TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD- SUMMARY ANSWERS

Chapter 1

• What do you learn in this chapter about Maycomb, Atticus Finch and his family? You learn that Maycomb is and old, tired and small town. Jem is Scout's older brother by 4 years and broke his arm badly when he was nearly 13 years old. Jem wants to be a football player when he is older. Atticus is Scout and Jem's father; he is a lawyer and works at Maycomb court house.
• What do you learn about Dill's character? In the first chapter of the book Dill is portrayed as adventurous, cheeky, smart, well travelled and a bit of an exaggerator.
• What, briefly, has happened to Arthur "Boo" Radley. Arthur Radley was involved with the wrong crowd in his teen years. He was taken to court along with the other boys in his "gang" and he was charged with disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, assault, battery and using abuse and profane language in the presence and hearing of a female. Mr Radley (Arthur's father) was so ashamed and embarrassed of his son's actions that he told the judge he would handle his son's punishments. The Radley boys were not seen for 15 years, their father would not let them leave their house.
• Why does the Radley place fascinate Scout, Jem and Dill? The Radley place fascinates Jem, Scout and Dill because they want to know what happened in that house in those 15 years and what happened to the family.
• What do you notice about the narrative voice and viewpoint in the novel? Scout is very descriptive and always has a strong point of view.

Chapter 2

• Why is Scout so looking forward to starting school? Scout was excited to start school because she wanted to join in all the games that the kids played and make new friends.
• Why does Jem not want anything to do with Scout at school? I this behavior typical of an older child? Yes, Jem's behavior is typical of an older child because nobody wants their younger sibling hanging onto their ankles and annoying or embarrassing them in front of their friends. Scout might embarrass Jem in front of his friends and his friends might not want to hang around with a grade one student.
• What do you think of Miss Caroline Fisher as a teacher? Can you find qualities, which would make her a good or not so good teacher? I think Miss Caroline Fisher is a bad teacher because she did not listen to Scout when all she was trying to do was help her. She also got mad at Scout for learning to read. Usually a teacher would and should encourage that. I find no qualities that would make Miss Fisher a good teacher.

Chapter 3

• Who is Calpurnia? What is her place in the Finch household? Calpurnia is the Finch's helper. She helps around the house, cleans, cooks, does the laundry and helps Atticus raise Jem and Scout. Cal is very important to the Finch family; she is almost like a mother to Jem and Scout.
• What is Walter Cunningham like? What does his behavior during lunch suggest about his home life? Walter's behavior during lunch indicates that he does not get feed well at home because his daddy can't afford to buy much food.
• What do you think of the way Atticus treats Walter? I think Atticus is very generous and kind to let Walter eat with them. He is also very polite in the way he makes conversation with Walter.
• Does Scout learn anything from Walter's visit? What do you think this is? Scout learns a bit about Walter's family and background from listening to Atticus and Walter talk. I think Scout also learnt that some people don't eat like her and like to eat strange combinations.
• Atticus says that you never really understand a person "until you climb into his skin and walk around in it". What does this mean? Is it an easy thing for Scout to learn? This means that you never know why people do what they do or say what they say unless you take over their bodies and live their lives for a day. it is an easy thing for Scout to understand because she refers to it later in the novel, quite a lot.
• What do you learn in this chapter about the Ewell's? You learn that Mr Ewell signs his kids up for school and they only ever attend the first day. This is so that he can't get into trouble for not sending his kids to school. The Ewell's are rude, dirty, poor and disrespectful people.

Chapter 4

• What does Scout think of current fashions in education? Scout does not like the current fashions in education at all! She hates school and wants to stay home and be home schooled.
• What superstitions do the children have in connection to the Radley house? The children believe that 'Boo' Radley comes out of his house every night, eats cats and looks through the windows of peoples houses and watches them sleep. They think he is a wild animal.
• Why do the children make Boo's story into a game? The children make Boo's story into a game to entertain themselves and to help cure their curiosity a little bit.
• What do they do in the game? Do you think the game is an accurate version of what happens in the Radley's home? In this game the children take characters from the Radley family and act out what they believe happens on a daily basis and what hey believe happened in the past. No, I don't think the game is a accurate version f what actually takes place in the Radley house. I think its the children's imaginations, imagining what happens in the Radley house.
• What might be the cause of the laughter from ins ide the house? I think the laughter from inside the Radley house was caused by the fact that Scout was sent tumbling down a hill in a can and rolled into the Radley's lawn. It was probably a funny sight. I think the laughter came from 'Boo' Radley who always looks out his shutter onto the neighborhood.

