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To Kill a Mockingbird
Ms. Kucinski- English I
Unit 1
Name:
Chapter 1-5 Vocabulary:
1. Assuaged (v.)- Calmed down
2. Apothecary (n.)- Pharmacist
3. Taciturn (adj.)- Habitually silent or quiet; inclined to talk very little
4. Repertoire (n.)- All special skills a person has
5. Vapid (adj.)- Offering nothing that is interesting or stimulating
6. Malevolent (adj.)- Evil, wanting to do harm to others
7. Predilection (n.)- A preference, or preferred way of doing something
8. Nebulous (adj.)- Lacking definite shape, form, or limits
9. Indigenous (adj.)- Originating and living or occurring naturally in an area or environment
10.Wallowing (v.)- To indulge in something with great enjoyment
11. Illicitly (adv.)- In an illegal manner
12. Vexations (n.)- Something that causes annoyance or problems
13. Tranquility (n.)- Peacefulness, serenity
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14. Iniquities (n.)- A grossly immoral act; a sin
15. Flinty (adj.)- Something that is extremely hard or firm
16. Contemptuous (adj.)- To have a feeling that someone or something is beneath you; that it or
they are worthless
17. Contentious (adj.)- Always ready to argue or fight
18. Diminutive (adj.)- Smaller than ordinary
19. Auspicious (adj.)- Favorable; tending to favor or bring good luck
20. Arbitrated (v.)- To judge or decide
21. Melancholy (adj.)- Sad and gloomy
22. Benign (adj.)- Kind and gentle
23. Tacit (adj.)- Unspoken, silent; implied, inferred, understood
24. Pestilence (n.)- A usually fatal epidemic disease; plague
25. Benevolence (n.)- Kindness, generosity, charity
26. Asinine (adj.)- Utterly stupid or silly
Introduction:
Who is the author of To Kill a Mockingbird?
When was To Kill a Mockingbird published?
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Historical Background:
Many parallels exist between the trial of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird and one of the
most notorious series of trials in the nation’s history,
_________________________________________.
On March 25, ___________, a freight train was stopped in Paint Rock, a tiny community in
northern Alabama, and
_______________________________________________________________ who had been
riding the rails were arrested. As two white women – one underage – descended from the freight
cars,
______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________.
Within a month the first man was found guilty and sentenced to death. There followed a series of
sensational trials condemning the other men solely on the testimony of the older woman, a
known prostitute, who was attempting to avoid prosecution under the Mann Act, prohibiting
taking minors across state lines for immoral purposes, like prostitution.
____________________________________________________________________________
Although none of the accused was executed, a number remained on death row for many years.
The case was not settled until 1976 with the pardon of the last of the Scottsboro defendants.
Setting:
The novel takes place in ____________________________, _________________________.
•
Small southern town
•
During the Depression –between the years ______________ to ______________.
Point of View:
Themes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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Themes cont.
5.
6.
7.
Symbolism:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Motifs:
Allusions:
Idioms:
Synopsis:
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird follows a young girl named Scout through critical childhood
years that shape her moral outlook and understanding of the world. The novel’s characters
represent every segment of 1930s Southern society as well as every facet of human nature.
Although the novel is a coming of age story, it inspires readers of all ages and circumstances.
From the fun and games of summer, to the frightening mystery of a reclusive neighbor, to the
shocking drama of a courtroom trial, the story is engaging and enlightening. It will cause you to
question society’s rules and customs of both the past and the present. It will ask you to define
who you are in relation to absolute moral codes. And it will teach you abiding truths that make
our world a just and compassionate place for people to live.
The author uses her tale to depict important themes in literature and in life. For example, the
notions of good versus evil, morality, social structures, courage, justice, equality, and
compassion are all presented in the story. After dissecting the text and understanding the author’s
viewpoint on these ideas, you will arrive at your own conclusions based on your personal beliefs
and opinions. This is how you incorporate a novel’s lessons into your own character.
In addition to concentrating on universal themes of literature, you will also become familiar with
many literary devices or techniques during your study of the novel. The use of specific points of
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view, diction, allusion, foreshadowing, and symbolism will all be discussed. Learning how
authors use these tools will help you become a better reader, not only of To Kill a Mockingbird,
but of all books you read in the future.
Characters:
1. Jean Louise Finch (Scout)-
2. Jeremy Finch (Jem)-
3. Atticus Finch-
4. Calpurnia (Cal)-
5. Charles Baker Harris (Dill)-
6. Miss Maudie Atkinson-
7. Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose-
8. Walter Cunningham (Jr. and Sr.)-
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9. Heck Tate-
10. Arthur Radley (Boo)-
11. Bob Ewell-
12. Mayella Ewell-
13. Tom Robinson-
14. Judge John Taylor-
15. Dolphus Raymond-
Pre-reading Questions:
1. How important are parents in shaping their children’s values and beliefs?
2. What is the role of the community in shaping young people’s values and beliefs?
3. How can we ensure that people are treated equally even though they differ in race, wealth,
religion, etc.?
