To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter Questions
INSTRUCTIONS: As we read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, respond to each of the following questions on your own piece of paper. Be sure to answer in complete sentences.
Part One
Chapter 1
1. Describe the setting of the novel.
2. Why does the Radley Place fascinate Scout, Dill, and Jem?
Chapter 2
3. Why does Scout end up in trouble on her first day of school?
Chapter 3
4. What does Scout say to Walter Cunningham that gets her into trouble?
5. Why do the Ewells have special privileges?
6. What compromise does Atticus make with Scout?
Chapter 4
7. What does Scout find in the knothole?
8.What does Scout reveal at the end of the chapter?
Chapter 5
9. What reasons does Atticus give when he tells the children to leave Boo alone and stop playing the Boo Radley game?
Chapter 6
10. What explanation does Jem give for his missing pants?
Chapter 7
11. What does Jem confess to Scout?
12. List the items found in the tree knothole during this chapter.
13. Why does Mr. Radley fill the hole with cement?
Chapter 8
14. How does the weather change?
15. How do Jem and Scout spend the day?
16. What happens to Miss Maudie’s house?
17. What does Jem confess to Atticus?
18. Who put the blanket on Scout? How do you know?
Chapter 9
19. What does Atticus tell Scout about his reasons for defending Tom?
20.What do Jem and Scout get for Christmas from Atticus?
21. Describe what happens at Finch’s Landing.
Chapter 10
22. Why does Scout think Atticus is feeble?
23.Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird?
24. Who does Scout try to shoot?
25. What does Scout learn about Atticus from the mad dog episode?
Chapter 11
26. Why does Jem destroy Mrs. Dubose’s flowers?
27. When Atticus states that Mrs. Dubose is a model of real courage, what does he mean?
Part Two
Chapter 12
28. Describe Scout and Jem’s experience at Calpurnia’s church.
29. What does Scout notice about Calpurnia?
Chapter 13
30. Why does Aunt Alexandra come to visit?
31. What is Aunt Alexandra’s theory on the way people act?
Chapter 14
32.How does Atticus explain rape to Scout?
33. Why does Aunt Alexandra want to dismiss Calpurnia?
34. What is Dill’s explanation for why he ran away?
35. What is the real reason that Dill ran away?
Chapter 15
36. What is the mood in Maycomb before the trial?
37. What is Jem worried about?
38. How does Scout stop the mob?
Chapter 16
39. Who is Dolphus Raymond?
40. Explain the following statement: “Atticus aims to defend him.”
Chapter 17
41. What does Atticus ask Mr. Tate?
42. Where do the Ewells live?
43. Why does Atticus want Mr. Ewell to write his name?
Chapter 18
44. Why does Mayella think Atticus is making fun of her?
45. What, according to Mayella, does she want Tom Robinson to chop?
46. What happened to Tom Robinson’s arm?
Chapter 19
47. How does Tom Robinson place his hand on the Bible?
48. Why does Tom Robinson visit the Ewell place?
Chapter 20
49. Why does Dolphus Raymond pretend to be drinking liquor?
50. Why does Jem feel confident that Atticus will win?
Chapter 21
51. What does Reverend Sykes say about juries?
52. As they wait for the verdict, Scout thinks of what earlier events?
Chapter 22
53. Who sends food over to the Finches? Why?
54. What does Atticus mean when he says, “only children weep”?
Chapter 23
55. What is Bob Ewell’s threat?
56. Where is Tom Robinson?
57. What “bill” will have to be paid “one of these days”?
Chapter 24
58. Describe the conversation at the Missionary Society meeting.
59. What event happens at the end of the chapter?
60. How do Miss Maudie, Aunt Alexandra, and Scout handle the news?
Chapter 25
61. Explain the following statement: “Tom was tried in the secret courts of men’s hearts.”
Chapter 26
62. Describe the irony of Miss Gates’s statement, “We (American People) don’t believe in persecuting anyone.”
63. Why does Jem get upset with Scout?
Chapter 27
64. What has Bob Ewell started doing?
65. Describe the costume that Scout will wear for the pageant. What is it made of?
Chapter 28
66. Describe the mood at the beginning of the chapter.
67. How does Scout’s costume save her life?
Chapter 29
68. How did Boo know Jem and Scout were in trouble?
69. How does Scout describe Boo?
Chapter 30
70. Why is Atticus so worried throughout the chapter?
71. Who stabbed Bob Ewell?
72. What does Scout compare Boo’s potential exposure to?
Chapter 31
73. What terms does Scout use to describe Boo Radley now?
74. What is Atticus’s final statement about people?
75. Where does Atticus spend the night? What does this tell us about him?