Chapter 5

• Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson. How typical is she of Maycomb's women? What do the children think of her? Miss Maudie hated her house, spending time indoors, was a widow and she loved everything that grew on God's Earth except nut grass. Scout adores Miss Maudie and speeds afternoons sitting with her on her front porch watching the neighborhood. The children trust Miss Maudie and she is very unique.
• What does Miss Maudie tell Scout about 'Boo'? How does this compare to what Scout already believes? Miss Maudie tells Scout that 'Boo' is alive and that he does not come out of his house because he does not want to. This is the complete opposite to what Scout had previously believed. She thought he was dead and that he was forced to stay inside by his father.
• Scout claims that "Dill could tell the biggest ones" (lies) she ever heard. Why might Dill have told such lies? Dill told these lies to impress Scout and Jem.
• What reasons does Atticus give for the children not to play the 'Boo' Radley game? Do you think he is right? Why? Atticus says that playing the game is disrespectful and rude. He says it is none of their business what the Radley's are doing in their house and that they were being nosey. Yes, I think Atticus is right because it is nosey and disrespectful towards the Radley's to make a game out of their lives.

Chapter 6

• Why does Scout disapprove of Jem and Scout's plan of looking in at one of the Radley's windows? Scout thinks its not a good idea because Atticus or even one of the Radley's could catch them doing it and they would get into trouble.
• What does Mr. Nathan Radley know about the intruders in his garden? Why does Miss Stephanie refer to a "negro" over whose head Mr. Nathan has fired? Mr Nathan knows about the intruders in his garden because he heard them and saw a rough outline of them. Miss Stephanie refers to a "negro" over whose head Mr Nathan fired because it was dark and the outline of Jem was black and also because of the many stereotypes floating around that "negroes" were violent.
• Why does Dill's explanation of Jem's state of dress almost land him in trouble? Dill said that they were playing strip poker and he almost gets in trouble for "playing" the game and "gambling".

Chapter 7

• When Jem tells Scout about getting his trousers back, he tells her something strange. What is this? Jem tells Scout that when he got his trousers back they had been stitched roughly together and folded nicely by the fence. Obviously someone was expecting his return.
• Can you find any evidence that Jem is beginning to understand more than Scout about 'Boo' Radley? What do you think this is? Jem thinks a lot more and is starting to put the pieces of the puzzles together.
• Does Jem still fear the gifts in the tree? Give reasons for your answer. No, Jem believes that someone from school is using it as a hideout to hide his precious stuff from the adults and bullies.
• When the children plan to send a letter to the person who leaves the gifts, they are prevented. How does this happen? Who does it, and why might he do so? They are prevented because Mr Nathan Radley filled the hole in the tree with cement to prevent 'Boo' Radley leaving them anymore "gifts" but he said he did it because the tree was "dying".

Chapter 8

• Why does Scout quiz Atticus about his visit to the Radley house? How much does Atticus tell her? Scout really wants to know what her dad enountered whilst inside the famous Radley house that she so desperatley wnats to go into. She asks him if "Boo Radley" was still alive and if he was a monster. They thought that Boo had "got her" (killed Mrs Radley) at last, so they wanted to know if Boo had killed her or if she died of old age.
• What is the “near libel” which Jem puts in the front yard? How do Miss Maudie and Atticus react to it? The "near libel" that Jem puts in the front yard is a snow man. Atticus tells Jem...

Why does Atticus save Miss Maudie's oak rocking chair?

When Atticus asks Scout about the blanket around her shoulders, what does Jem realize?

Explain what Atticus means by telling Jem not to let his discovery “inspire” him to “further glory”? Is there any reason why Jem might now do as his father says?