4. How fair is our country’s justice system?
5. What makes people good or bad?
Reading Questions:
Chapter 1
1. Where does the narrator live?
2. How old are Scout and Jem when the story starts?
3. Who is their new friend?
4. What is the name of the odd family in Maycomb?
5. Why does Jem touch the Radley house?
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Chapter 2
1. How does Scout feel about starting school?
2. What things does Scout get in trouble for at school?
3. Why won’t Walter Cunningham, Jr. take Miss Caroline’s quarter?
4. How does Walter Cunningham, Sr. pay Atticus for his legal work?
Chapter 3
1. What do Walter Cunningham and Atticus discuss at lunch?
2. How does Calpurnia tell Scout to behave during lunch?
3. What about Burris Ewell frightens Miss Caroline?
4. What does Scout ask Atticus to do about her schooling?
5. What compromise do Scout and Atticus reach about school?
Chapter 4
1. Why does Jem push Scout extra hard in the tire?
2. Where does Scout land?
3. What new drama does Jem suggest they play?
4. What are two reasons the new playacting makes Scout nervous?
Chapter 5
1. What kind of relationship do the children have with Miss Maudie?
2. What does Miss Maudie say about the Boo Radley stories Scout repeats?
3. How do Jem and Dill plan to give Boo Radley a note?
4. What does the note say?
5. What is Atticus’ reaction to the scheme?
Activity 1
Part A: Choose a character who is introduced in the first three chapters. Then find passages in
chapters 1-3 that describe your character. List the passages below.
Character_____________________________________________________
Page
Passage
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Part B: Compose a well-developed paragraph that answers the following question: Harper Lee
introduces the reader to many characters in the opening chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Which one strikes you as most interesting?
Remember to
* Write a topic sentence using key words from the question.
* Incorporate at least three examples from the book into your paragraph.
* Introduce each quotation by stating a fact about the character.
* Write a concluding sentence that predicts the future of the character.
Activity 2
Part A: In the space below, define provincialism. First, use the dictionary. Next, explain how
you think the term applies to the novel thus far in our reading.
Part B: Listed below are some themes that appear in chapters 1-5. Give an example of each
theme as found in these chapters
1. Pride in ancestry and tradition
2. Distrust in those who are different
3. Evidence of different levels of society
4. Racial intolerance
Activity 3
Part A: Creating an Identity Chart:
Use the following steps to create an identity chart for yourself:
1. Draw a circle in the middle of a blank piece of paper
2. Begin with the words or phrases that describe the way you see yourself. Add those words and
phrases to your chart.
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3. Most people define themselves by using categories important to their culture. They include not
only gender, age, and physical characteristics but also ties to a particular religion, class,
neighborhood, school, and nation. Consider if any of these characteristics belong on your chart.
4. You may wish to add new categories to your identity chart. How much of your identity do you
create and how much of it is determined by things beyond your control? What other factors
influence your identity? What can you add that does not fall into any of the categories listed
above?
5. How does the way that other people think about you impact your identity? Consider multiple
perspectives. Think about these questions as you think about what else to add to your chart:
• What labels would others attach to you?
• Do they see you as a leader or a follower? A conformist or a rebel?
Part B: Two Names, Two Worlds
In the poem below, student Jonathan Rodríguez reflects on how his name represents his identity:
Hi I’m Jon………..No—Jonathan Wait—
Jonathan Rodríguez Hold on—
Jonathan Rodríguez
My Name, Two names, two worlds
The duality of my identity like two sides of the same coin
With two worlds, there should be plenty of room
But where do I fit?
Where can I sit? Is this seat taken? Or is that seat taken?
There never is quite enough room is there?
Two names, Two worlds
Where do I come from?
Born in the Washington heights of New York City But raised in good ol’ Connecticut
The smell of freshly mowed grass, autumn leaves Sancocho, Rice and Beans
The sound from Billy Joel’s Piano Keys
And the rhythm from Juan Luis Guerra
I’m from the struggle for broken dreams
Of false promises
Of houses with white picket fences
And 2.5 kids
The mountains and campos de la Republica Dominicana
And the mango trees I’m not the typical kid from suburbia
Nor am I a smooth Latin cat
My head’s in the clouds, my nose in a comic book I get lost in the stories and art I’m kinda
awkward—so talkin’ to the ladies is hard
I listen to Fernando Villalona and Aventura every chance I get,
But don’t make me dance Merengue, Bachata Or Salsa—
I don’t know the steps I’ve learned throughout these past years
14 I am a mix of cultures, a mix of races “Una Raza encendida, Negra, Blanca y Taina”
You can find me in the parts of a song, en una cancion
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You can feel my African Roots en la Tambora
My Taino screams en la guira
And the melodies of the lyrics are a reminder of my beautiful
Spanish heritage I am African, Taino and Spanish
A Fanboy, an athlete, a nerd, a student, an introvert
I’m proud to say: Yo soy Dominicano I’m proud to say, I am me I am beginning to appreciate
that I am Una bella mezcla
I am beginning to see that this world is also a beautiful mix
Of people, ideas and stories.
Is this seat taken? Or is that seat taken? Join me and take a seat,
Here we’ll write our own stories.
Connection Questions
1. What does Rodríguez mean when he uses the phrase “two names, two worlds”? What two
worlds does his name represent?
2. What assumptions does Rodríguez think others might make about his identity because of his
name? Which of those assumptions are true? Which are false?
3. What does your name suggest about your identity? To what extent does it influence how
others think about you? How does it affect how you think about yourself?