10/9/2013
To Kill a
Mockingbird
What happens that makes Scout
believe the world is ending?
It had snowed in Maycomb for the first time
since 1885
Chapters 8-14 Study Guide
Why are the children asked to
change the snowman’s
appearance?
From what is the snowman
constructed? How can this be
symbolic of racism in the South?
The snowman starts off as being all mud
Because Atticus thinks it looks too much like
Mr. Avery, and he fears Mr. Avery will be
offended by it
Jem and Scout don’t have enough
snow to build a snowman. What
else do they use?
Mud from their backyard
What happens to Miss Maudie’s
home?
It catches fire and is destroyed by the flames
(brown), but it is not an acceptable snowman
until it is covered with snow (white)
In the South during that time, African
Americans were not treated like real people,
with the same rights as whites, because of the
color of their skin
What happens – to Scout’s
surprise – while she is watching
the fire?
Boo Radley places a blanket over her
shoulders
Who is the black man that Atticus will
defend in court? Why does Atticus
take a case which is causing so much
dissention in Maycomb?
Tom Robinson
Where do the Finches go every
Christmas?
To Aunt Alexandra’s home at Finch’s Landing
Atticus says he couldn’t hold his head up
again, and that he couldn’t tell Jem and Scout
what to do if he didn’t defend Tom Robinson.
He would be ashamed not to do it
1
10/9/2013
What undesired behavior in Scout
does Atticus choose to ignore?
Why?
What was Aunt Alexandra
“fanatical” about when it came to
Scout? Why?
Her swearing
Her attire
Atticus claims it is a stage all children go
Alexandra didn’t believe she could ever be
through and that it will stop when children
learn they are not attracting attention with it
What is Maycomb’s “usual disease”
Atticus hopes his children won’t
contract?
Prejudice against African Americans
What does Scout do to Cousin Francis
after he says Atticus is a black-lover
and is ruining the family?
She punched him in the mouth, splitting her
knuckle down to the bone
lady-like if she continued to dress in overalls.
She believed she should dress like a proper
young lady
What does Atticus tell the children it
is a sin to do? Why is it a sin?
What does Jem see coming down the
street that is a cause for alarm? Why?
It is a sin to kill a mockingbird
Harry Johnson’s dog, Tim Johnson
It is a sin because mockingbirds don’t do
It appears to have rabies
anything that causes damage. All they do is
sing their hearts out
Who is Heck Tate? And what does he
do that surprises Jem?
What does Atticus do that surprises
his children? Why are they surprised?
The sheriff of Maycomb County
He kills Tim Johnson with one shot
He hands a rifle to Atticus and asks him to
They think he is feeble and unable to do
shoot the dog
anything because of his age
What do Jem and Scout find out about
their father from Miss Maudie?
That he was the best shot in Maycomb County
and his nickname was “One-Shot Finch” or
“Ol’ One Shot”
2
10/9/2013
Who is Zeebo?
What is it that makes Jem become
enraged with Mrs. Dubose? What does
Jem do in retaliation for Mrs.
Dubose’s comments?
The town garbage truck driver, and son of
Calpurnia, who cleans up the rabid dog
When she criticizes Atticus for defending Tom
Robinson
What does Atticus require Jem to do
to make amends for his rage?
He makes him read to Mrs. Dubose every day
after school and an Sundays, and that he must
fix her yard
He takes a baton he bought for Scout and uses
it to cut the tops off all Mrs. Dubose’s camellia
bushes
Why, do you believe, Mrs. Dubose is
lengthening the reading sessions each
time? What does Mrs. Dubose
concentrate on during Jem’s readings?
Because she is able to remain more aware of
her surroundings
The alarm clock
What does Calpurnia decide to do
while Atticus is away at an emergency
session of the state legislature?
Afraid the children might get into trouble at
their church, she decides to take Jem and
Scout to her church
What is it that Mrs. Dubose is
battling? And how did Mrs. Dubose
want to die, according to Atticus?
Morphine addiction
She wanted to die having broken her addiction
because she wanted to be beholden to no one
or nothing
Who is it that confronts Calpurnia at
the church? What is she angry about?
Lula
She’s upset that Calpurnia has brought white
children to their church, since this is one of
the few places blacks can act as they wish
without being scrutinized or judged by whites
According to Atticus, what is real
courage?
It is when you know you are licked before you
begin but you begin anyway and you see it
through no matter what
Why is Reverend Sykes taking a
collection for Helen Robinson, and
how has she been treated since the
allegations were made against Tom?
Helen cannot find work and support her
children because she has been shunned by
white society since Tom was accused of raping
a white woman
3
10/9/2013
Why aren’t hymnals used in the
church?
Because most members of First Purchase
cannot read
What is Jem’s response to Aunt
Alexandra’s constant pointing out of
the Finch family’s superiority over
other families of Maycomb?
He says, “Aunty better watch how she talks –
scratch most folks in Maycomb and they’re kin
to us.”
Why does Dill run away?
Dill believes his mom and new dad get along
better without him, and that they expect him
to behave like a boy
Why does Calpurnia say she talks
differently around black people?
She says people will think she’s putting on airs.
Why does Aunt Alexandra come to
live with the Finch family?
To provide a feminine influence for Scout
Also, that people don’t like to have someone
around knowing more than they do
What happened to Cousin Joshua?
He had a nervous breakdown and tried to
shoot a university president
What does Scout think is under her
bed? What do they actually find under
her bed?
She thinks it is a snake
Dill Harris hiding
Why does Dill think Boo Radley has
never run away from his home?
He believes that maybe Boo doesn’t have
anywhere to go
4