Show Don't Tell

1. The hero was strong and handsome. He was admired by the townspeople. He was brave and wished to help those in need.

"Oh my!" Amber whisperd to her best friend Daniella. "Watch his perfectly tanned muscles when he chops the wood."
"Wow!" Daniella said as she watched his axe crush down into the wood. "He is so strong." He is so strong." Daniella said dreamily.
"Did you heard Dani? The other day Mrs Thompson was crossing the street when a car came speeding around the corner. Just off the town square. Right over there." Amber pointed to their left and Dani follwed her hand to a crushed stop sign.
"Wow! Is she ok?" Dani asked Amber anxiously.
"Yes, of course she is... Thanks to Evan." Amber said and both girls dremaily turned back to Evan and sighed as he cut into his 13th peice of wood.
"Well he ran and pushed her out of the way of the car. He then sheilded her head as they hit the hard ground on the sidewalk. The car speed into the stop sign and the person got out to try and run. Evan jumped up put Mrs Thompson safely on the side of the road and chased after him. He caught the man and later that night on the news Evan said that he was only walking when he caught him. My mum saw everything and said he was going pretty fast.' Amber said to Dani. "Oh my! He is so brave. My dad could never do that, without killing himslef." Dani laughed to herself.
"I know! He is my hero..." Amber said dreamily turning back to Evan.
All the towns women who had gathered to watch Evan sighed when he put his shirt back on. When Evan noticed the towns square was filled with women watching him in admiration he blushed shyly.

2. The wizzard was ugly and evil. The people of the town were terrified of her. She enjoyed threatening them, especially children. She was cruel and greedy.

"Quick Oscar!" Came a whisper out of the dark.
Osacr turned over sleepily and mutterd, "What?", as he pushed his doona over his head. It was cold and Oscar was starting to shake.
"You have to hurry. Helga is coming, she is two streets down. She took Mr and Mrs Bakers daughter Eva and she is roaming the streets." Came Oscars mothers voice out of the dark.
Oscar sat up and snapped into action. He knew what to do, he had practised it more than a million times in prepeation for Helgas return. Everyone knew what to do. The town had not slept a week after Helgas last attack. Oscar grabbed his dressing gown, put on his slippers and ran into the room next to his. He brabbed his little sister out of her crib. He soothed her whimpers by rocking her back and forth and telling her it was ok.
He put her tiny arms into her tiny jacket and put sock on her tiny feet to keep her warm. He hid her in his jacket cradiling her comfortabley, knowing he would meet his mother and father in the towh square he ran into the hall way and into the street. Oscar screamed as he came face to face with Helga. She was a wizzard from out of town, she had warts and boils all over her face. She lived alone and came once every two weeks to gather chidlren to take back to her hut and keep captive. Osacrs 'jacket' began to cry ahd he despertal;ey tried to soothe his little sister, Mary's, crys of fear.
"Give me your sister!" Helga snarled at Oscar in a greedy way. Eva was at Helgas side and was sobbing loudly asking to be let go. Oscar ran in the opposite direction and stopped suddenly. Helga who had begun to chase him was sent hurtling to the ground, freeing Eva. Luckily he was strong, he was 17 and had just had his final growth spurt and gained some new muscles. He grabbed Eva in one arm and held Mary tight to his chest with the other arm. He ran, leaving Helga the helpless wizzard on the tough gravel. He ran around the corner and down that street, then made a right and pulled into the town square. Everybody cheered when they saw Eva in his arms. They gave him a badge of bravery. Nobody ever feared Helga again as she was helpless old lady and they know had Oscar to protect them.

Dear Miss Leeson,

I completed the chapter questions over the weekend but today I found out my USB broke between last night and today. I cant put the chapter questions on my blog as you requested. I did print out a copy of my question and answers on Saturday. I am absent from School tomorrow so I will give it to you on Wednesday. Sorry.

Regards Shelby

My hometown!

