To kill a mockingbird

Question 1

Points on prejudice

Answer 1

Boo- starts as “malevolent phantom” but saves children, leaves presents. On porch Scout sees him for what he really is.
In religion- separate churches “we got our church and they got theirs. Mrs Merriweather’s darkey’s wife comment.
Class- Alexandris calls Walter ‘trash’. Mayella has no friends. Based on family heritage.
Tom- impossible situation with Mayella. Doomed when she ‘opened her mouth and screamed’.
Calpurnia- Alexandria wants her gone ignoring good work. She has to live a ‘modest double life’.

Question 2

Points on race.

Answer 2

In religion- separate churches “we got our church and they got theirs. Mrs Merriweather’s darkey’s wife comment.
In court- no true justice for Jem. Tom is treated badly, Dill thinks it ain’t right to do them that way’
Calpurnia- ‘modest double life’. Different way of speaking. Alexandria wants her gone.
Dolphus Raymond- sits with black people at court. Assume he is drunk but he really prefers the company.
Belive all blacks are bad- When Tom runs it is ‘nigger comin’ out’ and Aticuss’ speech ‘some black men’.

Question 3

Points on Aticus

Answer 3

1) Consulted in a crisis and respected- Jem and Scout ‘consult Atticus’ After disagreement.
2) Embodies justice- He is a lawyer ‘who intends to defend’ Tom. Lets poor pay him back with goods. Treats children fairly ‘never just listens to Jem’..
3) Brave- against the lynch mob, doesn’t show fear to Ewell or people’s opinions that he is a ‘Niger lover’.
4) Passes on lessons to children- says ‘you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view’ when Scout complains about Miss Merriweather. Jem and Mrs Dubose.
5) Willing to do unpleasant jobs like shoot Tim Johnson and defend Tom.

Question 4

Points on Scout

Answer 4

1) Quick temper- fights Walter and Francis. Learns to control herself when Atticus tells her to ‘hold herself in’
2) Comfortable with boys, ‘filled with vague apprehension by ladies in bunches’. Changes at tea party, ‘if Aunty could be a lady all the time, so could I.’
3) Innocent- brings up family. Marry Dill.
4) Thinks Boo ‘dines on rabbits and squirrels’ to start but them empathetic as she says admitting Boo saved Jem would be ‘sort’a like killing a mockingbird’.
5) Learns from Tom’s trial applies this to Boo. Sees things from Boo’s POV on porch and ‘that is enough’.

Question 5

Points on Jem

Answer 5

1) Rebellious as he stays at lynching and lies about the Radley game.
2) Becomes like Atticus and ‘makes thing right’ for Scout. Scout can see similarities at lynching like stubbornness.
3) Emotional- after trial he frequently is angry. At trial each ‘guilty is like a separate stab’. Rage at Dubose.
4) Justice- assumes Tom will win. Deeply affected when he doesn’t refusing to bring up trial.
5) Grows up- Stops being with Scout. Understands when Atticus says Ewell is angry because he destroyed his ‘last shred of credibility’.

Question 6

Points on Miss Maudie

Answer 6

1) A practical woman- spends time in garden in ‘men’s coveralls’.
2) Unprejudiced- believes fair play isn’t marked white only’. Metaphor for prejudice ‘sprig of nut grass could ruin an entire yard’.
3) Treats children with respect- never asks ‘about personal lives’. She answers questions directly.
4) Quick witted- condemns Stephanie saying ‘move over and make room for him?’ And does ‘his food stick when he swallows?’ at tea party.
5) Positive- grateful house didn’t burn down the whole street

Question 7

Points on Calpurina

Answer 7

1) Compassionate- ‘bent down and kissed me’ and tells Scout to come to kitchen when she is lonely.
2) polite she says Walter is ‘yo company’
3) Commonsense she has commonsense with the rabid dog when she ‘runs us home’
4) important to the family- when aunt Alexandra wants her togo Atticus says
‘she is a faithful member of the family’ she is allowed free reign to discipline the children
5) double life- she says if she acted the same with black people they would think she was ‘puttin’ on airs’

Question 8

Points on Boo Radley

Answer 8

1) Cares for children- leaves presents, mends and leaves trousers ‘neatly folded’.
2) Hero- kills Ewell and is modest about it. Described as giving a ‘timid smile’.
3) Vulnerable- asks Scout to ‘take me home’ and described as ‘shallow almost delicate’.
4) Shy- nervous to touch Jem, to publicise what he did would be like ‘killing a mockingbird’.
5) Vilanized- any little misfortunes are blamed on him. Children create Radley game.

Question 9

Points on Dill

Answer 9

1) Imaginative- creates Radley game and is describes as ‘pocket merlin’.
2) Liar- lies about father and running away
3) Sensitive- Wants to be a clown and ‘laugh at the folks’ and cries at the trial.
4) Naive- wants to marry Scout and thinks babys come from island.
5) Isolated- family ‘better off without him’. Empathises with Boo ‘maybe he doesn’t have anywhere to run off to’.

Question 10

Points on Alexandra

Answer 10

1) Obsessed with image- won’t have Walter in house because he is ‘trash’
2) Caring- The trial is tearing Atticus ‘to pieces’
3) Teaches Scout- at missionary tea she sees Alexandria is ‘a lady’
4) Prejudice- wants Cal gone and doesn’t want Atticus to defend Tom
5) Women- wants dungarees gone. Thinks women shouldn’t do anything ‘requiring dungarees’.

