To Kill A Mockingbird Chapter Questions free essay sample

Atticus Finch is a wise, single father. He is a qualified, intelligent and distinguished lawyer practising in the south of Alabama in a rural town named Maycomb. Atticus has a high moral integrity and is bred from an upper-class background. He has a brother named Jack Finch and a sister named Alexandra. Atticus has two children named Jean-Louise Finch and Jem Finch. Jem is a quiet, studious boy who loves reading and football. Scout (Jean) is a tomboyish, confident girl who loves rolling in mud in her overalls and reading any book she can get her hands on. Maycomb is a close knit, old and rural town where everyone knows everyone. Its temperatures are always high and oak trees border its many long red dirt roads. 2) What game did the children play most of the summer? What was Atticus attitude when he suspected what they were playing? How is this incident suggestive of the issues that are raised in the novel as a whole? a) The children (Jem, Scout and Dill) played a game called Boo Radley. We will write a custom essay sample on To Kill A Mockingbird Chapter Questions or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When Atticus discovered what the children were playing he voiced his disapproval of the game and told them that it was unnecessary and harsh to tease, mock or disturb Mr Arthur (Boo) and that they must cease to do so. The incident is suggestive of the issues written throughout the book on the lack of knowledge and experience with any kind of disorder and not knowing how to treat someone with a mental illness or social difference. 3) What purpose do you think the author has in telling about the childrens escapades? a) I think the purpose is to help show the childrens innocence and naivety to the world, it helps us really understand just how young they are but also surprisingly, just how much they manage to learn and understand as they grow and are faced with issues which force maturity and awareness. After the fire at Ms Maudie’s, things begin to happen that have a great influence on the lives of Scout and Jem. How is the novelist able to hint at the trouble to come? a) The fire at Ms Maudie’s house the day before the trial shows us how the town will help its own as the neighbourhood gave a hand in trying to salvage Ms Maudie’s property, I also think the fire marks the end of innocence for Jem and Scout, the book after this point is dominated by the trial of Tom Robinson which brings stark awareness and harsh times for the Finch children. What do you think made Atticus decide to defend Tom Robinson? What reasons does he give Scout for wanting to defend Tom? a) I think Atticus decided to defend Tom because he acknowledged the injustice towards Tom and wants to fight it, he felt he needed to face down Maycomb’s racism and support what he knows is right. He told Scout that he won’t win the case but has to take it in order to keep his integrity, that he couldn’t hold his head up if he didn’t fight for what he knew was right. 6) How did the children gradually become proud of their father and his quiet achievements? In chapter 11 a â€Å"mad dog† wanders though Maycomb. The finch children see the dog and after Atticus is notified, he arrives to submit a perfect headshot to the animal. The children then begin to learn that there is a great deal that they don’t know about their father and that he isn’t a boring old man after all. They gain a new respect for him but Scout is young and wants to brag whereas Jem, who is now maturing quickly understands that if this was something he wanted them to know about, he would have told them. Why does Jem have to read to Mrs Dubose? Do you think Atticus was right to make Jem do this? What do the children discover about Mrs Dubose? a) Jem is told by Atticus that he must read to Mrs Dubose daily for a month. This as punishment for destroying her Camellias, Jem did this in response to her slighting and condemning Atticus for defending Tom Robinson. I think that Atticus was right to make Jem do this. It was an important lesson in teaching Jem and Scout about courage and human dignity and it taught them to control their emotions. The children later discover after Mrs Dubose passes away that she was battling a morphine addiction and that the reading was helping her to overcome the habit before she died. They learn that though Mrs Dubose was prejudiced she was also courageous in fighting against the addiction even though she knew it was probably a lost cause, and they realise that courage isn’t strength or skill with a gun, its standing up for what’s right, no matter what. 8) Describe the relationship between Jem, Scout and Calpurina. Why did Aunt Alexandra object to Jem going to Calpurina’s church? Jem and Scout both see Calpurina as a strict but loving mother, she is the housemaid and cook but also essentially raised the Finch children. Aunt Alexandra objected to Jem attending Calpurina’s church because she felt it was inappropriate for him to be going to a lower class black church with the ‘hired help’, and that social class and gender roles are of the upmost importance. 9) What is the town’s reaction to Atticus’s defence of Tom Robinson at the trial? How does Atticus’s family suffer? Where does Atticus go on the Sunday evening before the trial? Why does he try to send the children home? a) The majority of Maycomb is shocked, Atticus’s determination to take and win the trial is powerful and most have never seen such a strong display of morality before, most of Maycomb would have nonchalantly stood by as Tom was accused guilty with barely any court defence. Jem and Scout both suffer at home and outside of the home as many people feel the need to express their prejudiced views to the children, this along with many other things is what led to the rapid maturity of mainly Jem, but Scout also. On the Sunday evening Atticus travels to the jail to stand guard and protect Tom Robinson as he was notified of possible â€Å"trouble and disturbance at the Jail’. When Jem and Dill run into the crowd, led by Scout, they are suddenly aware that they have walked into a bad situation. Though Jem realises the situation is precarious, he made a decision to stay and help Atticus protect Tom even after his father’s thorough protests. Dill and Scout on the other hand, are still too young to completely understand what is going on. They stand and fight with Jem though, knowing what he is doing will be what is right. Atticus continues to plea, order, threaten and at times, almost beg in a desperate attempt for the children to go home. He realises what a dangerous situation this is and could become if the mob turns violent so wants to protect them from this. 10) Why did the ‘Lynch Mob’ go home? What main point do you think the novelist hoped to make by introducing this episode into the story? a) The Lynch mob left the jail on Mr Cunningham’s command. Scout, who misunderstanding what’s going on, reminded him of his own human dignity. By asking question about his son Walter, Scout luckily struck a cord with Mr Cunningham and embarrassed him into leaving and dispersing the crowd. I think it points out how the prejudice escalated when the trial drew closer until it threatened violence. It also showed how there are people that can learn to overcome their prejudice and see past the racism. 