Quiz: To Kill a Mockingbird, 1-3
Name __________________________
Characters: Identify and briefly describe each.
1. Jean Louise Finch – Scout’s real name. Scout is the adult narrator looking back at her
childhood. Scout is a bright, active and inquisitive “tomboy” who looks up to her older
brother, Jem, and her father, Atticus. The novel begins the summer before Scout enters first
grade and Jem enters fourth grade.
2. Calpurnia – the African-American housekeeper employed by Atticus who cares for Jem and
Scout. She is a strict disciplinarian, and to Scout’s annoyance, she is always supported by
Atticus in her “epic battles” with Scout. However, her harshness is softened by her obvious
love for the children. When Scout goes off to first grade, “Cal” genuinely misses her and
makes her “cracklin’ bread” to make up for scolding her during dinner the night before.
3. Walter Cunningham – a classmate of Scout from a very poor family. When Miss Caroline,
the new teacher, offers to lend him money for lunch, Scout tries to explain that his family
doesn’t accept charity but is punished by Miss Caroline for interfering. Later when Jem
invites Walter to dinner at the Finches, Scout insults Walter after he pours maple syrup all
over his dinner and is scolded by Calpurnia.
4. Dill – Jem and Scout’s best friend, who comes to Maycomb every summer to stay with his
Aunt Rachel. He is a year older than Scout, and very short in stature with snow white hair.
He has a penchant for telling whopping lies. He is obsessed with seeing Boo Radley.
5. Burris Ewell – according to Scout, “the filthiest human I had ever seen.” He comes from an
extremely poor family with no mother and a “contentious” father. Miss Caroline, the new
teacher, sends Burris home after she sees a “cootie” crawl out of his hair, and he angrily tells
her he is leaving for the year anyway. One of the other students explains to Miss Caroline
that the truant officer gave up trying to make the Ewells attend school, so they appear on the
first day of school each year to be formally enrolled and then are marked absent for the year.
Short Answer Questions
1. Describe the setting of the novel.
The novel takes place in Maycomb, Alabama, in the mid 1930’s. Maycomb is a small town
with unpaved streets, a sagging courthouse, and mostly poor inhabitants. It is very hot in the
summer, and people moved slowly because “there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy, and no
money to buy it with.”
2. Why doesn’t Scout want to return to school after her first day in first grade?
Miss Caroline, the new first grade teacher, tells Scout she must stop reading with her father.
Miss Caroline says Atticus doesn’t know how to teach, and now she must “undo the
damage.”
(continued next page)
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To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapters 1-3
3. What compromise does Atticus propose to Scout to convince her to go back to school?
Atticus says that if Scout will agree that school is a necessity, they can go on reading every
night and not mention it at school.
4. As a teenager, why was Arthur “Boo” Radley not sent to the state industrial school
along with his rowdy friends?
Mr. Radley thought it was a disgrace to have his son sent to the state industrial school. He
appeared in court and told the judge that if Arthur were released to him, there would be no
further trouble. The judge agreed and sent Arthur home with Mr. Radley. Arthur was not
seen again for 15 years.
5. According to local rumors, why is Boo Radley thought to be violent?
Boo was rumored to have stabbed his father in the leg with a pair of scissors. After the
incident, the sheriff locked him up in the courthouse basement, but Mr. Radley refused to
press charges. Mr. Radley also refused to have Boo sent to an asylum, and Boo eventually
returned home and has been kept out of the public view ever since.
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