Answer each of these questions on notebook paper, using complete sentences. QUOTES
means you are to provide direct evidence from the novel to support your answer.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
READING GUIDE
CHAPTER ONE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Describe the time and place of the novel. QUOTES
What caused Atticus’s profound distaste for the practice of “criminal law?”
Who is Calpurnia? How is she characterized? QUOTES
Who is Charles Baker Harris? Characterize him. QUOTES
What fascinates the children? What idea does Dill think of?
What is the mystery of Boo Radley and the Radley house?
What does Atticus mean when he says “that there are other ways of making
people into ghosts.”?
Give a physical description of Boo Radley. QUOTES
CHAPTER TWO
9.
10.
11.
12.
What mistakes does Miss Caroline make on her first day of class?
What is humorous about Jem’s interpretation of the Dewey Decimal System?
Explain the irony of Scout’s reading and writing situation.
According to the novel, what is “background?” QUOTES
CHAPTER THREE
13.
13.
14.
15.
16.
What is Scout’s attitude toward the Cunninghams? How does Calpurnia put her
in “her place”?
Describe the Ewells. QUOTES
Why are the Ewells allowed not forced to attend school and obey the hunting
laws?
Give three examples of compassion as a theme.
Why does Scout want never to attend school again and what is the compromise?
CHAPTER FOUR
17.
18.
19.
What do the children find hidden in the tree?
Describe Miss Maudie. Why is Scout spending more time with her?
What game do the children invent? Give two reasons why Scout wants to quit the
game.
CHAPTER FIVE
20.
21.
22.
What is a “foot-washing Baptist”?
Explain Miss Maudie’s statement that “. . . sometimes the Bible in the hand of one
man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of – oh, your father.”
How does Atticus react to catching the children when they are trying to get a note
to Boo Radley? QUOTES
CHAPTER SIX
23.
24.
25.
What plan do the boys have on the last night before school starts?
What happens on Jem’s nighttime trip to the Radley place? What does he
discover later? Why is this significant?
What causes Jem and Scout to begin to “part company”?
CHAPTER SEVEN
26.
27.
28.
List all the items found in the knothole.
What is Jem’s reaction to Mr. Radley’s filling the knothole? What does this
indicate to Jem?
What kind of person do you think Boo Radley is?
CHAPTER EIGHT
29.
30.
31.
32.
What does Atticus find amusing about the snowman?
“It ain’t time to worry yet.” Significance of this statement.
Why does Jem reveal all their secrets to Atticus? What is his fear?
How does Miss Maudie react to the fire?
CHAPTER NINE
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
What lesson did Cecil Jacobs make Scout forget? How?
Why is Atticus defending Tom Robinson? (3 reasons)
Explain Atticus’s response to Scout’s asking if they are going to win. Explain
“fighting our friends.”
According to Atticus, why will he not win this case?
Children often reflect the attitudes of their parents. How is this true of Francis?
Explain Scout’s accusation that Uncle Jack “ain’t fair.” How is Atticus fair?
What is the disease of most people in Maycomb? How does Atticus hope to
prevent Jem and Scout from catching the disease?
CHAPTER TEN
40.
41.
42.
43.
Chapter Ten contains the first of four references to the mockingbird. Discuss this
reference, including Miss Maudie’s explanation.
What is Scout’s opinion of Atticus as a father? What do they discover about him?
What is the significance of old Tim Johnson?
How are Scout’s and Jem’s reactions to their father’s shooting ability different?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
What causes Jem to strike out against Mrs. Dubose? What does he do? How
does Atticus punish him? Why?
What is the real purpose behind Jem’s punishment?
As the nature of Mrs. Dubose’s affliction is revealed, what is learned about her
character?
Mrs. Dubose leaves Jem what present? What did Atticus intend for the children
to learn from Mrs. Dubose?
Based on what you have read so far, what kind of man do you think that Atticus
is?
THEMES:
CHAPTER TWELVE
49.
50.
51.
How and why is Jem changing? What is Scout’s reaction to his changing?
Explain why the people at Cal’s church act as they do.
What is linin’? Why is it done?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
52.
53.
54.
Aunt Alexandra says she has come for how long? Why does she say she has
come? Why has she really come?
How does Aunt Alexandra categorize people?
What does Atticus try to tell the children about family? How does he actually
feel?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
55.
56.
57.
Explain the conflict between Atticus and Aunt Alexandra?
Give examples of prejudice and lack of human understanding from this chapter.
In what way does Jem break the one remaining code of childhood?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
What is meant by “A nightmare was upon us.”?
Why have the men come to the front yard?
Why is Jem scared?
How does Scout disperse the mob at the jail?
Explain Atticus’s feelings when he sees the children at the jail. How does he feel
about their presence on the way home?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
Why does Scout cry after returning from the jail?
Explain the irony of Braxton Underwood “despises Negroes, won’t have one near
him.”
