Discussion Questions for To Kill a Mockingbird-Week One

Chapters 1-4

1. Page 28: Explain the social differences exposed through the students at school. What does Burris Ewell represent?

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2. Page 34: Predict who is putting the pennies and gum in the knothole of the tree. What does this suggest about the true character of this person?

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3. Predict who is laughing when Scout bumped into the Radley house in the tire. Why would this person be laughing?

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Chapters 5-6

4. Pages 41-42: How does Jem and Scout’s relationship progress/change?

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5. Page 56: Reference the pants incident. What is Jem afraid of? Why does he insist on recovering his pants? What does this show about Jem’s maturity as a character?

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Chapters 7-8

6. Page 58: What was the condition of Jem’s pants when he found them? What was his reaction? Who mended them? Why?

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7. Page 73: 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 values?

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Chapter 9

8. Page 76: This is the first mention of Atticus’ defense of Tom Robinson. Scout asks why. What is Atticus’ reasoning for defending Tom Robinson? What does he mean when he says, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win”? This speaks to a major theme in the novel. What is it?

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Chapters 10-11

Chapter 10

9. Page 90: What does Atticus mean when he says, “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”? Predict how this idea will become a major theme in the novel? Who are the metaphorical “mockingbirds” in the story?

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10. Pages 92-97: Describe the situation with the mad dog. How does this change the children’s perception of Atticus?

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Chapter 11

11. Page 103: Jem cuts the tops off of Mrs. Dubose’s Camilla plants. Why?

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12. Page 112: Atticus explains to the children why he considered Mrs. Dubose to be a “great lady” and a brave person. How is this symbolically relevant to why he is defending Tom Robinson?

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13. Page 112: Reread the paragraph beginning, “She was. She had her own views….” What theme does Harper Lee present here? How?

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Chapters 12-13

Chapter 12

14. Discuss Jem as a 12 year old. How is he changing? How does this affect Scout?

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15. Page 119: Scout and Jem attend Cal’s church. Discuss the following characters: Lula, Reverend Sykes, and Zeebo. What do these characters say about African American society in the story?

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16. Discuss Cal’s dialect variation/code switching. Why does she do it?

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Chapter 13

17. Aunt Alexandra arrives to stay at the Finch house; discuss her role in the Finch house, her role in Maycomb society, her personality, and her beliefs.

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18. Reread the conclusion of Chapter 13. What is Atticus trying to convey to Jem and Scout? Why does he leave without communicating his point?

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Chapters 14-15

Chapter 14

19. Discuss the tensions that develop when Scout asks Atticus if she can visit Calpurnia’s home. Discuss Jem’s reaction.

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20. How are the Jem and Scout’s perception of things changing?

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21. Explain the reasons for Dill running away. Compare his relationship with his parents to Scout’s relationship with Atticus and Cal. How does this contribute to Dill being a “mockingbird”?

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Chapter 15

22. Discuss the events that occur Sunday night before the trial. What was the “mob” trying to do? What stopped them? How is this related to a theme in the story?

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23. What was Mr. Underwood doing while this was going on? Why is it strange that he would do this? And why does he do this?

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Chapters 16-17

Chapter 16

24. Who is Dolphus Raymond? What is his story?

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25. Page 165: The Cunningham vs. Coningham court case demonstrates Harper Lee’s use of a literary descriptive technique called “local color.” What is “local color” and why does she use it here?

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26. Describe Judge Taylor.

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Chapter 17

27. At the trial, why does Atticus keep asking if anyone called a doctor? What do people think of this?

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28. Summarize Bob Ewell’s testimony. Discuss the left-hand, right-side significance and Atticus’s reason for asking Bob the questions he asks. Why didn’t Bob go to get a doctor?

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Chapter 18

29. Discuss Mayella as a character. What do you think of her? Why do you think this?

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30. Summarize Mayella’s testimony? What are the flaws in her testimony?

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31. Page 181: How does Atticus “mock” Mayella? What does this say about her character?

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32. Page 185: Tom Robinson stands and Mayella identifies Tom Robinson. What does Scout notice? How is this important?

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33. What side of Mayella’s face was bruised according to Heck Tate and Bob Ewell? After Tom stands, what side of Mayella’s face was bruised according to Mayella? What does this say about Atticus as a lawyer?

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34. Page 188: Mayella makes her final speech. What does she reveal about herself? What are her reasons for saying all of this?

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Chapter 19

35. Page 190: Tom Robinson takes the stand. Summarize his testimony.

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36. What does his testimony reveal about Bob Ewell?

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37. What does Tom’s presence on the stand say about him as a character/human/African American?

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Chapter 20 38. Why was Dill crying?

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39. What do we find out about Dolphus Raymond?

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40. Why does Dolphus avoid white society? What does this say about him? Is he a coward? What does this say about Maycomb?

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41. What’s Jem’s projected verdict on the case so far? What does this say about him?

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