To Kill a Mockingbird Study Questions

Chapter 1

1. What do you learn in this chapter about Maycomb? In what time period (approximately) is the novel set? What evidence do you have for your answer?

2. How old are Jem and Scout when the novel begins?

3. Briefly summarize the history of Arthur “Boo” Radley. What do we know that is true him?

4. Why does the Radley place fascinate Scout, Jem and Dill?

 

Chapter 2

1. What three things does Scout do at school that gets her into trouble with Miss Caroline?

2. Who is Walter Cunningham Jr., and what happens to him on the first day of school?

3. Why are the professional people in Maycomb poor at this time?

 

Chapter 3

1. Calpurnia lectures Scout on manners when Scout criticizes Walter’s manners. Scout complains to Atticus and Atticus supports Calpurnia. What does this tell you about how both Calpurnia and Atticus feel about others?

2. Atticus says that you never really understand a person “until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”. What does this mean? Is it an easy thing for Scout to learn?

3. Describe, both physically and socially, Burris Ewell.

4. Why does Atticus say that the law is rigid for “common folk,” but it is bent in certain ways for the Ewells?

5. What “compromise” do Atticus and Scout reach regarding reading?

 

Chapter 4

1. In what specific ways does Scout criticize the school she is attending?

2. What is the first thing Scout finds in the oak tree on the Radley lot? What other things are found there? Where do you suspect they are coming from?

3. What causes Scout to have an unanticipated encounter with the Radley house? What might be the cause of the laughter from inside the house?

 

Chapter 5

1. Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson? What do the children think of her?

2. Explain Miss Maudie’s statement “sometimes the Bible in the hands of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of—oh, of your father.”

3. Scout claims that “Dill could tell the biggest ones” (lies) she ever heard. Why might Dill have told such lies?

4. What plan do the children make to contact Boo Radley?

5. What reasons does Atticus give for the children not to play the Boo Radley game? Do you think he is right? Why?

 

Chapter 6

1. What reasons do Jem and Dill give for trying to peek into the Radley window on this particular night?

2. What final statement by Jem causes Scout to finally go along with this plan?

3. What causes Mr. Nathan Radley to fire his gun?

4. Who is assumed to be the one fired at? Why would some of the people of the neighbourhood make that assumption?

5. After the incident, Jem’s real desire is not just to recover his pants, but to keep on good terms with Atticus. What does this tell you about Jem’s relationship with his father?

 

Chapter 7

1. What was the condition of Jem’s pants when he found them? Why did their condition frighten him further?

2. What other gifts are found in the tree? What is significant about them?

3. Why does Nathan Radley say he needs to fill the hole in the tree with cement? What is the real reason? Why does Jem cry about this?

 

Chapter 8

1. Why do Jem and Scout make the snowman such an obvious replica of Mr. Avery?

2. What happens to Miss Maudie’s house?

3. Who put the blanket around Scout’s shoulders? How do Jem, Scout and Atticus each react to this?

4. After the fire is over, how does Miss Maudie feel about the destruction of her house? What does this tell you about her character and her values?

 

Chapter 9

1. Explain Atticus’ statements about the following:

a) The use of the word “nigger.”

b) His personal reasons for defending Tom Robinson

c) His statement: “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.”

d) His statement: “When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sakes. But don’t make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults…”

e) His statement: “…the answer is she knows I know she tries. That’s what makes a difference.”

2. Who are the following people, and how are they related to Atticus and the children:

a) Alexandra

b) Francis

c) Jack

d) Jimmy

3. Uncle Jack Finch tells Scout that she is growing out of her pants. What does this mean and why might he say it?

 

Chapter 10

1. At the beginning of this chapter Scout thinks her father is “feeble”. List his faults as she sees them.

2. In this chapter Atticus tells his children “it's a sin to kill a mockingbird”. What reason does he give for saying this?

