Discussion Questions for Chapter Twenty-One of To Kill a Mockingbird
Calpurnia brings a note to Atticus. The note is from Aunt Alexandra. What does the
note say? (206)
The note expresses concern that the children are missing and haven’t turned up since
noon.
Who then points out the children to Atticus so he won’t have to worry any more? (206)
Mr. Underwood points out the children.
The children come down from the balcony and Atticus tells them to go home and eat their
supper and stay home. What does Atticus say when Jem then begs Atticus to let them
come back to hear the verdict? (207)
They’ve heard it all, so they might as well hear the rest. But they should go home and get
some supper first. They can return when they’ve had their supper. He also says he thinks
that they might miss the verdict because it will come back so quickly.
How does Calpurnia feel about the children watching the whole trial? (207)
She’s furious. She doesn’t think that it was appropriate for kids as young as them to hear
all that.
How does Scout feel about Calpurnia yelling at Jem? (207)
Scout is happy that Calpurnia is finally yelling at Jem, whom Scout had always thought
Calpurnia had favored.
How does Aunt Alexandra react when she finds out where the children have been, and
how does this imply she feels about their having gone to the trial and about Atticus
saying they may return to hear the verdict after they’ve eaten supper? (208)
At first, she nearly faints. Then she feels hurt when she finds out that Atticus has said the
children have permission to return to court to hear the verdict. She remains silent all
through dinner, obviously disapproving strongly of their having gone and of Atticus
saying they may return to hear the verdict.
When Jem, Scout, and Dill go back to the courthouse, they find out that although they
have been gone an hour, the jury has been out for less time than that (Atticus and Mr.
Gilmer both talked some more and Judge Taylor charged the jury). How long has the
jury been out before the children got back? (208)
About thirty minutes so far.
Which side does Reverend Sykes think Judge Taylor is favoring? (208)
Reverend Sykes thinks Judge Taylor is leaning a little to the side of the defense.
What is Jem’s understanding of the legal definition of rape? (209)
If she let you, it wasn’t rape, but she’d have to be over eighteen. Usually the attacker
would overpower the victim and stomp on her or even knock her stone-cold unconscious,
and she’d kick and holler and scream. However, if she was under eighteen, it was rape
no matter what (statutory rape).
What does Reverend Sykes say to Jem about talking like this in front of Scout? (209)
He says it’s not appropriate for a young lady to hear all this.
Jem then asks Scout if she understands all that he’s saying, assuming that this stuff is too
mature for her to understand. Scout says she does understand what he’s talking about.
Does she really? And how do you know? (209)
No. She says to Jem she knows what he’s talking about but then she thinks she must
have been too convincing, because Jem stopped talking about it. This indicates she was
bluffing and really did not fully understand what Jem was talking about.
While waiting for the verdict, Scout remembers when Jem was interested in psychic
research. What had Jem once told her was possible if a whole bunch of people all
thought really hard about it at the same time, and, inspired by this idea, what does Scout
toy with the idea of trying to do? (210)
Jem had once told her if a whole bunch of people, like a stadium full, all focused on
setting a tree on fire in the woods, that tree would burst into flames. Scout is thinking
about asking everyone below her to concentrate on setting Tom Robinson free.
What image of a scene that occurred earlier, in Chapter Ten, comes back to Scout? (210)
She sees the deserted street again, from the day that Atticus shot the mad dog.
Scout extends that metaphorical image when she says that she watched the jury return,
moving slowly like underwater swimmers. Scout says it was like … what? (211)
Scout says it was like watching Atticus walk into the street, raise a rifle to his shoulder to
pull the trigger, but watching all the time knowing that the gun was empty.
What does this mean?
It means that Atticus never had a chance. He tried his best, but there was no way he
could kill Maycomb’s prejudice. He never had any ammunition, though he still stepped
up to try his best. It was always hopeless.
How does Scout know what the verdict is going to be even before it is spoken aloud?
(211)
A jury never looks at a defendant it has convicted, and not one of the jurors looks at Tom
Robinson.
How does Jem react to hearing the verdict read aloud? (211)
Each time the word ‘guilty’ is spoken it is like a stab between his shoulders. He flinches.
What do the occupants of the colored balcony do as Atticus walks out, and why? (211)
They rise, to show respect and appreciation for all Atticus tried to do for Tom.