1. Ch. 1 and 2

2. 1. What is the point of view of the novel? What is the order? Who is the narrator? 1 st person Flashback Scout – going on 6 – spunky, naïve, curious, she repeats what she’s been taught Scout as an adult – matured, learned from her experiences, no longer naive

3. 2. Describe the setting of the novel. 1930’s Maycomb, Alabama – 20 miles east of Finch’s Landing – the Finch’s home place Old, tired, slow moving, traditional, poor

4. 3. Describe the Finch family history. What is the purpose of relating the history at the beginning of the novel? The family was not part of the Civil War. Not mad about the outcome except that the war took everything from them except their land. Simon – Scout’s grandfather – was a small cotton farmer and owned three slaves Kids moved away – Atticus – lawyer; John – doctor. Atticus - not traditional but other family members are

5. 4. Describe Scout’s immediate family. Atticus – lawyer, an adequate father, played, read, treated them with “courteous detachment” Mom – died when Scout was two – heart attack Calpurnia – African-American cook and nanny – very involved in the raising of the kids – like a mother

6. 5. Describe Dill. How is his family situation different from the Finch’s? Charles Baker Harris Seven Little Meridian, Mississippi Dresses weirdly, white hair Loves the movies, talks big Without a dad, moves around a lot, lives with aunt in the summer (no family stability and feels unwanted)

7. 6. Describe the Radley place. Why don’t the Radley’s fit into Maycomb? Home of a malevolent phantom Run-down, overgrown trees hide it, broken picket fence, dirty yard Crimes were attributed to Arthur Radley (Boo) Didn’t go to church, didn’t visit with neighbors, doors and shutters were closed

8. 7. What did Arthur and his gang do? What was the result? What did Arthur supposedly do to his father in return? Drove backwards in a borrowed car Resisted arrest Locked an officer in an outhouse Boys sent to a correctional school except Arthur (Boo) whose dad was going to monitor him Arthur was not seen for 15 years Drove a scissors into his father’s leg – Boo was 33 years old – locked in the jail’s basement – eventually went back home Old man Arthur dies and his brother (Boo’s uncle) comes and takes over

9. 8. How is a sense of mystery introduced into the first chapter? Starts with Jem’s broken arm and questions the events leading to the break Can’t pinpoint an exact starting point for the weird events – tells us there is more than one way to look at things. Not everything is black and white Mystery of Boo – want to make him come out – see a shutter move

10. 9. What might the book The Grey Ghost symbolize? Atticus – more than one way to make a man into a ghost (Boo) The Grey Ghost is Boo Radley (learn more about this later)

11. 10. How are the kids characterized? Imaginative, curious, but blind to the cruelty they inflict on others – don’t realize adults have feelings too (Boo)

12. 11. How is the theme of courage introduced in the first chapter? Jem had to muster his courage to slap the Radley door

13. 12. The novel satirizes the South’s educational system. What faults does it point out? Kids must learn at a predetermined rate – kid can’t know how to read before he enters school Only teachers can teach kids – not parents/nannies Kids are taught things they can’t relate to – the cat story Scout is forced to read

14. 13. Who are the Cunninghams? How are they regarded by Maycomb? Poor farmers Never take what they can’t pay back Don’t live off of welfare; make do on what they can Pay back professional services (lawyer/doctor) with food or service