hugged him around the waist. Then she kissed him on the side of the face and told him to kiss her back. She told him she had never kissed a grown man before so he may as well be the first. He tried to run but she blocked the door, then Mr. Ewell saw them both through the window and shouted at Tom. Then Tom ran from the house because he was scared of the consequences of being a black man in a room with a white woman who had tried to kiss him. 4. Tom saying â€Å"he felt sorry for Mayella† was a mistake because a black man should never pity a white person, even if they have reason to. 5. Mayella didn’t even understand what the word ‘friend’ meant. She had seven siblings that she had no real connection with and her father often abused her. She had no love, and no friendship, so when Tom was nice to her she didn’t understand. When she realized what she had done (kissed a black man) she was so eager to push the blame on someone else, thus she accused Tom of raping her. Scout thought that she was even lonlier than Boo Radley, because Boo Radley had a family that seemingly cared about him and had at least had friends at one point during his childhood. Chapter 20 1. Mr. Raymond wants to give folks a reason for his behavior. 2. He tells the children about his life because they are children—without prejudices—and therefore they can understand it. 3. Although Mayella is the victim of cruel poverty and ignorance, Atticus urges the jury not to pity her. She broke the social code: she tempted a Negro. Now she is trying to pull the evidence away from her. He states that a court of law is the one place in our nation where all people can be equal, and he charges the jury to review the case without prejudice, without passion and to restore Tom Robinson to his family. Chapter 21 1. Not one jury member looks at Tom when they return. Scout knows a jury never looks at a defendant it has convicted. 2. The Negroes stand when Atticus leaves the courtroom as a sign of respect for what he has done for Tom by defending him in the trial. Chapter 22 1. Atticus felt defeated. The colored community was depending on him to clear Tom Robinson of all the accusations he was accused of and while he did make the jury hesitate and ponder over his words, Tom was still declared guilty at the end. Atticus is disappointed at himself, although he knew that winning this case would be difficult. He felt the injustice of it all and wished he could acquit Tom because he knew he was innocent. 2. Miss Maudie tells Jem that the people in Maycomb did their best to help Tom Robinson’s lawsuit. It was during the days where the discrimination of colored people were harsh. Judge Taylor appointed Atticus for Tom’s case, even though most court-appointed defenses were handed over to Maxwell Green, a new lawyer who needed to build up his carrer. Judge Taylor, despite knowing it was almost impossible to win the case, he believed that Atticus had a small chance of convincing the jury otherwise as he was a persuasive and dedicated man with a kind, good heart that would fight for Tom no matter how much disgrace and humiliation is put on him. . Miss Maudie is saying that while there is still harsh discrimination between the white and colored folks, there is some improvement. People are beginning to see and realize that people are all the same, regardless of skin color. One should not be considered â€Å"lower† in class or unfit to do anything because of their background. Atticus was the one chosen to publicly prove this point with his involvement of Tom Robinson’s case. 4. Dill wants to be a clown to laugh at people as he feels he can do nothing about them except laugh. He finds it ridiculous that folks are so judgmental and superficial they will believe any form of stories or gossip told to them. Riding broomsticks are associated with witches, who are heartless and unkind. Just like the Maycomb people, some are so caught up with themselves with the rumors they hear they do not take the time to understand the life and sorrow of others. Dill, although young in age, he is mature in a way where he is accepting of the differences and the ways in people. Chapter 23 1. Atticus remained calm and collected about it. He reckons that since he destroyed every ounce of Bob’s credibility at the trail, he would naturally be cold and hateful about it. And so when Bob came up to Atticus, cursed, spat and threatened him, Atticus remained his cool and walked away. Though Atticus’ reaction would have provoked Bob even more, he did not think much of the threat. 