To Kill a Mockingbird Questions for Chapters 1

To Kill a Mockingbird Questions for Chapters 1 -3 HMHS

1. Identify & describe the following: n n a. Atticus Finch – Father, Lawyer, middleaged, wise, kind, fair b. Jean Louise (Scout) Finch – Narrator, 6 years old, precocious, smart, humorous, “tomboy”, mother died when she was 2 c. Jem Finch – brother of Scout, 10 years old, smart, cautious, d. Calpurnia – Assistant in the house & mother figure for Jem & Scout; African. American, middle-aged, dedicated, humorous, fair, wise

1. Identify & describe the following: n n n e. Charles Baker (Dill) Harris -- Visits Miss Rachel Haverford (neighbor) in summer f. Stephanie Crawford –In Ch. 1= town gossip, “neighborhood scold” g. Arthur (Boo) Radley – mysterious neighbor h. Miss Caroline Fisher – School teacher i. Walter Cunningham – Scout’s peer at school j. Burris Ewell – school-mate (he doesn’t stay

1. How would you describe the setting? n n n n “tired old town” “rainy weather streets turned to red slop” “grass grew on sidewalks” “Courthouse sagged in the square” “men’s stiff collars wilted by nine…” Heat is oppressive; people move slowly Clear distinctions with family names and social class

2. What did Dill dare Jem to do? n Dill dared Jem to try and get Boo Radley to come out of his house. He wanted him to knock on the front door. (p. 13)

3. What do we know about our narrator, Scout Finch? n n n Intelligent Humorous Independent Curious Sensitive “Tomboy” Adventurous Why might Haper Lee choose a younger narrator/perspective?

4. What was Scout's first "crime" at school? n Scout’s first crime was that she could already read. The teacher became frustrated with her, and she told Scout to tell Atticus to stop teaching her. (p. 17)

5. What satirical points are begin made about education through Scout’s experiences at school? n n n “Dewey Decimal System” Teacher will not let student read unless she learns “teacher’s” way Teacher discourages advancement Teacher assumes students will be interested in story and doesn’t seem aware of her class at times. Teacher seems removed from the students—doesn’t understand the community

6. Why did Scout rub Walter Cunningham's nose in the dirt? n Scout stood up for Walter in class and tried to explain the Cunningham ways to Miss Caroline. For her explanations, Scout got in more trouble with Miss Caroline, so she took out her revenge on Walter. (19 -22)

7. Scout said, " He ain't company, Cal, he's just a Cunningham. " What did she mean by that, and what was Cal's answer? n Scout meant that Finches were better than Cunninghams, and for that reason she didn’t have to treat Walter as company. Calpurnia told Scout that she should treat anyone who came to visit her home as company and show him every courtesy. (p. 24 -25)

8. Contrast Burris Ewell with the other children. Why doesn’t he “have to” go to school? n If the “truant officer” enforced the laws for the Ewells, Mr. Ewell would probably be jailed. Without their father, wretched as he was, the children would be worse off than if they simply did not go to school. Because the Ewell’s home life is so unusual, the authorities bent the rules for them. (p. 27)