To Kill a Mockingbird Study Questions
Please answer each question on your own paper. Label each chapter and question as shown below. Please note that the page numbers may be different in your copy of the novel, but all quotations will be found in the chapter identified.
Chapter 1:
1. Describe the physical setting of the story.
2. What is the relationship between the narrator (identified later as Scout or Jean Louise) and her brother Jem and their father?
3. Who is Dill?
4. When the “routine” of Jem, Scout, and Dill’s summer becomes tiresome, what idea does Dill have?
5. How had Mr. Radley seen to it that his younger son Arthur (Boo) caused “no further trouble in Macomb”?
6. After Mr. Radley died, what changes occurred at the Radley Place?
7. What dare of Dill’s does Jem finally accept?
Chapters 2 and 3:
1. When Jem takes Scout to school for her first day, what “order” does he give her?
2. What two things does Miss Caroline tell Scout that Atticus is not to do anymore?
3. When Scout tries to spare Walter Cunningham any further humiliation, what does Miss Caroline do to her?
4. At the Finch’s for lunch, what reason does Walter give Atticus for not being able to pass the first grade?
5. After Calpurnia makes Scout leave the table, what “lecture” does she give Scout?
6. How does Scout describe Burris Ewell's physical appearance? How does little Charles Little describe Burris’s personality?
7. After Scout’s first day of school, what is her assessment and what is her plan?
8. After Scout begs Atticus not to make her return to school, what advice does he give her for getting along with people?
Chapters 4 and 5:
1. Explain why Scout goes back to the Radley Place one afternoon?
2. What is their neighborhood’s opinion of Mrs. Dubose?
3. What does Jem say about the “Indian-heads” they find in the knot-hole of the tree?
4. What new “game” do Jem, Scout, and Dill play?
5. After Atticus catches the children with the scissors, what is Jem’s reaction? What is Scout’s and why?
6. Explain why Scout becomes annoyed with Dill.
7. What does Miss Maudie tell Scout about “some kind of men”?
8. What is Jem and Dill’s plan to contact Boo Radley?
9. What order does Atticus give the children regarding Boo?
Chapters 6 and 7:
1. Why do Dill, Jem, and Scout run from the Radley Place?
2. How does Dill explain Jem’s missing pant?
3. What, according to Scout, causes Jem and her to begin “to part company”?
4. Summarize Scout’s assessment of second grade.
5. What does Jem finally tell Scout about his pants that he retrieved?
6. What do Jem and Scout realize about the carved soap figures they find in the knot-hole?
7. When Jem and Scout find the knot-hole filled with cement, what explanation does Nathan Radley give? What does Atticus tell Jem about the tree?
Chapter 8:
1. What does Mr. Avery tell the children about unusual seasons of the year?
2. What happens to Miss Maudie’s house?
3. Describe the incident with the blanket.
4. Now, who left the gifts in the oak tree? Now, why was Jem crying at the end of Chapter 7?
5. How does Miss Maudie react to her loss? What does this tell us about her?
Chapter 9:
1. Why does Scout get in a fight with Cecil Jacobs?
2. What is Atticus about to do which places his honor in question?
3. Why is Atticus defending the man?
4. Does he expect to win the case?
5. What do the Finches do at Christmas?
6. How do the children feel about their relatives?
7. Compare and contrast Uncle Jack with Atticus.
8. How does Aunt Alexandra feel about the way Scout and Jem are being brought up?
Chapter 10:
1. Why are Scout and Jem unsatisfied with Atticus at the beginning of this chapter?
1. What warning does Atticus give them concerning their air rifles?
2. How does Atticus win back the respect of his children?
3. Why does Atticus decide not to shoot anymore?
4. Why doesn’t Jem want Scout to brag about Atticus at school?
Chapter 11:
1. Who is Mrs. Dubose? Describe her.
2. What is Atticus’ advice about how to treat Mrs. Dubose?
3. What does Jem do that is completely out of character for him?
4. What is Scout’s reaction to Jem’s outburst?
5. How must Jem repay Mrs. Dubose?
6. Describe the pattern of their afternoons at Mrs. Dubose’s house.
7. Explain what Atticus means when he says, “It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows how poor that person is. It doesn’t hurt you.”