Hope Island was a wonderful place to grow up. It was an isolated place when I first knew it. Its rainy weather brang floods on the roads and endless days inside. Snakes played a big part in peoples lives, living in their roofs and on their front porches, no one seemed to mind. Christmas time was a big event hanging lights on the roof. Chickens roamed free from our neighbors yard and made its home our front door. Dogs would steal girls hats as they were getting into the car and run up the long drive way with them in her mouth, in a playful way. Parties were big and nights were long and filled with laughter, sitting around that big old fire, warm and cozy. Swimming played a big part in peoples lives, my sisters and I would literally spend all day in the pool until a storm came bringing with it lighting. Sunny days were long, wonderful and hot! Kids would chase their shadows around on their front lawn. Cicadas would chirp all through the night along with their friends the green tree frogs. We would wake up some mornings to find a surprise in the dogs water bowl, a little green tree frog taking a nap. Trips in the tinnie on the creek would last long, cruising up and down on the waves. Fishing all day with some Pasito. Days spent in the upstairs playroom were lost and went to fast. Endless hours spent at the piano learning new songs of by heart. Kids would bike ride or roller blade up and down their drive ways, wearing gum boots all day if you let them, but mum would call "lunch" and we would hurry inside. I was proud of being a country girl and not to keen to move to the city, but we were to far away from school. Snakes, spiders and insects didn't seem to bother me back then. I learnt to play the piano, bike ride, roller blade, fish, swing on swings along with many other things at Hope Island and it will always be my hometown.

Shelby :)

To Kill a Mockinbird – Websearch

Part A- Growing up in the 1930s

Letter one: In your first letter, describe your home and neighbourhood in detail. Include lots of specific and interesting information so that the reader of your letter can visualise your environment. Tell your friend about your family. What types of activities do you enjoy as a family? What is your standard of living? How do your parents make a living?

Dear Olivia,

My name is Abigail Cullen and I am a white girl at the age of 10 years old. I was born in 1920 and I am now 10 in 1930. Life is very hard at the moment. My fathers business is having a tough time at the moment and we can not afford to go to church any more, all day and all night my family and I have to work. We were called a 'bad family', last Saturday when my father and I were walking hand in hand down to the corner shop to buy some milk for my mother and our maid. I was outraged and my father just continued walking. My neighborhood is very big. We live in the city and own a beautiful little cottage just off Smith Street. We also own a small portion of land in the country where my family and I go hunting. Of a day my mother helps take care of other woman’s children when they are working. I think this is funny because she leaves us in the care of our nanny in the mean time. We have a chef, a nurse, a handy man, a nanny and two maids but this does not mean we are wealthy, this is considered as normal. Just the other day my friend Amber’s father stole from his work place! Everybody was disgusted. I am not allowed to be seen with Amber anymore, my mother told me last night. Good gracious! I really liked Amber she was my best friend but I must not disobey mother. My father tells me that I am not allowed to be associated with the poor white children that live behind his business. They look so hungry and lonely. My father tells me that they are just having a tough time with their business and I will be able to play with them some day. So I watch them silently from behind my fathers desk of a day. Although I am still mad at the little white boy, I am becoming more forgiving as I observe his environment. A few months ago when I was waiting for my nanny, Jodie to pick me up from my fathers business, because I had to go and see my sick grandmother in hospital. The little poor white boy that I watch daily ran over to me and asked me to play with him. I apologised and said that I couldn’t because my grandmother is sick and I am visiting her at the hospital to say goodbye. He looked hurt and slapped me across the face and said, "It’s because your father told you, you couldn’t isn’t it?" He walked away as I started to sob silently to myself. I was so shocked to even comment on his behaviour. When Jodie pulled up I hopped in the back of the car. She asked me why I was crying and I replied, "The little boy hit me." She replied, "Hit him back!" Now I realise that my nanny Jodie has influenced me into the young woman I am today. I love her dearly and if we had to let her go due to money constraints I would be utterly devastated. She has raised me for 10 years, from birth to now! I hope that every thing is going to be ok. Life is hard but I love very minute of it. I hope you are not having any troubles. How are you? How is 2010? If I had to summarise the 30’s into one word it would be hard.