What is the change in Atticus toward his sister?
What is Atticus’s philosophy about “friends” and “mobs.”
Who is Dolphus Raymond?
Why are the townspeople angry at Atticus?
What prejudices are revealed in this chapter?
What does Maycomb’s turnout for the trial imply about human nature?
Why is Scout confused after overhearing remarks about her father’s defense of
Tom Robinson?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
What does Atticus attempt to establish through Heck Tate’s testimony?
Describe the Ewell’s lifestyle. What is different about Mayella? (17 & 18)
What does Atticus attempt to establish through Bob Ewell’s testimony?
What does Atticus attempt to establish through Mayella’s testimony?
What mistake does Scout believe that Atticus has made?
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
77.
78.
List ALL the evidence that Tom Robinson is innocent.
What revelation is made about Tom?
CHAPTER NINETEEN
79.
80.
81.
How is Tom’s testimony different from those of Bob and Mayella Ewell?
What did happen to Mayella?
What tragic racial situation is illustrated in Chapter 19? How does it apply to the
theme?
CHAPTER TWENTY
82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
Why does Dolphus Raymond deceive people?
According to Mr. Raymond, why did Dill cry in the courtroom?
What does Atticus say has motivated Mayella to lie?
What is the “evil assumption” Atticus brings up in his summation?
Explain Atticus’s theory of equality. In what one way are men created equal?
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
87.
88.
89.
90.
91.
Why does Calpurnia interrupt the trial?
Calpurnia and Rev. Sykes are both concerned specifically about what?
What reference is made to mockingbirds in Cahpter 21? What is the reason for
this reference?
What did Scout notice that only a lawyer’s child would notice?
What happens when Atticus leaves the courtroom? Why?
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.
On the morning after the trial, what does Atticus mean by “It’s not time to worry
yet”?
What does Jem realize about Maycomb?
What does Mss Maudie explain to the children about Atticus and the trial?
According to Miss Maudie, who besides Atticus has helped Tom Robinson?
Why does Bob Ewell spit in Atticus’s face?
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
97.
98.
99.
100.
What is Atticus’s reaction to Bob Ewell and how does he interpret Ewell’s desire
for revenge to Jem and Scout?
According to Attiuc, what makes a white man trash?
What is Jem’s interpretation about kinds of folks?
What is the meaning behind Jem’s statement about Boo’s staying “shut up in the
house”?
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
101.
102.
103.
104.
What is hypocritical about the missionary circle’s conversation?
Why did Tom try to escape? How was he killed?
How is Maycomb paying a tribute to Atticus by asking him to do their “dirty
work”?
How does Scout react to Tom’s death?
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
105.
106.
107.
108.
What is Jem’s reasoning to Scout about the roly-poly bug?
What reference is made to songbirds in this chapter?
According to Scout, when was Tom Robinson a dead man?
What was Bob Ewells’ comment on Tom’s death?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
109.
110.
111.
What secret does Atticus reveal that he has known all along?
What is hypocritical about Miss Gate’s history lesson?
What did Scout overhear Miss Gates say to Stephanie Crawford?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
112.
113.
114.
What three incidents occur concerning Bob Ewell?
What does Atticus say is Ewell’s reason for his actions?
Why did the ladies of Maycomb decide to have a Halloween carnival?
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
115.
116.
117.
118.
119.
120.
Give several examples of foreshadowing in the beginning of this chapter?
What reference is made to a mockingbird in this chapter?
Why are Jem and Scout late leaving the school after the pageant?
Describe the incident the children experience on the way home.
What are Jem’s injuries?
When Sheriff Tate investigates the scene of the attack, what does he find?
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
121.
122.
How does Scout’s costume save her life?
How does Scout figure out that Boo Radley save them?
CHAPTER THIRTY
123.
124.
125.
126.
127.
128.
129.
130.
How does Scout’s fantasy about Boo come true?
What does Atticus think Heck Tate is trying to do about Ewell’s death?
Why is Atticus so adamant about Jem’s being accountable for Ewell’s death?
Describe exactly what Heck Tate says happened to Ewell.
Why does Sheriff Tate insist that Bob Ewell fell on his knife?
What reference is made to a mockingbird in Chapter 30? Explain.
What does Heck Tate mean by “Let the dead bury the dead”?
What does Tate mean by “It’s a sin and I’m not about to have it on my head”?
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
131.
132.
133.
Discuss Scout’s level of maturity in dealing with Boo Radley.
According to Scout, what has Boo given the children throughout the years?
What is the significance of Scout’s standing on the Radley porch? What does she
learn?
THEMES
COMPASSION
ISOLATION
COURAGE
SOCIAL PREJUDICE
LOSS OF
INNOCENCE
EDUCATION
COMPASSION
ISOLATION
COURAGE
SOCIAL PREJUDICE
LOSS OF
INNOCENCE
RELIGION