2. Explain Atticus’ statements about the following: a. Reasonable doubt It is when the accused is charged even without hard evidence and eye witnesses, when they are pronounced guilty based on just circumstantial proof. . â€Å"When it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. † Atticus is saying that the whites had a huge advantage over the colored people at the time, and when it was a conflict between the two races then, the whites would always win no matter what, no matter if they were right or not. c. â€Å"People have a way of carrying their resentments right into the jury box. † It is saying that people hold grudges and they do not easily forgive until they get what they want. . â€Å"It’s all adding up, and one of these days we are going to pay the bill for it. † Atticus is telling Scout and Jem that there is an increasing number of white people, who think they are of a higher social class than the colored folks, who are taking advantage of them. He thinks that one day, this is all going to turn around and hit them back in their faces, where the white people will suffer for the mocking and poking fun of the Negros. 3. Briefly show the difference in attitude toward the Cunninghams as expressed by: a. Atticus He is very accepting of them and he had praise and respect for the Cunninghams, Who was a member of the jury, for he wanted Tom Robinson acquitted of all he was accused for from the beginning. b. Aunt Alexandra Aunt Alexandra disapproved of the Cunninghams. She looked down on them and thought they were trash – untidy, unruly and uncivilized. She did not want Scout Mixing around with people she thought would be of bad company to her. . He cannot accept her opinion of the world being of only one kind of people as he has seen all the disagreements and fights people have gotten into and the hatred some have for one another. He believes that if people were really only of one kind, there would be none of this unpleasant doings in the world – everyone would get along and there would be no fights, no hatred, but instead, peace and love. Chapter 24 1. The missionary circle displays a tende ncy to gossip and often, thanks to Miss Stephanie’s influence, makes fun of the children. 2. Mrs. Merriweather admires J. Grimes Everett for his work with native Mrunas but she has no compassion for the Negroes of Maycomb. 3. Scout feels men do not make fun of her or criticize her unfairly. 4. Maycomb trusts Atticus to do right—this is the highest tribute it can pay a man. 5. Scout learns that ladies continue with necessary tasks even in times of crisis. Chapter 25 1. The white people who didn’t like Tom would have reacted with relief since they didn’t like him due to racism. A lynch mob went to beat Tom but Atticus protected him. This demonstrates that most of the whites did not like Tom at all and wanted him dead. The blacks wanted Tom to be free and not be put to death because of the racism in this country. They would be sad and depressed also knowing that nothing would have changed with the racism. Maycomb was only interested in Tom’s death for two days: people thought it was typical of a Negro to run. 2. Mr. Underwood likens Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children. Atticus had told his children it was a sin to kill a mockingbird. Chapter 26 1. a)Scout now feels remorse over their tormenting of Arthur Radley. ) She still imagines that someday she’ll see Arthur and they will speak as if they’ve known each other for a very long time. c) Atticus reveals he has known all along of their games about Arthur, aka. Boo Radley d) Current events is a good idea, Scout thinks, but not practical in Maycomb Country since the children had few newspapers and little concept of what current events was. 2. Miss Gates says we do not believe in perse cuting anyone in America; she states persecution only comes from people who are prejudiced. After the trial, Scout had heard her say â€Å"It’s time somebody taught ‘em ( the Negroes) a lesson. † 3. Jem was totally disillusioned by the outcome of the trial and is trying to forget it. He is still too angry to think about it and sort things out, says Atticus. Knowing that in time Jem will realize there had been some progress made. Chapter 27 1. Mr. Bob Ewell was fired from a WPA job and blames Atticus; Judge Taylor’s house is threatened by a would-be burglar. Bob Ewell threatens Helen Robinson. All three incidents point to Bob Ewell as a sneaking, conniving person trying to get even. 2. Atticus had come home late from being in Montgomery for a week and Aunt Alexandra was tired from decorating the stage for the pageant. Chapter 28 1. Jem and Scout go to their elementary school around the corner on Halloween night, which