Love always you dear friend,

Abigail

Part B- Letter two

In your second letter, tell about your school and your friends. Describe your school, classes and teachers. Who are your friends, and what are some activities you enjoy doing together? You should also describe what's going on in the world around you. What's happening in the nation politically and economically? Tell about popular fashions, music, radio programs, and other interesting facts.

Dear Olivia,

I am a 16 year old black girl living in the 1930’s. My name is Grace Shania. I am a small-town girl, growing up just outside Birmingham. Times are hard. My mother, father and my ancestors were born into slavery. I am not allowed to get married my mother told me when I was just 10 years old! I am devastated as in my class there is a boy I like very much. Just the other day he gave me some flowers, that he picked from his mothers rose bush. I was delighted. My parents are poor, working class black people. My mother works all day serving and catering to Mr, Mrs and Miss Cullen’s needs. She never gets a break. She even is not allowed Christmas off. My father works in mining and comes home late every night. He works equally as hard as my mother but still we have no money to spare. I wear clothes that my mother makes for me. We get the material from Mrs Cullen’s scraps. They waste a lot of material but for this I am grateful. I get lots of new and exciting material almost once every 3 weeks! When I was little I was oblivious to the discrimination issue I was involved in. It was not until I went to school that I found out I was different and that I was not wasn't until after I went to school I found out I wasn’t allowed to go to certain parks and couldn’t couldn't swim in certain places due to my skin colour. I had not even encountered a white kid in my young years. Sometimes when I am having a tough time I remember back to the time when I was oblivious. It was a great time indeed. My best friends name is Georgia Pearl and I always spend weekends with her and her family on their farm down South. I am payed $5 an hour! We pick berries and clean around the house. Georgia’s white family is so kind.

Love always you dear friend,

Grace

Planning for Feature Article

Pictures with captions:

(Young men, no older than nineteen were dropped off in Vietnam and given a gun, they were expected to know what to do).

(Many children were harmed in the Vietnam war)

Titles:
1. Is nineteen the new thirty?
2. Was/Is nineteen really to young?
3. Was/Is nineteen to young?
4. God Help Me- I was only nineteen!
5. Did Redgum really have an understanding of what men experienced at War?

Byline:
1. Is nineteen really to young to go to war? Shelby Batty explores
2. Famous Australian folk and political music group, Redgum, sings about the hardships men at the age of nineteen experienced through War.
Shelby Batty
3. Would you want to send your son off to war at the age of nineteen?
Shelby Batty


Lead:
1. Written in 1983, the song ‘ I was only Nineteen’ by Redgum focuses on the Vietnam war and the issue in which men at the age of 19 were being sent off to war. I believe they were to young to be given a gun and be dropped in the middle of some forest in Vietnam and expect to know what to do. Do you think that men at the age of 19 were too young to experience war?
2. Men, men, men, men… Are they to young to be sent off to war at only nineteen? Keep in mind that women mature faster than men, and even we wouldn’t be ready.
3. You have your whole life ahead of you. Your life has not even started yet. You have not been overseas, you are not married, and you have just finished school. You have so many plans for the future, to travel the world, to go to uni, fall in love and have children. One day, you are pressured by your mates to sign up for the Vietnam War; sure it seemed harmless at the time. But with one quick bullet to the chest all your dreams are taken with you to your grave without a chance to fulfil them. You are only nineteen, your life has not even started but yet it’s already over. I believe nineteen is too young to be sent off to war. Is this fair, you decide?

"How Dangerous Men Think"

By Brent Sanders

This book is about protecting yourself from dangerous men and how to keep yourself safe for life. This book explores the way dangerous men think and what they look for in a woman. The novel that I have started reading is written by a man who has 15 years experience in the police force working with sexual offenders and such, he now travels the world teaching woman how to stay safe through a number of seminars. The first chapter is all about turning fear into power. For example, most people say if they are attacked they would freeze up and not know what to do. Brent was saying that if you think this then your mind will tell you to do this. He says if you tell yourself that you are incapable of public speaking, your mind will believe that you are, this is the same with self defense. If you believe and tell your self you are unfit or incapable of protecting yourself you will be. This book is very educational and I look forward to the next chapter.

Shelby Batty