To Kill a Mockingbird Flashcards
When does The Civil Rights Movement begin in Alabama?
1954
When was TKAM published?
1960
What date is TKAM set?
1933-5
What is the town TKAM is set in?
Maycomb
What problems are in Maycomb?
- economic depression
- racial segregation
- prejudice against African-Americans
Who is the narrator in the story?
Scout
What type of narration is TKAM?
First person narrative
What is Scout’s real name?
Jean Louise Finch
In Ch1, how old are Jem and Scout?
Jem is almost ten and Scout is nearly six
Where is Dill originally from?
Mississippi
How is Maycomb described on p11?
“old” and “tired” but also with hope (it was a time of “vague optimism”)
Why is TKAM a bildungsroman?
It deals with the main character growing up
In Ch1, what were the rumours about Boo Radley?
- “peeped in windows”
- “stealthy crimes were his work”
- “A Negro would not pass the Radley Place at night”
- “Boo drove the scissors into his parent’s leg”
How does Ch1 introduce the racial background?
- history of black slaves in Alabama
- Simon Finch (ancestor) bought 3 slaves
What do you learn in Ch1 about their parents?
Atticus’ wife died when Scout was two and Atticus played the role of both parents- “he played with us, read to us, and treated us with courteous detachment”
Who is Calpurnia?
The African-American housekeeper
In Ch1, how is Atticus shown as being different?
- leaving Finch’s Landing
- breaking family tradition by setting himself up as a lawyer
- treats African-Americans with respect
In Ch2, what does Scout start for the first time?
School
Who is their teacher and where is she from?
Miss Caroline Fisher from North Alabama, Winston County
What does the story Miss Caroline read to them suggest about her?
She has is a naive outsider who has no understanding of the children and their backgrounds. They know that the story is not true and they cannot relate to it. “Wriggling like a bucketful of catawba worms”
Why does Miss Caroline not like the fact that Scout can read?
“Try to undo the damage” suggests that she wants to teach the children her way and it surprised her that anybody could read
How does Walter Cunningham’s introduction in Ch2 show his background?
- “he had hookworms” and “barefoot in barn-yards and hog wallows” shows that he must come from a farming family (affected by Depression)
- “clean shirt and neatly mended overalls” shows how although he is from a poor family, they respect and care about education
Why does Walter Cunningham not accept money?
“Miss Caroline, he’s a Cunningham” and “The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back” shows that although they are poor, they have a sense of pride
What is mentioned about the Depression in Ch2?
“The Cunninghams are country folks, farmers, and the crash hit them the hardest”
What did Scout do to Walter in Ch3 and what did Jem do after?
Scout starts a fight with Walter and Jem offers Walter to eat lunch at their home.
What does Scout say during their lunch with Walter and what did Calpurnia do?
“He’s gone and drowned his dinner in syrup”
Calpurnia scolds Scout and teaches her a lesson about manners - that it is important to be tolerant of other people’s ways and speech even though they may be different from your own.
How is Burris Ewell first introduced in Ch3?
- Miss Caroline feared the “cootie” in Burris’ hair
- “filthiest human I had ever seen”
What do you learn about the Ewells in Ch3?
“Whole school’s full of ‘em. They come first day every year and then leave.”
What do you learn about Burris’ personality from Ch3?
- “You try and make me, missus” shows how rude he is
- “Ain’t no snot-nosed slut” and the fact that he made her cry shows how he has no manners and comes from a bad family
What does Atticus teach Scout in Ch3?
“You never really understand a person… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (p35)
How does Scout and Atticus describe the Ewells in Ch3?
- “Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations”
- “They were people, but they lived like animals”
- “Man spendshis relief checks on green whisky”