3. Who is Tim Johnson and what is the matter with him?

4. Jem and Scout have different views about telling people at school how well Atticus can shoot. Explain this difference. Which view is closer to your own?

 

Chapter 11

1. Why do Jem and Scout dislike Mrs. Dubose?

2. What is Jem’s crime against Mrs. Dubose? What request does Mrs. Dubose make of Jem? Is this a fair punishment for his “crime”?

3. What was the real reason for Jem spending time with Mrs. Dubose?

4. Atticus explains to his children why he considered Mrs. Dubose to be a “great lady” and a brave person. What are his reasons? How does this “fit in” with his explanation of why he is defending Tom Robinson?

 

Chapter 12

1. Why must Jem and Scout accompany Calpurnia to First Purchase church?

2. How do you explain Lula’s antagonism towards Jem and Scout?

3. Identify three unusual things Scout notices at this church.

4. Explain why Calpurnia speaks differently in the Finch household, than she does among her neighbours at church. Is she being hypocritical?

5. When Jem, Scout and Calpurnia return home from church, who is waiting for them?

 

Chapter 13

1. Why does Aunt Alexandra come to stay with Atticus and his family? What is she like?

2. How does Aunt Alexandra involve herself in Maycomb's social life?

 

Chapter 14

1. Why does Alexandra think Atticus should dismiss Calpurnia? How is this “in character” for Aunt Alexandra? How does Atticus respond to the suggestion?

2. Why is Scout happy about the brawl she had with Jem?

3. How did Jem break the “remaining code of our childhood”?

4. What is the real story behind Dill running away? What is life like for him at home?

 

Chapter 15

1. Describe the events prior to the scene at the jail that show the tension and unrest in the town.

2. Why was Atticus sitting in front of the jail by himself at night?

3. Explain the irony of the following statement, and the situation which it describes “…there followed what I later realized was a sickeningly comic aspect of an unfunny situation: the men talked in near-whispers.”

4. How does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why?

5. How does Scout unknowingly persuade the lynching-party to give up their attempt on Tom's life?

 

Chapter 16

1. Paraphrase Atticus’ explanation of the mob’s actions to Scout.

2. Why do you suppose a man like Mr. Underwood (who is known to be a hater of Negroes) was covering Atticus at the jail?

3. Who is Mr. Dolphus Raymond? Provide three points about him.

 

Chapter 17

1. What are the main points in Heck Tate's evidence?

2. What does Atticus show in his cross-examination of Sheriff Tate?

3. Summarize Bob Ewell’s testimony.

4. Why does Atticus ask Bob Ewell to write out his name? What does the jury see when he does this?

 

Chapter 18

1. Mayella Ewell is both disgusting and pathetic. Give examples of both qualities as seen in this chapter.

2. What is so important about Tom Robinson’s physical appearance? What, according to the testimony, does this prove beyond a doubt?

3. How does Atticus appear to feel about his method of examining Mayella?

4. At the end of this chapter, what do you think really happened the evening of November 21?

 

Chapter 19

1. In contrast to the Ewells, what kind of person is Tom Robinson? Explain with evidence.

2. What made Tom “visit” the Ewell's house in the first place?

3. According to Tom Robinson’s testimony, what actually happened on November 21?

4. What does Tom say that was his big mistake?

5. How does Dill react to this part of the trial?

 

Chapter 20

1. How does Dolphus Raymond defend his deliberate appearance of drunkenness?

2. What, according to Atticus, is the thing that Mayella has done wrong?

3. Explain, in your own words, Atticus's views on people's being equal.

 

Chapter 21

1. What does Jem expect the verdict to be? Does Atticus think the same?

2. What is unusual about how long it takes the jury to reach a verdict? Is the verdict predictable or not?

3. How does Scout know the verdict before it is read to the court?

4. Why do the Negroes stand when Atticus leaves the courtroom?

 

Chapter 22

1. After Jem expresses disillusionment over the trial and the verdict, Miss Maudie defends the town and its people. What good points can she see in this trial?