11) What is the atmosphere in Maycomb on the day of the trial? a) The atmosphere that surrounds Maycomb on the trial day is one of apprehension, tension and excitement. Never before has a lawyer defended a black man so honestly, especially not in the small southern town of Maycomb. Everyone is shocked by Atticus’s courage in defending Tom, they all want to witness this rare case so the town fills the courtroom to its limit as each person hopes to catch a glimpse of this momentous event. 12) What is your impression of the persecution witnesses and their evidence? My impression is that the evidence is very circumstantial. There was no one else there to witness the ‘crime’ and only the statements of the people in question, which is suspicious and leads to reasonable doubt. Unfortunately this would never be taken to affect their case, as it is a white man’s word against a black’s so obviously the Ewell’s over ruled Tom’s statement. A black man would never be believed over a white man. 13) How did Scout and Jem feel after the trial? How did Atticus feel? What do you think of the verdict? Scout and especially Jem were totally astounded. To them the evidence was black and white, and the verdict should have been the same. They believed that with such solid evidence, Tom would be exonerated. This of course is true, the evidence should have been more than enough to save Tom, but the children learn once again that as Atticus said, â€Å"The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any colour of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. No matter how compounding the evidence, Tom would have been wrongly accused, Atticus also mentions, â€Å"In our courts, when it’s a white mans word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life. † Which was utterly true. The injustice changes Jem and Scout and their childish innocent belief that they would win the case serves as a condemnation of the racist adult society of Maycomb. 14) After the trial Jem said, â€Å"There’s four kinds of folk in the world†, but Scout said, â€Å"There’s just one kind of folks†. Do you agree with Jem or Scout? Why? a) I agree with both, there is in reality just one kind of ‘folk’. We are all human and totally equal, but in the same sense there are also four or more kinds of people. Although we all like to think all of man is treated equally, we are not. As much as we don’t like to acknowledge it, we are all governed by social and economic class and in some parts of the world, we are still ruled by race and gender prejudice. Class separates us all to this day, in school, work, home and everywhere else. ‘The poplars’ govern schools socially. Managers govern work, towns/cities and even countries are controlled by people who have had opportunities throughout their lives that others haven’t. This is not something that I imagine will change for many generations, if ever. It’s the way the world works; survival of the fittest has controlled our lives since the beginning of man and probably will continue to do so for a very long time. 15) What did Jem suggest as the real reason why Boo Radley stayed shut up all the time? What do you think of his suggestion? Jem suggested that Boo stayed ‘shut up’ inside his house because he wants to. This makes sense. The pressure of everyday life causes many people to want hibernate, shy away from society and refuse to face up to everyday responsibilities. Life is daunting and corrupt in many ways, and to Boo whom experiences social ‘disadvantages’ or disabilities, this would make it even harder. I can understand why he would stay inside, people didn’t understand why he was different in those times so Boo would not receive any extra help or guidance and would be harshly ladled and tormented. What impression did you get of Maycomb’s ladies from the tea party? What is their attitude to the Murnas? And to Maycomb’s Negroes? Do you agree with Mrs Merriweather who says at least they are not hypocrites? a) The impression of Maycomb’s ladies is that they are Their attitude towards the Murnas is†¦. Mrs Merriweather is totally wrong, they are the definition of hypocrisy. She talks of â€Å"helping† the people of Africa, when in fact; she would never treat them as equals. This is easily indicated by her condescending attitude toward the black population of Maycomb. What do we learn about Bob Ewell’s behaviour in the months after the trial? What does this indicate? a) Bob became increasingly violent and offensive towards the Finch’s as he was consumed by hate. This shows that he was proud, superficial man, unable to forget the fact that Atticus made him out to be the fool in the trial. He is holding a grudge towards Atticus for affecting his reputation and dignity. Bob is the type of man that will get angry, and then get even. This frightens the Finch children to no end and with good reason! Why did Heck Tate insist Bob Ewell fell on his own knife? Do you think he was right? a) Sherriff Tate insisted this because he did not want to involve Boo in the death. He decided that Boo was saving other peoples lives and doesn’t need more attention. I think he was right to do that, Boo is an innocent who is unable to deal with the sadness and messiness of the outside world so involving him would have been cruel as Scout says, â€Å"Bringing attention to Boo would be like shooting a Mockingbird. You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. † What had Scout learned about Boo Radley by the time she returned home that night? a) Scout learnt to understand Atticus’s lesson about walking in another man’s shoes, after walking Boo home she sees her and Jem’s life as Boo must have seen it. She stood in Boo’s skin and felt his dignity, seeing things from his point of view made her realise what Atticus had meant. 20) â€Å"I don’t know, but they did it. They’ve done it before and they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it – it seems only the children weep. Goodnight. † What does Atticus mean by this? What does the statement say about society? a) Atticus is saying how weeping innocent children are a condemnation of the wicked, weak and uncaring adults. The statement talks about the injustice that doesn’t seem to affect the adults, only the children, because they are young, caring and unprejudiced. It shows how society is made up of adults that sadly seem to lack goodness, courage and basic human dignity.