is a Saturday. Before the pageant that Scout is in, Cecil Jacobs, one of Scout’s classmates, jumps out from around the corner and scares both Jem and Scout. While walking home, the two siblings hear a noise from behind them, and they assume it is Cecil Jacobs again, trying to scare them. If Cecil Jacobs had not of scared them before the pageant, they might have been more diligent when walking home, and Mr. Ewell might not have had the opportunity to attack them. 2. At first, Jem thought it could be the wind making the mysterious noises behind them. After further inspection, they concluded that Cecil Jacobs was trying to scare them again, so they dismissed the sound. In actuality, it was Bob Ewell attempting to attack them. 3. There were four people involved in the skirmish. Scout, who was still wearing her ham costume from the pageant, only screamed and ran away when Jem told her to. Jem first tried to fight against Bob Ewell, but lost quickly, having his left arm badly broken. Bob Ewell attacked the children, seeking revenge for his embarrassment by their father during the court case. Finally, Boo Radley, who was watching over the children without them knowing it. He carried Jem and escorted Scout to the safety of their home. Chapter 29 1. Boo Radley saved Jem and Scout. 2. During Atticus’s and heck Tate’s argument I think that Atticus strongly believes that Jem killed Mr. Ewell. He doesn’t want his son to be given any special treatment and moments after the incident he is already thinking of what court will deal with this murder, is Jem old enough to have a record and other details of this sort. He does not want Jem to live the rest of his life hiding part of himself. This is why he presses Mr. Tate about not trying to cover this incident up with Mr. Tates story. Mr Tatebelieves that Mr. Ewell killed himself by landing on his own knife in between his ribs. I think that Mr. Ewell is simply trying to find the least dramatic explanation for Mr. Ewells death so it is not to cause drama within the town. Atticus is not convinced that this is the case; this is why I think that Mr. Tate has not entirely convinced himself that Mr. Ewell is responsible for his own death. Since Mr. Tate is the sheriff of Maycomb he bluntly states to Atticus that whether or not he is right they will announce to the town that Mr. Ewell killed himself last night. 3. To reassure Atticus that Mr. Tate is right Scout stands up and gives her dad a hug and a kiss. He asks her if she can believe what Mr. Tate is saying and she responds with â€Å"Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it? † (Lee To Kill a Mockingbird 370). She uses the lesson that Atticus had taught her earlier to her advantage. This seems to satisfy Atticus and he leaves the dilemma be, for now. Chapter 30 1. Boo and Scout seem to know each other—Boo from watching the children and Scout from her fantasy and preoccupation with him. . Heck Tate is willing to believe what he says: that Bob Ewell fell on his knife. Atticus at first feels hushing up the truth would be a denial to Jem and Scout of the way he has tried to raise them, but as Sheriff Heck makes the decision not to drag Boo Radley into the limelight Atticus accepts the situation because Boo saved the lives of his children. Chapter 31 1. After scout realized that Boo was the man that gave her a blanket when she was cold, left her toys in the tree, and ultimately saved her brother and her from almost certain death, she had an epiphany. Standing on Boo’s porch after walking him home, she now saw a misunderstood man who did not deserve all the hurtful rumors and ‘legends’ that the town had put upon him. Instead, she sawa good, innocent man who had done nothing wrong. Scout now knows that all those rumors and stories about him were false, so false it was almost the exact opposite. To do anything to him would be like killing a mocking bird she exclaims, because they are perfectly innocent, and they do not do anything wrong but instead they sing beautiful songs and do good things. 2. As I read the closing scene where Scout returns from walking Boo Radley home, and comes to sit with Atticus and he reads to her. Scout then states that she thought Boo had been very nice, to which Atticus replied, â€Å"‘most people are, Scout, when you finally see them. ’† This quote is the main thing that stood out to me in the closing scene, because it just showed me so clearly, that we cannot judge people we do not know, because we do not know if our accusations are true or obscure. I certainly admire how open minded, and kind Atticus is, which is very well portrayed in this scene.