ELA 8 – 3Name ______

To Kill A Mockingbird – Chapter 1 PacketDate ______

Pre-Reading

Directions: On your own, read the phrases from the novel quietly to yourself. Think about what this novel might be about.

“I maintain that the Ewells started it all ...” “... it really began with Andrew Jackson.” “Maycomb was an old town ...” “People moved slowly then.” “Maycomb County had recently been told it had nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Pre-reading Wonder:

Based on the phrases and lines from the opening pages of the novel, what do you wonder about this novel?

Vocabulary – Chapter 1

1. assuaged-
2. disturbance -
3. ambled-
4. vague optimism -
5. nebulous –
6. satisfactory -
7. routine contentment - / sat
8. malevolent phantom -
9. stealthy -
10. alien -

Comprehension Questions – Chapters 1

  1. The narrator, Scout, discusses her family. List Scout’s real name, the names of the people who live in her home and each character’s relation to her. (CH 1)

2. Describe the legend of Boo Radley, as believed by the children. (How do Jem, Scout and Dill describe Boo?) (CH 1)

3. Why do you think Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird uses Scout, a child narrator, rather than an adult? Consider the effect a child’s voice has upon the mood of the novel. How would the novel be different if it was narrated by one of the adult characters? Use examples from the novel to support your ideas. (CH 1)

4. The story is told as a flashback. It starts with Jem recovering from a broken arm and then goes back in time to tell the story. Why do you think Harper Lee chose to tell the story as a flashback? Consider how a flashback impacts the reader’s experience. (CH 1)

5.Based on what we have read so far in the novel, how would you describe Atticus?

Plot

What is the gist of Chapter 1?

Literary Elements – Part I

1. Describe the setting of the novel -

  1. What is the mood of the novel –
  1. What is the theme of the novel –
  1. What does Boo Radley symbolize to the kids and the town’s people?

Characters

Character / Describe the Character’s Actions (Things He or She Does) / Describe the Characters in your own words / Provide a Passage and Page Number from the Novel as Support
Jean Louise “Scout” Finch
Atticus Finch
Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch
Arthur “Boo” Radley