To Kill a Mockingbird

Question 1

What is the quote that symbolises the pain of racism that Jem has experienced?

Answer 1

When my brother Jem was nearly thirteen he got his arm badly broken at the elbow.
AND
His face was streaked with angry tears…it ain’t right

Question 2

What does Scout say about her father and his job?

Answer 2

Atticus ain’t got time to teach me anything

Question 3

Which quote demonstrates Scout’s intelligence?

Answer 3

I never deliberately learned to read

Question 4

Which quote shows the Cunningham’s way of life?

Answer 4

The Cunnginhams never took anything they can’t pay back…they don’t have much but they get along on it

Question 5

Which quote demonstrates the unjust and racist education system?

Answer 5

…her grammar was as good as anybody’s in Maycomb. Calpurnia had more education than most coloured folk.

Question 6

What quote does Atticus tell Scout that also symbolises an important message in the novel?

Answer 6

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb onto his skin and walk around in it

Question 7

What does Atticus say about the racist people of Maycomb?

Answer 7

No matter how bitter things get, they are still our friends and this is still our home.

Question 8

What quote shows the only time that Atticus says that something is a sin?

Answer 8

but remember, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird

Question 9

What does Miss Maudie say about mockingbirds?

Answer 9

Mockingbirds don’t go one thing but make music for us to enjoy

Question 10

What does Scout say about Atticus when he takes on the rabid dog (Tim Johnson)

Answer 10

It was at times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars was the bravest man who ever lived

Question 11

What does Atticus say about living with himself?

Answer 11

Before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself

Question 12

What does Atticus say to Jem after Mrs Dubose dies?

Answer 12

I wanted to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand

Question 13

What does Atticus say about Tom Robinson?

Answer 13

He would not have dared strike a white woman under any circumstances and expected to live long

Question 14

What quote refers to Mayella Ewell’s unspeakable act?

Answer 14

She was white and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man

Question 15

What quote demonstrates Atticus’ method of parenting?

Answer 15

Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute.

Question 16

Which quote symbolises the racist society of the 1930s deep South?

Answer 16

Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed

Question 17

Which quote shows that the mockingbird symbolises Boo after he kills Bob?

Answer 17

Well, it’d sort of be like killing a mockingbird wouldn’t it?

Question 18

What does Scout say when she realises what it must be like to be Boo?

Answer 18

Atticus was right. One time he said you never really understand a person until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing in the Radley porch was enough

Question 19

What is a quote that shows the rumours and stories about Boo?

Answer 19

he dined on raw squirrels… his hands were blood stained.

Question 20

What are the three types of social inequality?

Answer 20

Racism
Family backgrounds
Wealth

Question 21

What is the relationship between Calpurnia and the Finch family?

Answer 21

Maternal figure to Scout (and sometimes Jem)
Important as she brings Scout and Jem into black community
Family cook

Question 22

What is the importance of the Ewell family?

Answer 22

Bob represents the racist community of 1930’s southern America
Represent the poor/white trash/less fortunate in Maycomb
Mayella symbolises innocence, but also the racist society itself

Question 23

How is kindness presented?

Answer 23

Atticus - determined to fight racial injustice even though he knows he will not win
Scout - tries to see the best in people (explains to teacher about Cunningham’s/takes Boo’s arm at end of novel)
Boo - leaves gifts for children/puts blanket around Scout/escorts her back to his house/carries Jem home after attacked by Bob
Calpurnia - makes Scout’s favourite crackling bread/maternal figure to children/shows importance of not judging people
Tom - helps Mayella and befriends her but ultimately his kindness leads to his death

Question 24

Which quote shows Scout’s naivety about the lack of education in the black community

Answer 24

Where are the hymn books?

Question 25

Explore the theme of family

Answer 25

Finch - good education
Atticus treats children with respect
teaches children (‘there was no point in saying sorry if you aren’t’)
role model (‘bravest man who ever lived’)
helps children grow and understand racism (‘his face was streaked with angry tears’)

Ewell - Do not value education (‘I done my time for this year) - Burris
‘white trash’ - term used first in 18030’s shows family heritage
Selfish father - ‘spends relief checks on green whiskey …children crying from hunger
Trapped - father’s reputation affects children (‘lived like animals’)

Black community - white residents believe that black neighbours are ignorant
come together as a community (‘if everyone gives one more dime’)
Generous - fight an against prejudice views (even if they lack education, they still find a way to sing and celebrate one another at church)
Respectful and honest families destroyed by racism

Question 26

What are the three types of isolation?

Answer 26

Boo Radley - became a neighbourhood legend (“dined on raw squirrels…hands were blood stained”)/ locked away rather than helped (“locked in the courtroom basement”)/ isolated from society. Isolated because of mental illness

Tom Robinson - isolated because of race

Mrs Dubose - isolated because of illness and being the ‘meanest old lady’ without people knowing who she really is (struggling from morphine addiction)

Question 27

What is the importance of Atticus?

Answer 27

Moral - teaches children/shoots Tim Johnson (who represents racism)/shows moral courage by standing up for Tom R

Harper Lee’s proxy - shows racist society of 1930s southern America/honest/no matter his views, he is trapped in the society he lives in/ those who believe in equality can create change

Lack of prejudice - racial (“don’t say n***** scout”)/sexual - lets scout dress in overalls/mental - sees Boo as a person/sees Mrs Dubose as the bravest person who ever lived (does not dehumanise people)

Question 28

How is courage presented in the novel?

Answer 28

Atticus - represents Tom because he’s knows it’s the right thing to do - even if the white community don’t agree/Shoots Tim Johnson (rabid dog) represents the racism infecting Maycomb - Atticus kills the racism/Has moral courage to see the good in people, even if others don’t (e.g Mrs Dubose, Boo Radley etc)
Mrs Dubose - She has been addicted to the painkiller morphine and is determined to be free from this addiction before she dies - it becomes apparent that there really is no need for her to go through the pain of being morphine free as she is going to die anyway - ‘She was the bravest person I ever knew.’
Boo Radley - courage to leave house and help/protect children - even if this means putting himself I danger/he goes against peoples’ views of him in order to help others