Question 11

Points on Tom Robinson

Answer 11

1) Compassionate- ‘felt sorry’ for Mayella and tries not to be ugly to her.
2) Doomed- ‘dead when Mayella screamed’. Put in impossible situation.
3) Polite- ‘manners as good as Atticus’. He cannot repeat Bob’s words
4) Representation- Silent for 1st half. Voice in ‘darkness’.

Question 12

Points on women

Answer 12

1) Miss Maudie- witty and quick, asks Stephanie if she ‘made room’ for Boo’. Challenge Mrs Merriweather at tea party.
2) Mrs Dubose- ‘Bravest person’. Prejudice but wants company.
3) Hypocritical- Gates ‘don’t believe in persecuting anybody’ in reference to Hitler. Mrs Merriweather pitys ‘poor Muranas’.
4) Calpurnia- Stands up for children at church and respected there. Trusted by Atticus, respects Walter.
5) Alexandria- Obsessed with family and being a Lady. Is a true lady at tea party and example to Scout.

Question 13

Points on justice and judgement

Answer 13

1) Based on tradition- both Dolphus Raymond and Mayella brake ‘time-honoured code’.
2) Hypocritical- Miss gates condemns Hitler but praises Tom’s trial. Mrs Merriweather’s ‘poor Muranas’.
3) Just to break rules- lie to protect Boo after pageant.
4) Less just with age- ‘he won’t cry when he gets a few years on him’ and ‘only children weep’.
5) No justice for Tom- sentenced for crime. Treated badly by Mr Glimer. Impossible situation with Mayella.

Question 14

Points on compassion and forgiveness

Answer 14

1) Atticus treats Ewell well- treats him well in court and doesn’t respond to spitting.
2) Scout learns to ‘walk in someone’s skin’- on Radley porch she sees things from Boo’s POV and when Jem is moody
3) Tom- pity’s the Ewells but not shown the same sympathy
4) Boo shown compassion- heroism kept secret as it would be ‘like killin’ a mockingbird’
5) Affected by prejudice- ‘poor Muranas’, Miss Gates and ‘you felt sorry for her?’

Question 15

Points on family

Answer 15

1) Atticus as a father- Jem wants to be lawyer like Atticus, show similarities at lynching. Pass on lessons like ‘it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’. Teaches children from trial.
2) Alexandra- obsessed with ‘how long a family had been squatting on a patch of land’. Dungarees and Cunninghams. Believes traits are passed down.
3) Mayella unlike father she tries to wash and keeps geraniums.
4) Radleys- foot washing baptist and over punishment lead to Boo being a recluse
5) Calpurnia- valued over Alexandria for being good mother. Family by actions.

Question 16

Points on morality and ethics

Answer 16

1) Atticus strong moral code- if he lied he ‘couldn’t meet Jem’s eye’ and Mrs Dubose.
2) Morals in school system- Miss Gates and do not teach life lesson on Dewey decimal system
3) Jem comes to terms with morality- he is deeply affected as he doesn’t want trial brought up
4) Mockingbirds teaching- Tom and Boo
5) Lie for greater good of Boo- it would be ‘like killin’ a mockingbird’.

Question 17

Points on youth

Answer 17

1) Scout has to change from child to lady- says ‘if Aunty could be a lady all the time, so could I’. Associates more with Maudie and Cal.
2) Jem grows up morally- at first makes up Radley game but after trial he is deeply affected changing views on prejudice and says Boo stays inside ‘because he wants to’.
3) Children see prejudice more- Dill crys but ‘not when he gets a few years on him’ and ‘only children weep’.
4) Try to protect children- ‘can court be cleared of women and children’ but openly call Helen ‘darky’s wife’.
5) Scout learns not to use her fists- told to ‘hold in’ and eventually decides to fight no more except under extreme provocation

Question 18

Points on fear

Answer 18

1) Radleys- they fear the unkown Radleys. Create game to show they arn’t scared.
2) People scared to speak out- scared to join jury Mayella uses fear when she says ‘yellow stinking’ cowards’ and lynch mob
3) Mayella- motivated by fear of breaking ‘time- honoured code’ and scared of fatherr
4) Alexandria- fears social judgment. pressures Scout not to see Walter and to wear dungarees
5) Atticus- no scared to speak out for Tom. Morals win over fear not scared off by lynch mob.

Question 19

Points on hypocrisy

Answer 19

1) Missionary women- express concern for mruanas but not Tom. Meant to be Christian.
2) Mrs Farrow- ‘we can educate them until we are blue in the face’ but they are offered no education. Cal one of few black people who can read.
3) Miss Gates- condemns Hitler but praises Tom’s trial
4) Boo’s dad- strict baptist but mentally abuses son
5) Baptists- condemn Miss Maudie’s flowers to hell but drive too see ‘Roman carnival’.

Question 20

Points on courage

Answer 20

1) Jem- Radley game. Lynch mob
2) Atticus- shoots dog vs. Tom’s case and Mrs Dubose
3) Mrs Dubose- ‘bravest person’. Wants Jem to ‘see real courage’.
4) Boo- saves Scout and Jem from danger but also has to face outside world
5) Scout- ‘vague apprehension’ at tea party and learn s to turn cheek

Question 21

Points on social inequality

Answer 21

1) Atticus says to act like a ‘little lady an d gentleman’.
2) Black community- no social divisions as they raise money which goes ‘to Helen Tom’s wife’.
3) Cunninghams- Proud pay in produce. Alexandria says they are ‘trash’.
4) Ewells- ‘disgrace of Maycomb’. Mayella different. Unused to polite talk in court.
5) Problems- static as Maycomb ‘stands still’. Creates divide and outcasting of those who are different like Radleys.