To Kill a Mocking Bird- Section One Study Questions

To Kill a Mockingbird – Section One Study Questions. 6) What satirical points are being made about education through Scout’s experiences in school? I feel a major satirical point about Scout’s education is the fact that she is ridiculed for learning some place other than school. It’s as if her teacher feels Scout is messing her learning system. She is “introducing a new way of teaching” one which involves the teacher waving cards at the students with simple words printed on them.

Scout begins to write a letter, which the teacher stops her from doing.

She also is angry at Scout for writing, because “you don’t learn to write until you’re in the third grade. Obviously, she is stopping her from learning more. School is now a place where Scout is told to stop learning. 7) Why does Scout explain Walter Cunningham’s situation to Miss Caroline? Scout feels that it is her duty, as her classmates were looking at her expectantly. Scout explains Walter Cunningham’s situation because Miss Caroline is not from the area and doesn’t understand the “country folk” or the customs of the county and its people.

Walter may be poor, but he’s not a beggar and refuses to take the quarter from Miss Caroline because he knows that he can’t pay it back. 8) How are Scout and Jem alike? How are they different? Jem is much wiser than scout which makes perfect sense, considering Jem is 4 years older than Scout. He is also better behaved than scout. But they are both alike because they both live under the same circumstances, and they are both afraid of the Radley’s, even though Jem won’t admit it. 9) Describe Burris Ewell. How is he alike and different from the other children?

Burris is one of the eight Ewell children.

He and his family only go to school for the first day every year, then leave, and are very proud of that. The Ewell Family is very ignorant and poor, and their father is awfully mean and the town drunk. Burris is incredibly rude, and doesn’t know how to be any other way. Even though many of the other children aren’t exactly “clean”, Burris is far dirtier than all of them. Although, Burris surely doesn’t get enough to eat, like many of the other school children. 10) What is the advice Atticus gives scout and how is it thematically significant?

The thematic advice Atticus gives to Scout helps her understand that school is important to success and education, unlike the Ewell’s who are rude and don’t care about things such as learning.

The point that Atticus tries to make is Scout needs to view the situation from every angle, not just hers. 11) What can you infer about Scout and Jem based on their very different reactions to the pennies in the knot-hole? He decided to wait until school starts and ask everybody who they belong to. Jem is careful and honest of the pennies he finds.

He tries to explain to Scout that someone has taken care of those pennies. Scout seems to be relying on Jem’s wisdom, but she does want to keep the pennies. Because when he suggests someone probably left them there intentionally, and they’re probably going to come back for them, she tries to provide a contradicting theory.

Such as why would they person have left gum in the knot-hole, if surely it would’ve spoiled? You can infer Scout hasn’t matured much. Her thoughts don’t extend as far as to question the motives of the owners of the objects put in the knot-hole.

She seems to be just a simple minded girl. 12) What do the characteristics of children in general are revealed through the Boo Radley game? Why doesn’t scout enjoy the game as much as the boys do? It shows they are ignoring the teaching of their father, which is to always respect others. Always make sure you put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

But the children were more engrossed in the childish game. This reflects the immaturity of most citizens in the town, which is where the children actually learned such things.

Scout is scared the Radley’s will somehow find out about the games they play, which is why she is hesitant. 13) What do we learn about the main characters by their relationships and interactions with Miss Maudie Atkinson? Scout is the closest to Miss Maudie than anyone, and she spends time with her when the boy’s are doing boy things she can’t be apart of. Miss Maudie acts like a mentor to Scout.

The boys rarely spend time with Miss Maudie, and Atticus grew up with her. 14) What is significant about Jem’s decision to make a lone, nighttime return to the Radley place?

Jem shows signs of maturity when he decides to return to the Radley house alone to retrieve his pants. Not only does he demonstrate courage in going by himself, but he also demonstrates that not disappointing Atticus is more important than his own safety. 15) What is the significant outcome of Jem’s return? Jem returns from the Radley place with his pants, but he hides the fact that they have been mended for a while; he is obviously bothered by it. When Jem finally tells Scout about the pants, he wonders how it is that someone would know he was going to come back for the ants.

Jem finding his mended pants is significant because it takes all the ridiculous Radley fantasies and puts them into reality. Jem and Scout have now had real interaction with the people that live in the Radley house. 16) What does the town conclude regarding the disturbance at the Radley place? They automatically assume the intruder was a “nigger”, not because they actually saw the person, but because if anyone had a desire to commit any crime, it would be assumed to be a black person. This shows how hateful the deep south was at this time towards colored people. 7) What bewildering incidents occur to Jem and Scout? Soap Carvings that remember resemble Scout and Jem appear in the knothole.

Then chewing gum, a spelling bee medal, and an old pocket watch. Soon, Jem and Scout find that the knothole has been filled with cement. When Jem asks Mr. Radley about the knothole the following day, Mr. Radley replies that he plugged the knothole because the tree is dying; but when Jem asked Atticus about the tree, he claims the tree shows no signs of death. 18) Why is it significant that Jem has been crying?

Because he realized the real reason the knothole has been sealed off is not because the try is dying, but because Mr.

Radley is trying to eliminate boo communicating with anyone, and Jem begins to pity him being so lonely. Jem draws the conclusion that his family must be ashamed of Boo, which is something Jem doesn’t have to live with. Fortunately Jem has a loving family. This shows Jem’s maturity, he’s thinking of someone other than himself. 19) How do people react to the fire at Miss Maudie’s house?

The fire shows how the town responds when someone needs help. All of the men in the town show up to help.

You can also see how small and poor the town is for one reason the fire consumes the house is that the old fire truck “killed by the cold, was being pushed from town by a crowd of men. ” We can conclude that the community can be very selfless and caring. 20) What characteristics does Miss Maudie show following the fire? She returned to her normal business and was still happy, even with all the terribly traumatic events that just happened.