To Kill A Mockingbird ChapterbyChapter Notes Chapter 1

To Kill A Mockingbird Chapter-by-Chapter Notes

Chapter 1 • Finch family history: Simon Finch was from England, came to America by way of Philadelphia, then down to Mobile, and finally settled at what is now referred to as “finch Landing”; he always lived off of his land; future generations did the same, until Atticus and his brother Jack decided to go to college and move away; Atticus’ sister Alexandra stayed at Finch Landing • Maycomb County – hit hard by the depression, small like St. Francisville • Calpurnia: not just a cook - an educator and a mother-figure • Boo Radley: his Dad locked him up when he was young, and now, at 30 years old, he only leaves the house at night; *Theme: Don’t judge a book by it’s cover! • Radley House: kids think it’s haunted, very run-down, gray, unkept • Dill Harris: from Meridian, MS; lives with his Aunt Rachel over the summers (Scout’s neighbor); very small for his age, full of energy and imagination

Chapter 2 • Scout is obviously more educated than her classmates, which proves that most people in Maycomb don’t value education at this time • Walter Cunningham: child of a farmer, he’s already working the farm in 1 st grade, family is EXTREMELY poor, but very proud – proof of this? • Miss Caroline – fresh out of college, very arrogant about what she “thinks” she knows as a teacher • The events between Miss Caroline and Scout: what is their relationship? Why do they not get along? Walter Cunningham

Chapter 3 • Jem invites Walter Cunningham to dinner • Calpurnia gets upset with Scout after her comments about Walter’s syrup habits • Atticus explains what kind of people the Ewell’s are: Mr. Ewell spends his “relief checks” on whiskey, while his children go hungry. • How does Atticus explain to Scout why she has to go to school and Burris doesn’t? (p. 40)

Chapter 4 • Scout finds gum in the tree (the knothole), and Jem later finds an old Indian head penny (a sign of good luck) • They get excited when Dill is coming to town – play pretend games • Scout rolls in the tire up to the Radley house • Their “Boo Radley” game • Jem always teases Scout for “acting like a girl” • Atticus makes them stop their game – and Scout obeys. What are her two reasons for obeying? – Scared that Boo will come out at night and get her and because Atticus said so – Then she admits that when the tire rolled to the Radley house, she heard laughter from inside. . .

Chapter 5 • Dill asks Scout to marry him all of the time, but at the same time he and Jem leave her out because “she’s a girl” • Scout starts hanging out with Miss Maudie, their neighbor • Maudie knew Atticus growing up, she respects him greatly • How does Miss Maudie know that “Boo”, or Arthur, is still alive? • Baptist vs. Foot-washing Baptist • “Atticus is the same in his house as he is on the public streets. ” • Dill makes up fantastic stories about his life – why? • Jem and Dill decide to leave Boo a note to ask him to come out sometimes and play with them • Atticus made them stop because it was clear they were making fun of him

Chapter 6 • Jem calls Scout “Angel May” – making fun of her for being a girl • They go to the Radley house at night, tell Atticus they are just going to tell Dill bye • They see a shadow, they “shadow” hears them and all of sudden – a shot! • All the neighbors come out – they assume Mr. Radley shot at “a Negro in his collard patches” • Jem realizes he left his pants behind • He goes back to get them once Atticus has gone to sleep

Chapter 7 • Jem tells Scout that he found the pants mysteriously mended and hung neatly over the fence. • Another present in the knothole: two figures carved in soap to resemble Scout and Jem, chewing gum, a spelling bee medal, and an old pocket watch • Knothole has been filled with cement by Mr. Radley because he said the tree was dying

Chapter 8 • Winter in Maycomb…snow! • Jem and Scout build a small figure out of dirt and cover it with snow and make it look like Mr. Avery • Miss Maudie’s house fire…how does Miss Maudie respond to her house catching on fire? • Someone drapes a blanket over Scout • Jem realizes that Boo Radley put it on her, and he reveals the whole story of the knothole, the presents, and the mended pants to Atticus tells them to keep it to themselves

Chapter 9 • Scout fights Cecil Jacobs…WHY? • Reason Atticus defends the people that he does: “If I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again, ” (pp. 100). • Christmas time: Uncle Jack came to town and the family went to vist Aunt Alexandra at Finch’s Landing. Uncle Jack says Scout is “growing out of her pants. ” What does he mean by this? • Francis: Aunt Alexandra’s grandson. Mean to Scout…calls her a “___ lover. ” Scout beats Francis up… • After they return to Maycomb, Scout tells Uncle Jack what Francis said and Jack becomes furious. Scout makes him promise not to tell Atticus, however, because Atticus had asked her not to fight anyone over what is said about him.

