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English III
Name ___________________
English III/Nelson
Study Guide: To Kill a Mockingbird
Chapters 1-2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Who is the author?
What is the point of view of the novel?
In what town and state does Atticus practice law?
Who are Alexandra and Jack to Scout?
Is Dill older or younger than Jem? Scout?
Which is not true about Dill?
(a) he had snow white hair,
(b) he was taller than Scout,
(c) he had a cowlick in the center of his forehead,
(d) he was staying with his aunt Rachel,
(e) he could read.
7. Why is Boo fascinating to the children?
8. Who comes up with the idea of making Boo come out?
9. What is not one of the things unusual about the Radley house?
(a) the doors were closed on Sunday
(b) the people were afraid of walking by it
(c) the people kept to themselves
(d) once a fire burned the back part of the house
(e) all were true.
10. What had Boo done which got him intro trouble with the law and would have sent him to a
state industrial school?
11. What had happened that caused Mrs. Radley to run screaming into the street?
12. Who was Calpurnia referring to when she said, "There goes the meanest man ever God
blew breath into…"? Why did she call him this?
13. Identify Miss Caroline Fisher.
14. How does Miss Caroline insult Walter Cunningham?
15. How do the Cunninghams pay their debts?
Chapters 3-4
1. Who invites Walter Cunningham home for lunch?
2. What does Walter do during lunch which causes Scout to ask,
"What the sam hill is he doing?”
What lesson does Calpurnia try to teach Scout about Walter?
Why does Miss Caroline scream and point a finger at Burris Ewell?
What strategy does the Ewell family have regarding the children's education?
How does Cal show she cares for Scout and Jem?
7. Why does Atticus say that the law is rigid for “common folk,” but it is bent in certain ways
for the Ewells?
8. On her way home from school, what does Scout first find in the live oak tree knothole?
9. What do Scout and Jem find together in the tree?
3.
4.
5.
6.
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10. Where does Scout end up when Jem rolls her in the tire?
11. What new game do the children play?
12. What finally stops them from playing the game?
13. What were the reasons Scout wanted to quit the “Radley” game?
Lessons that Scout learns
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
Atticus: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of
view-- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." How does Scout show an
understanding of this regarding Miss Caroline?
SHOE PROJECT: See wiki page!
Chapters 5-6
Characterization: What kind of person is Miss Maudie? How she contrast with some of the
other characters in the book?
Chapters 7-8
1. According to Scout, what was the only good thing about second grade?
2. What secret does Jem share regarding his pants?
3. Which of the following is NOT one of things found in the knothole of the live oak?
(a) a medal
(b) twine
(c) soap figures
(d) a pack of gum
(e) all of the above are found
4. What do Jem and Scout realize about the carved soap figures they find in the knothole?
5. Mr. Radley stops the gifts in the knothole? How? What explanation does he give?
6. Describe Scout’s reaction to the first snow she has ever seen.
7. Describe how Jem constructs his “snowman”. What compliment does Atticus pay Jem?
8. Who is the snowman first made to look like?
9. How do they solve this problem?
10. What is a “morphodite”?
11. Why does Atticus send the children in front of the Radley house to watch the fire?
12. What does Mr. Avery do which redeems him as a character?
13. What is Scout wearing that makes Atticus think the children didn't "stay put"?
14. What disappointment does Scout have regarding Boo?
15. Why does Jem suddenly reveal all that has happened to them?
16. Why isn't Miss Maudie upset about the fire?
Characterization: What kind of person is Mr. Avery? Is he someone you would like to have
dinner with? Why or why not?
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Chapters 9-10
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Why does Scout fight with Cecil Jacobs?
What reason does Atticus give for not using the word, "nigger"?
From what he tells Scout, does Atticus believe he will win the case he is trying?
Whose arrival was one of the good things about Christmas?
What is Atticus' brother's occupation?
T/F Atticus disapproves of the children getting air rifles for Christmas.
What relation is Francis to Aunt Alexandra?
Explain Scout’s reasoning regarding her “cussing fluently.”
Why does Scout fight Francis?
What does Scout make Uncle Jack promise not to tell Atticus?
Why does Atticus not tell Scout to go to bed earlier when he is talking with Jack?
What complaint does Scout have regarding Atticus?
13. Why, according to Miss Maudie, does Atticus believe it's a sin to kill a mockingbird?
14. What target does Scout want to shoot at?
15. Identify Tim Johnson.
16. Why is the incident with the dog unusual for February?
17. What does Atticus do which flabbergasts the kids?
18. What was Atticus' nickname at the Landing?
19. According to Miss Maudie, why did Atticus put his gun down thirty years ago?
Characterization: Compare and contrast the characters Atticus and Jack
Chapters 11-12
1. What does Atticus do that causes Scout to say that he was the “bravest man who ever
lived?”
