Name:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Date:
Double – Sided Journal
Directions: From time to time, over the course of reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I will ask you to complete a
Double-Sided Journal (an example of this type of journal is below). You will be asked to complete a certain
number of “Entries,” which refer to one block. Below, there are five entries (blocks/rectangular formations).
In the left column, you should record a character name, event, quote, or literary technique that you will discuss
in the right column. In the right column, you should record personal responses (your feelings), literary
analyses, predictions, connections to the world, your life, other works of literature, art, film, history, questions
that arise in your mind, etc – basically just reflect intellectually. It would be great for you to discuss the
author’s technique (symbolism, theme, imagery, characterization, metaphor you liked, etc. whenever possible.)
Each entry on the right should be no less than 5 SENTENCES.
Example of a 5-Entry Double –Sided Journal
Chapter 11
Character & Pg#(s):
Mrs. Dubose (100-111)
Quote:
“I wanted you to see what real courage is,
instead of getting the idea that courage is a
man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you
know you’re licked before you begin but
you begin anyway and you see it through
no matter what” (112). – Atticus
Event:
Jem destroys Mrs. Dubose’s Camelia
Bushes (102-103)
Mrs. Dubose is an interesting woman. Although I cannot stand her
because she is cruel to Scout and Jem, I understand that Harper
Lee uses her character as a vehicle to develop her themes
regarding courage and old tradition. It is obvious that Mrs.
Dubose personifies the Old South – she is racist and closedminded. However, her bout with overcoming a morphine addiction
is the perfect opportunity to highlight what Atticus’ idea of
courage is – fighting for a difficult goal even if you believe the
odds are completely against you. I feel bad for Mrs. Dubose
really, but still don’t think she had a right to treat others the way
she did. I wonder where her family is…
This is a really important quote in developing a theme about the
idea of courage. Atticus defines courage here, explaining that Mrs.
Dubose was courageous because she knew she was very close to
death, but still wanted to do what was right, even if it was difficult
– in her case beat her morphine addiction. Atticus probably sees
himself in a similar way. He knows that the racist town will
probably convict Tom Robinson regardless of what the evidence
in the case shows, but he is going to try hard anyway because it is
the right thing to do. He mentions that courage is not someone
with “a gun in his hand” because he saw how impressed his
children were by his shooting ability, but he would rather them
revere this type of courageous behavior than that kinds, which he
likely views as weak because the dog never had a chance against
the gun, much like a black man doesn’t really have a chance
against a white man in the racist south in which the story is set.
I totally understand why Jem destroys Mrs. Dubose’s camellia
bushes. Even though we learn that she is struggling with addiction,
her words are hurtful and mean, and that does not give anyone the
right to treat others in such a cruel, inconsiderate way. She
comments about his mother, which is clearly a topic of pain and
sensitivity for Jem, and continually insults him, his father, and his
sister. Everyone has a breaking point. I get why Atticus made Jem
read to her, but I also don’t think it’s right that her actions were
never addressed directly. I wonder how I would have
responded…probably the same way Jem did or worse.
Literary Technique: Symbolism
Single “white, waxy, perfect camellia”
given to Jem from Mrs. Dubose.
( 111)
Before Mrs. Dubose dies, she leaves a gift for Jem. It is a white
camellia, a “Snow-on-the-Mountain.” I feel that this represents or
symbolizes a few things. For one, it shows that Mrs. Dubose was
thankful to Jem, that she did have kindness and goodness in
herself, and that Jem helped her bring that person back by helping
her eliminate her addiction to morphine. People have addictions in
general are usually very angry. Also the fact that it is a “Snow-onthe-Mountain” is significant and symbolic. White often
symbolizes purity. Mrs. Dubose has been restored to a pure state
and the image of a snow on a mountain shows that even things that
are ugly can be restored to beauty, such as in a snowstorm, a fresh
snow-covering looks beautiful and pure.
Quote:
Atticus keeps saying it’s not time to worry yet to the children. This
“It’s not time to worry yet” (104). – Atticus is weird to me. It seems like everyone is being really mean to the
children already, he said that he knew he wasn’t going to win the
Tom Robinson case already, and it does seem like a time to worry
to me. The other issue here for me is the word yet. This seems like
foreshadowing to me. I’d like to know when it will be time to
worry. What will happen that will make Atticus stay it’s time to
worry?
Here are some stems to get you going and thinking.
• What caused...
• I think...
• This is similar to...
• This is important because...
• What do they mean by...
• What I find confusing is...
• What will happen next is...
• I can relate to this because...
• This reminds me of...
• As I read, I keep wanting to ask...
• I wonder why....
• The theme being developed is…
•The effect of this metaphor is…
Feel free to email me with questions, as always.