8. Why did Mrs. Dubose give Jem and why does she give it to him?
9. What does Mrs. Dubose give Jem and why does she give it to him?
10. According to Atticus, what is “real courage”?
Chapter 12:
1. How old are the children at this point in the story?
2. Summer has come but things don’t look too promising to Scout. Why not?
3. Describe the First Purchase African ME Church.
4. What differences and similarities does Scout notice between the service at her church and this church?
5. Why can't Helen Robinson get any work?
6. What is “linin”?
7. Why doesn’t Calpurnia talk like the rest of the people at her church?
8. Why does Cal choose to speak “two different languages”?
Chapter 13:
1. According to Scout, why is Aunt Alexandra so irritable on Sundays?
2. How do Scout and Jem feel about having Aunt Alexandra as a visitor?
3. Describe Aunt Alexandra.
4. How does Scout’s definition of “fine folks” differ from her aunt’s definition?
5. What makes Scout cry at the end of the chapter?
Chapter 14:
1. How does the town begin to react to Jem and Scout?
2. Jem is growing up and has less in common with Scout. He still tells her about what he reads, but what’s the difference?
3. Describe the “snake” Scout finds under her bed.
4. What is significant about the fact that Jem tells Atticus about Dill?
5. Why had Dill run off?
Chapter 15:
1. Why do Atticus’s friends come to his home at the beginning of the chapter?
2. What is Atticus worried about when he goes and sits in front of the jail?
3. Describe Mr. Underwood.
4. Explain the quote “In obedience to my father...the men talk in near whispers.”
5. According to Scout, what does it mean when Atticus says, “Do you really think so?”
6. Why won’t Jem go home when Atticus tells him to go home?
7. Describe Scout’s conversation with Mr. Cunningham.
8. What is the advantage of having a narrator Scout’s age in this chapter?
9. Why does Mr. Cunningham say, “Let’s get going boys” and leave the jail?
Chapter 16:
1. Note the lines on page 158 beginning with “I was very tired...the memory of Atticus. pushing up his glasses.” What significant about this quote?
2. What change in Atticus does Scout begin to notice?
3. How does Atticus explain Mr. Cunningham’s actions of the preceding night?
4. How does Miss Maudie feel about going to the trial?
5. Describe Mr. Dolphus Raymond and his reputation.
6. What is the “Idlers Club”?
7. What does Scout find out that is news to her? Why is it confusing?
8. What is the significance about the fact that Scout and Jem sit in the negro part of the courthouse balcony?
9. Describe Judge Taylor.
Chapter 17:
1. Describe how the Ewell's live.
2. What facts does Atticus carefully extract from Bob Ewell and then emphasize?
3. Describe Bob Ewell’s behavior in the courtroom.
Chapter 18:
1. Describe Mayella Ewell. (her personality, intellection, way of life)
2. Why does Mayella feel Atticus is “mockin” her?
3. Why does Atticus ask Mayella about her friends?
4. Why is Atticus so insistent about finding out from Mayella whether the man who took advantage of her beat her around the face?
5. Point out some of the flaws in Mayella’s story?
6. What do the kids finally see about Tom Robinson that shocks them?
Chapter 19:
1. What becomes clear to Scout as Tom gives his testimony?
2. What was the true story of the “rape”?
3. What fatal mistake does Tom make while Mr. Gilmore is questioning him? Why was it a mistake?
4. Why does Dill begin to cry during the trial?
Chapter 20:
1. Why does Mr. Raymond drink coke from a paper bag?
2. Why does he want people to think he’s a drunk?
3. Why is Mr. Raymond entrusted the children with his deepest secret?
4. What has Scout learned from the conversation with Mr. Raymond? (about her dad)
5. According to Atticus, what has motivated Mayella to accuse Tom?
6. What does Atticus mean when he says that all men are NOT created equal?
Chapter 21:
1. Describe the atmosphere of the courtroom as the people are awaiting the verdict (pg 213).
2. What does Scout mean on page 213 when he says,”It was like watching Atticus walk into the street, raise the riffle to his shoulder and pull the trigger, but...knowing that the gun was empty”?
