Jem and Scout’s Neighborhood

A problematic situation for To Kill a Mockingbird

Directions:

Throughout To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout gives us small descriptions of her neighborhood. Because these excerpts are spread throughout the novel, it’s difficult to completely visualize the setting until the end of the book.

Below are various passages that will give you clues as to where each of the homes, places, buildings, or trees are located. Go over them.

· We lived on the main residential street in town. (6)

· When I was almost six and Jem was nearly ten, our summertime boundaries (within calling distance of Calpurnia) were Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose’s house two doors to the north of us, and the Radley Place three doors to the south. (6)

· Early one morning as we were beginning our day’s play in the back yard, Jem and I heard something next door in Miss Rachel Havorford’s collard’s patch. (6)

· The Radley place fascinated Dill. In spite of our warnings and explanations it drew him as the moon draws water, but drew him no nearer than the light-pole on the corner; a safe distance from the Radley gate. (8)

· The Radley Place jutted into a sharp curve beyond our house. Walking south, one faced its porch; the sidewalk turned and ran beside the lot. (8)

· Two live oaks stood at the edge of the Radley lot; their roots reached out into the side-road and made it bumpy.

· Hours of wintertime had found me in the tree house, looking over at the schoolyard, spying on multitudes of children through a two-power telescope Jem had given me…(15)

· She (Miss Caroline Fisher) boarded across the street one door down from us in Miss Maudie Atkinson’s upstairs front room…(16)

· Cecil Jacobs, who lived at the far end of our street next door to the post office, walked a total of one mile per school day to avoid the Radley Place and old Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose. Mrs. Dubose lived two doors up the street from us.

· Mr. Avery boarded across the street from Mrs. Lafayette Dubose’s house.

· We thought it was better to go under the high wire fence at the rear of the Radley lot; we stood less chance of being seen. The fence enclosed a large garden and a narrow wooden outhouse.

· We ran across the schoolyard, crawled under the fence to Deer’s Pasture behind our house, climbed our back fence and were at the back steps before Jem would let us pause to rest.

· (Jem) raced across the street, disappeared into Miss Maudie’s back yard and returned triumphant.

· Miss Stephanie Crawford crossed the street to tell the latest to Miss Rachel.

· “Mr. Underwood not only ran The Maycomb Tribune office, he lived in it. That is above it . . . .The office building was on the northwest corner of the square, and to reach it we had to pass the jail.”

· “We leaped over the low wall that separated Miss Rachel’s yard from our driveway. . .[Jem] pointed to the east.

Now, Using these passages, draw a map of Jem and Scout’s neighborhood on the graph paper. Place each item below on your map. Please add a North, South, East, West compass.

· Main residential street

· Finch’s home

· Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose’s house

· The Radley Place

· Miss Rachel Haverford’s house

· Light pole

· Corner

· Gate to Radley house

· Radley house’s porch

· The lot

· Two live oaks

· School yard

· Where Miss Caroline Fisher lives

· Where Cecil Jacobs lives

· The post office

· Where Mr. Avery lives

· High wire fence, garden, and outhouse

· Deer’s Pasture

· Miss Maudie Atkinson’s house

· Miss Stephanie Crawford’s house