To Kill A MockingbirdChapters 12-16

Chapter Twelve: Question 1

Why doesn’t Dill come for the summer?

Question 3: Explain why Calpurnia speaks one way

around white people and another way at the church.

Questions 2 & 4: These questions are very similar. You can draw very similar conclusions from examining these

questions together.

2. Describe the differences that Scout notices in the church service at First Purchase.

4. How does the First Purchase Congregation collect the $10.00 they need for the Robinson family?

Chapter Thirteen: Examining Aunt Alexandra’s

role in the novel. 5. Why are Scout and Aunt Alexandra

unable to communicate effectively with one another? Re-examine chapter nine (p.81).

6. Why do you suppose Atticus has allowed Alexandra to come live with him?

7. How is Cousin Joshua Finch a bone of contention between Atticus and Alexandra?

8. Atticus tries to have a talk with Jem and Scout at the end of chapter thirteen. The outcome of which is, “I know now what Atticus was trying to do, but Atticus was only a man. It takes a woman to do kind of work (134). What is the nature of the discussion Atticus attempts to have with the kids? Why is

the conversation a failure?

Chapter Fourteen: 9. Why does Aunt Alexandra insist that Scout not

visit Calpurnia’s home?

10. What are the “starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary?

11. How does Jem “break the remaining code of our childhood” with his sister?

12. Why has Dill run away?

Chapter Fifteen: The Lynching Mob.

Question Thirteen. • Why does Atticus say that the Ku Klux Klan is gone?

• Do you know this to be true?

• What statement is Scout making about the South’s perception of the Klan?

14. Why does Jem tell Atticus that the phone is ringing?

15. In what way were Sam Levy and Scout alike in their handling of a “mob mentality?

16. What is the irony of situation when Scout says, “there followed what I realized was a sickeningly comic aspect of an unfunny situation: the men

talked in near-whispers.”

17. Why was Atticus so affectionate toward Jem after he had disobeyed him?

Chapter Sixteen: 18. Why is it so unusual that Mr. Underwood

has helped Atticus?

Question #19:

a. Discuss Mr. Dolphus Raymond and explain why he sits with the blacks.

b. Demonstrate how the people of Maycomb feel about his children.

20. Describe Judge Taylor.