3. Why do the Blacks stand up as Atticus leaves the Courtroom?
Chapter 22:
1. Why are the children so frightened?
2. How does Atticus attempt to explain Bob Ewell’s actions?
3. How does Atticus’s definition of “trash” differ from Aunt Alexandra’s definition?
4. According to Atticus, why are Macomb citizens afraid to serve on juries?
5. Why doesn’t Jem feel that there is just “one kind of ‘folks”?
6. What is the implication of Jem’s statement on page 230 that, “I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stays.....in the house...it’s because he wants to stay inside.”
Chapter 24:
1. What is so ironic about the ladies’ interest in the African tribes?
2. What does Miss Maudie mean on page 236 when she says, “His food doesn’t stick going down, does it?”
3. Why does Aunt Alexandra give Miss Maudie a look of “pure gratitude”? page 236
4. Why did Tom try to escape?
5. Why is Aunt Alexandra angry at Macomb? page 236
6. What does Miss Maudie mean when she says, “They are paying the highest tribute to Atticus that they can pay to a man by trusting him to do right”?
7. How do we know Scout has begun to have new respect for Aunty? Why has this change of opinion occurred?
Chapter 25:
1. Describe the opening scene of this chapter involving the roly-poly bug. What is significant about this scene in the context of the novel as a whole?
2. How does Helen Robinson react to the news about her husband? Note the language to describe her reaction and connect this scene to the earlier scene involving the roly-poly.
3. The “Mockingbird theme” appears third time in this chapter. Where?
4. What has Scout learned by the end of this chapter?
Chapter 26:
1. How does Scout feel about the Radley place now? About Boo?
2. Why is Scout disturbed by Miss Gates enunciation (putdown) of Hitler?
3. Why does Scout’s question about Miss Gates make Jem furious?
Chapter 27:
1. What three “out of the ordinary” things happen in Macomb?
2. According to Atticus, why does Ewell harbor a grudge?
3. What is to be different about Halloween this year in Macomb? Why?
4. Find the hint of foreshadowing on pg. 256 that prepares us for what is to happen.
5. What does Scout mean when she says: “ Thus began our longest journey together.”
Chapter 28:
1. Note the reference to the mockingbird in Chapter 28 and explain the significance of it.
2. How does Scout “ruin” the pageant?
3. Describe the struggle the children have in the woods as they walk home from the pageant.
Chapters 29 & 30:
1. What saved Scout’s life?
2. Who rescued Jem and Scout?
3. Whom does Atticus think killed Ewell and what does he plan to do about it?
4. What does Atticus think Heck Tate is trying to do when he says,” Jem never stabbed Ewell”
5. What does Atticus mean on page 276 when he says, “I can’t live one way in town and another way in my home?”
6. Why had Atticus suggested they talk on the porch instead of in the front room?
7. What does Heck Tate mean on page 277 when he says, “I’m not thinking of Jem!”
8. How does this throw a new light on the conversation he just had with Atticus?
9. Where did Heck get the switchblade that he used to demonstrate how Ewell accidentally killed himself?
10. Why does Mr. Tate want to keep the identity of Ewell’s killer a secret?
11. What does Scout mean when she says on page 279, “Well, it would be sort of like shotin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?”
Chapter 31:
1. What saddens Scout as she walked Boo home?
2. What is significant about Scout’s line on page 281, “I never had seen our neighborhood from this angle?”