2. What does Jem do to Mrs. Dubose's camellia bushes? Explain why he does this.
3. What does Jem have to do as result of his “crime”?
4. What are Mrs. Dubose's fits?
5. What does Mrs. Dubose say that Jem should have done to get rid of her flowers?
6. Why does Atticus say Mrs. Dubose was a courageous woman? How does he explain it to
Jem?
7. What did Mrs. Dubose want Jem to understand by giving him the camellia, the “Snow-onthe-Mountain”?
8. Why is Calpurnia babysitting the Scout and Jem?
9. Explain what Scout finds unusual about Calpurnia’s manner of speaking at the Negro
church. What explanation does Calpurnia give for talking “nigger-talk?”
10. Identify Lula.
11. Identify Zeebo.
12. Why does the congregation sing the hymns by “lining”?
13. Why does Reverend Sykes order the doors of the church shut?
14. Why do the children feel Calpurnia leads a double life?
15. Who is sitting on the Finches’ front porch when the children return from church?
Characterization
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
Both Mrs. Dubose and Calpurnia teach the children by their actions. Make a list of things
we learn from each.
Why might Harper Lee have picked chapter 11 as the end of the first part of the book?
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Chapters 13-14
1. Why does Scout feel it wouldn't make much of a difference if Uncle Jimmy had come with
Aunt Alexandra?
2. What best describes Aunt Alexandra's figure? (a) diminutive, (b) formidable, (c) wispy, (d)
Maycomb, (e) none of the above
3. What is not true about Aunt Alexandra? (a) she joined many groups, (b) she is concerned
with her heritage, (c) she gossips, (d) she admires Calpurnia, (e) she feels Atticus is too
easy on the children
4. Fill in the correct word for this idea from Aunt Alexandra: "Everybody in Maycomb, it
seemed had a __: a Drinking ___, a Gambling ___, a Mean ___, a Funny ___"
5. What does Aunt Alexandra request that Atticus try to teach the children?
6. Explain why Scout cried.
7. What does Atticus tell the children to do concerning the conversation about family pride?
8. How does Atticus respond to Alexandra’s suggestion that they don’t need Cal any more?
9. Why do Scout and Jem fight? How does Atticus deal with Scout’s question about whether
she has to mind Jem?
10. What do they think is under Scout's bed?
11. What is under her bed?
12. How does Jem "break the remaining code of childhood"?
13. How does Atticus show he has sympathy for Dill?
14. Why does Dill say he ran away?
15. What question does Scout ask Dill about Boo Radley? What is Dill’s response?
Characterization
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
Compare and contract Atticus and his sister Alexandra.
What qualities of Dill's would serve him well as a writer?
Chapters 15-16
1. Describe Dill’s latest plan to get Boo Radley to come out.
2. Why do the men with Heck Tate come to see Atticus?
3. When Jem asks Atticus if the men who came to the house were a “gang”, what is
Atticus’s response?
4. What was Atticus's "dangerous question"?
5. What happened when the Ku Klux Klan tried to intimidate Sam Levy?
6. What does Jem tell Scout he fears?
7. After Atticus leaves the house late at night, where do the children find him? What is he
doing?
8. Explain why the men have come to the jail.
9. After Scout talks to Mr. Cunningham about Walter and the entailment of his farm, what
does he do?
10. What had Mr. Underwood been doing?
11. Jem defies Atticus’s order that they go home. Scout expects Atticus to be angry with Jem
while they walk home, but she sees Atticus tousle the boy’s hair, his one gesture of
affection. Why do you think Atticus wanted them to leave? Why do you think Jem refused
to do so? Why do you think Atticus is not angry with him?
12. According to Atticus, how had Scout gotten Mr. Cunningham to "walk around in my
shoes"?
13. When he is asked whether he can get a change of venue for Tom Robinson—that is, a
change in the location of the trial—the sheriff says, “Not much point in that, now is it?”
What does the sheriff mean?
14. How do people treat the trial?
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15.
16.
17.
18.
According to Jem, how does one judge being "colored"?
Identify Dolphus Raymond.
Why does Jem say that “mixed children” are sad?
What news does Scout overhear about Atticus defending Tom Robinson? Does it give
her any comfort?
19. Who takes the children "under his wing" in the courtroom?
20. Where do the children sit (be specific).
21. Atticus comments that it took an eight-year-old, Scout, to bring the lynch mob to its
senses. He goes on to ponder the possibility of a “police force of children.” What does
Atticus mean? Consider Scout’s efforts to communicate with Mr. Cunningham. What can
children sometimes do that adults can’t?