Chapter 10 • Jem and Scout view Atticus as OLD and not “as cool” as other parents. (He is 50 y. o. ) • Atticus: “…but remember, it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. ” This is the first reference to Mockingbirds in the book. They are harmless…all they do is make music for people to enjoy. • Miss Maudie defends Atticus—”you’d be surprised…there’s life in him yet. ” • Tim Johnson: the crazy, “mad” dog. Atticus shoots him and nails him on the FIRST shot. Jem and Scout are impressed and their feelings about “old” Atticus change. • Jem: “Atticus is real old, but I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do anything…. Atticus is a gentleman, just like me. ”

Chapter 11 • Mrs. Dubose tells Jem and Scout that Atticus is nothing better than the “n****** and trash that he works for” and Jem loses his temper and destroys her camellia bushes. • His punishment: read to Mrs. Dubose every day for a month • Scout accompanies her and the sessions get longer and longer because she enjoys their company even though she is SO MEAN! • Mrs. Dubose dies about a month later (addicted to morphine) and left Jem a single white camellia

Chapter 12 • Changing Jem: no longer wants Scout to “pester” him and wants her to act like a girl • Dill is not coming back to Maycomb…he is staying in Meridian with his dad. • Atticus is a member of the state legislature and is called into session for 2 weeks, forcing the children to stay with Calpurnia • Jem and Scout go to church with Calpurnia…how is the church run? How does Lula treat the children differently than Reverend Sykes and Zeebo? • The church takes up a collection to support Helen, the wife of Tom Robinson as she cannot find work since the case started. • Scout learns that TR was accused of raping Tom Ewell’s (Burris’s dad) wife.

Chapter 13 • Aunt Alexandra comes to stay with the Finch’s for a while to give the kids a “feminine influence” • She is welcomed by Maycomb community • She is extremely proud of the Finches and wants to make sure that Jem and Scout know exactly where they come from…. ”family consciousness” • Jem and Scout lack the pride that Aunt Alexandra considers commensurate with being a Finch • She orders Atticus to lecture them on the subject of their ancestry. He makes an attempt but succeeds only in making Scout cry.

Chapter 14 • Scout wonders what rape is • Aunt Alexandra says the kids are no longer allowed to go to Calpurnia’s church…what is the response from Atticus • Scout and Jem fight over Jem telling Scout what to do…”don’t antagonize Aunt Alexandra” • Scout discovers Dill hiding under her bed and we learn more about Dill’s past (and lack of attention)

Chapter 15 • A group of men led by the sheriff, Heck Tate, come to the Finch’s house. Tom Robinson is moved to the Maycomb jail and H • Jem, Scout and Dill sneak out of the house and follows Atticus to the town center • A group of men tell Atticus to move away from the jail door and he refuses. Scout recognizes Mr. Cunningham and begins “small talking” him…they leave. Scout is responsible for keeping Tom and Atticus safe. – Despite Mr. Cunningham’s position on the case, Scout STILL believes in the innate goodness of people. Shows her innocence. • Mr. Underwood, the owner of the newspaper, speaks from a nearby window where he is positioned with a double-barreled shotgun: “Had you covered all the time, Atticus. ”

Chapter 16 • 1 st day of trial! • Introduce Mr. Raymond, who is wealthy and is involved with black women • Miss Maudie refuses to go…what does this show about her character? • Jem and Scout sit with Reverend Sykes in the courtroom • What is Judge Taylor like?

Chapter 17 • Heck Tate found Mayella bruised and beaten and she told him that Tom Robinson had raped her. • Heck Tate says that Mayella’s bruises were on the right side of her face. Then Bob Ewell is called. • Ewell testifies that on the evening in question he was coming out of the woods with a load of kindling when he heard his daughter yelling. When he reached the house, he looked in the window and saw Tom Robinson raping her. • How Atticus fools Mr. Ewell: he tricks him into showing that he is left-handed (and its more likely that a left-handed man would leave bruises on the right side of a person’s face than the left).

Chapter 18 • Mayella testifies • Mayella reveals that her life consists of seven unhelpful siblings, a drunken father, and no friends • Atticus pleads with Mayella to admit that there was no rape, that her father beat her. She said Atticus would be a fool not to convict Tom Robinson. • She then bursts into tears, refusing to answer any more questions • Mr. Underwood notices the children on the balcony…Jem tells Scout not to worry about it. • Who is the only witness Atticus calls up himself?

Chapter 19 • Calpurnia hands Atticus a note telling him that his children have not been home since noon • Atticus tells them to go home and have supper. They beg to be allowed to hear the verdict • What does Jem feel the verdict will be? • The verdict doesn’t come until 11: 00 pm. Tom Robinson is guilty

Chapter 20 • Jem is upset by the verdict • How does the black population show support of Atticus? – They bring TONS of food to his house the next day, even though most of them have very little • How does Miss Maudie save the children from Stephanie Crawford? – She brings them inside her house and feeds them cake. • What does miss Maudie say is a sign of progress in race relations? – The fact that the jury was out for so long.