2. What kind of clown does Dill decide to be? Explain his reasoning.

3. Why does Bob Ewell feel so angry with Atticus? Do you think his threat is a real one, and how might he try to “get” Atticus?

 

Chapter 23

1. Explain Atticus’ statements about the following:

a) Reasonable doubt.

b) “When it’s a whit man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins.”

c) “People have a way of carrying their resentments right into the jury box.”

d) “It’s all adding up, and one of these days we are going to pay the bill for it.”

2. Why does Aunt Alexandra accept that the Cunninghams may be good but are not “our kind of folks”? Do you think that people should mix only with others of the same social class? Are class-divisions good or bad for societies?

3. Why can’t Jem accept Scout’s opinion that there is “just one kind of folks—folks.”

4. At the end of this chapter, Jem forms a new theory about why Boo Radley has not left his house in years. What is this? How likely is it to be true, in your opinion?

 

Chapter 24

1. Do you think the missionary ladies are sincere in worrying about the “Mrunas” (a tribe in Africa)? Give reasons for your answer.

2. Define the word hypocrite, and explain how some of the ladies in Maycomb exhibit this trait.

3. Explain briefly the information that Atticus tells Calpurnia about Tom Robinson. What is Atticus's explanation for Tom's attempted escape? Do you agree with Atticus?

4. In this chapter Scout learns something about being a true lady. Explain.

 

Chapter 25

1. How does most of Maycomb react to the news about Tom?

2. In what way is Mr. Underwood’s editorial in the Maycomb Tribune similar to Atticus’ advice to Jem and Scout when they got their guns?

3. Why did Jem not want Scout to tell Atticus about Bob Ewell's comment? Was this a wise thing to ask her to do?

 

Chapter 26

1. How has Scout’s attitude towards Boo Radley changed since the beginning of the novel?

2. What is Scout’s opinion of the Current Events assignment, and how does it show her growing maturity?

3. In her lesson on Hitler, Miss Gates says, “we (American people) don't believe in persecuting anyone.” What seems odd to the reader about this claim?

 

Chapter 27

1. What threatening things happened in Maycomb by the middle of October?

2. Explain the prank that causes the town’s people to decide to hold a Hallowe’en pageant.

3. Describe Scout’s costume for the pageant.

4. Why do Atticus and Aunt Alexandra not intend to go to the Hallowe’en pageant?

 

Chapter 28

1. What does Cecil Jacobs do before the pageant which helps set up the incidents which occur after the pageant?

2. How did Scout “ruin” the pageant?

3. Scout decides to keep her costume on while walking home. How does this affect her understanding of what happens on the way?

4. How many people are finally involved in the skirmish under the tree?

5. What injuries did Jem sustain from the attack?

6. Who is found dead under the tree?

 

Chapter 29

1. What causes the “shiny clean line” on the otherwise “dull wire” of Scout's costume?

2. Atticus and Heck Tate disagree over the essential worth of Bob Ewell. What is each man’s opinion? Whom do you agree with, and why?

3. Who had saved the children? Describe this person’s physical appearance.

4. In what way is Scout’s meeting with Boo similar to how she imagined their first meeting?

 

Chapter 30

1. Why does Atticus suggest they sit on the porch instead of the living room?

2. Who does Atticus think caused Bob Ewell's death?

3. Why does Heck Tate insist that Bob Ewell's death was self-inflicted? In what way is this partly true? In what way is this untrue?

4. Is Heck Tate right to spare Boo the publicity of an inquest? Give reasons for your answer.

5. How does Scout assure Atticus that Mr. Tate is right?

 

Chapter 31

1. How much of a surprise is it to find what Boo Radley is really like? Has the story before this point prepared the reader for this discovery?

2. When she takes Boo home, Scout understands many things as she sees the street from this new point of view. Explain some of the things she “sees” now.

3. How do the events of the final chapters explain the first two paragraphs in the whole novel?