Themes
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

One of the themes running throughout the book has to do with the world of children
opposing the world of the adult. How do we see the two clash (particularly from a sense
of understanding or not understanding what is going on). For one example, see question
11 and 21, above.
What attitudes toward "colored" people are shown in the chapters?
Author Lee exhibits a real concern for the life of even the minor characters in the story.
Who are some of the characters that stand out in these chapters?
Chapters 17-18
1. Identify Mr. Gilmer.
2. What do we learn from both Mr. Tate and Mr. Ewell about how Mayella had to have been
struck?
3. Where do the Ewells live? Describe their situation and their surroundings
4. What question is asked by Atticus that shows both Mr. Tate and Mr. Ewell had no real
concern about Mayella's condition?
5. What does Atticus prove by having Mr. Ewell write his name on the envelope?
6. Does the judge feel sorry for Mr. Ewell?
7. Did Mayella look like she had tried to keep herself clean?
8. Who does Mayella say she's afraid of?
9. Does the judge seem to feel sorry for Mayella?
10. How does the chiffarobe figure into Mayella's story?
11. What contradiction to the story Mr. Ewell told is revealed in the following quote from
Mayella? "…next thing I knew Papa was in the room a'standin' over me hollerin' who
done it, who done it?"
12. How old is Mayella?
13. Why does Atticus ask Mayella if Tom choked AND hit her?
14. Why does Atticus have Tom Robinson stand up?
15. Scout comments of Bob Ewell, “All the little man on the witness stand had that made him
any better than his nearest neighbors (the Negroes) was, that if scrubbed with lye soap in
very hot water, his skin was white.” Does Scout really mean that Bob Ewell is better than
his neighbors? What is she really saying?
16. What is Mayella's response to whether her father had ever beaten her?
17. Where is Mayella's mother?
18. What is Mayella’s response to Atticus’s question about her having friends?
19. Why does Mayella think Atticus is mocking her?
20. When Atticus asks Mayella whether she loves her father, her response is “Love him,
whatcha mean?” Considering the kind of life Mayella obviously leads, do you think she
has any idea what any kind of love is? Explain.
21. What does Mayella do after her last speech to the courtroom?
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Chapters 19-20
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
How had Tom ever been in trouble with the law before?
Why does Scout think Mayella must have been lonely?
According to Tom, why were the children gone that day?
According to Tom, what had Mayella asked him to do?
Did Mayella suggest she'd ever been kissed before?
According to Tom, whom did Mr. Ewell direct his anger toward?
What, according to Atticus, is a lawyer supposed to concentrate during a witness's
testimony?
Why is Tom's left arm important to his defense?
What does Tom say to Mr. Gilmer that makes the crowd angry?
Why is the Judge furious with Link Deas?
Why do Scout and Dill go outside?
Why does Dolphus Raymond pretend to drink?
Why, according to Atticus, does Mayella want Tom to be found guilty?
What did Atticus do in public that Scout had never seen him do?
What one way are all men created equal, according to Atticus?
Who comes to the trail at the end of the chapter?
Characterization
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Readers must often "read between the lines" of literature and find what is really being
implied. What important implications do you find in Tom's testimony in what really
happened?
What does it add to our understanding of Bob and Mayella Ewell? What uncomfortable
assumption are we to make by Tom's reporting, "She says she never kissed a grown
man before an' she might as well kiss a nigger. She says what her papa do to her don't
count"?
What do you think actually happened viewing all the testimony?
Chapters 21-22
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Who wrote the note that Calpurnia gives to Atticus?
What agreement does Atticus make with the children regarding the trial?
Why are the children surprised when they return to the courthouse?
T/F The jury is out until after 11:00 p.m.
How, according to Scout, do you know whether a jury has found the defendant guilty or
not before the verdict?
How do you know the blacks think highly of Atticus at the end of the trial?
What do the blacks do for Atticus the next day?
What immediate reaction does Jem have to the verdict?
Who, according to Atticus, are the only ones to cry when Maycomb does terrible things
like the jury did?
What was Miss Rachel's reaction to the previous night?
What does Miss Maudie do for the children, which shows whose side she's on?
How, according to Miss Maudie, did Judge Taylor help Tom?
What occupation does Dill decide he wants to pursue?
What had happened to Atticus that prompts Miss Rachel to tell Dill to stay at home and
say, "There's danger a'comin'"?
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Characterization
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In the first section we saw Jem growing up. How is the trial an important awakening on
Jem's part to what the world is really like?
How does Miss Maudie explain what has happened and how one's Christianity is shown?
Do you find a similarity between Maycomb's prejudice towards black and the prejudice
between women? If President Richard Nixon's view of women in the 1970's was that they
should not serve on his cabinet and should not be educated, what was the viewpoint of
the 1930's evident in the book?
Chapters 23-24
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
What was the only thing Atticus said about his encounter with Mr. Ewell?
What is Jem's solution to the jury system?
What kind of person does Atticus call trash?
Why couldn't women be on the juries, according to Atticus?
Who does Aunt Alexandra talk about which causes Scout to cry?
What are the four kinds of people in Maycomb, according to Jem?
What kind of folks are there, according to Scout?
What causes the difference in background, according to Jem?
Identify the Mrunas.
Who is the woman who seems to lead all the discussion?
Identify J. Grimes Everett.
What news does Atticus bring?
How do Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie show courage?
What is Jean Louise's reaction to Aunt Alexandra at the end of the chapter?
Characterization
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Chapter 23 is important in defining Jem's new perception of the legal system and the
class system of his world. Note how Scout perceives the same worlds. What changes are
evident in the children's views?
Look at the topic of the Missionary Circle's meeting. How is the hypocrisy of the women
illustrated? One of things which angered people of Monroeville the most was this chapter.
What about this chapter would get such a reaction?
Scout is an accurate reporter for us, but she doesn't understand the subtext of what she
is seeing. What battle is going on between Mrs. Grace Merriweather and Miss Maudie?
How does the idea of courage re-emerge with both Miss Maudie and Aunt Alexandra?
Chapters 25-26
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
What is Scout about to do which upsets Jem?
What were Dill and Jem doing that allowed them to go to Tom's house with Atticus?
What was Helen Robinson's reaction at seeing Atticus?
How long was Maycomb interested in Tom's story?
To what does Mr. Underwood compare Tom's death?
What comment does Mr. Ewell make, which is reported by Miss Stephanie?
What is Scout's fantasy about Boo?
How does Miss Gates react to the Grit Paper?
What does Cecil Jacobs bring up that prompts Miss Gates to discuss "democracy"?
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10. What had Miss Gates said, leaving the courthouse, which confused Scout?
11. How does Jem react to it all?
Characterization: What hypocrisy does Miss Gates exhibit? How could the plight of the Jews
be compared to the plight of the blacks of the 1930's South?
Chapters 27-28
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
What is Scout about to do which upsets Jem?
What were Dill and Jem doing that allowed them to go to Tom's house with Atticus?
What was Helen Robinson's reaction at seeing Atticus?
How long was Maycomb interested in Tom's story?
To what does Mr. Underwood compare Tom's death?
What comment does Mr. Ewell make, which is reported by Miss Stephanie?
What is Scout's fantasy about Boo?
How does Miss Gates react to the Grit Paper?
What does Cecil Jacobs bring up that prompts Miss Gates to discuss "democracy"?
What had Miss Gates said, leaving the courthouse, that confused Scout?
How does Jem react to it all?
Plot
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
To understand the end of Chapter 28, you really have to finish the book first. Then you
need to remember that Scout is a very accurate reporter, but she doesn't always
understand what she is reporting. Don't assume she is right in her assumptions.
Scout's costume is an important prop in the story because it saves her life. Look back
over the description and see if you can draw what it looked like.
Chapters 29-31
1. Describe the two knives that Mr. Tate had.
2. What assumption does Mr. Tate make about Scout's costume and the shiny line on the
back of her costume?
3. How did Scout know she was by a tree?
4. Why could none of the neighbors have heard Scout call?
5. Why couldn't Atticus and Alexandra hear Scout?
6. At first, who did Atticus believe killed Mr. Ewell?
7. What does Mr. Tate say happened?
8. How did Mr. Ewell actually get killed?
9. Scout in one of the previous chapters had a fantasy about her being with Boo. Was her
meeting the same? Explain.
10. How did all the adults treat Boo?
11. What does Boo ask Scout to do for him?
12. What does Scout realize standing on the Radley porch?
13. What does Atticus read to Scout?
14. What realization does Scout have about other people at the end of the book?
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This study guide is based on one that was created by David Claudon, October 16, 2001.
http://www.davidclaudon.com/Mockingbird/mockingbird3.html
Mockingbird picture 1: http://isellswfl.com/images/mockingbird.jpg
Mockingbird picture 2: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://image.lyricspond.com/image/d/artist-derekwebb/album-mockingbird/cd-cover.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lyricspond.com/artist-derek-webb/lyrics-a-newlaw&usg=__SPqE_V16xW_wVtIGsz4w2XKvnvY=&h=498&w=500&sz=43&hl=en&start=15&tbnid=uSJxaXgnri0
fQM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmockingbird%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive
Mockingbird Picture 3: teachers.saschina.org/smuench/2009/03
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