English 100

To Kill a Mockingbird Reading Questions Chapters 25 - 31

1.   Why didn’t Jem want Scout to kill the roly-poly?

2.   Harper Lee develops her theme of the wrongness of hurting defenseless things using similes. How is this true in her description of Tom’s wife hearing the news of Tom’s death?

3.   Further to the question above, what does Mr. Underwood write about Tom’s death?

4.   What might Bob Ewell mean by saying “One down, about two more to go”? Who told Jem that Bob Ewell had said this?

5.   Why was Scout confused by Miss Gates’ thoughts in class on how bad it was for Hitler to oppress another race of people? What was Jem’s reaction to hearing what she said on the courtroom steps?

6.   What had caused Judge Taylor to be sleeping with a shotgun across his lap?

7.   Name two things Bob Ewell had begun doing to Tom’s wife. Who stopped from harassing her, and how did it happen?

8.   Why was Scout walking home after the play in a costume? What had she forgotten back at school?

9.   Describe what happened to terrify the children on their way home through the woods. How did Jem get home?

10. Name two things Heck Tate later find in the woods. What did he find in Bob Ewell’s body?

11. What had saved Scout’s life? Who killed Bob Ewell?

12. What was Heck Tate’s version of how Bob Ewell died? Who did Atticus initially think killed Bob Ewell?

13. Did Heck understand who killed Bob Ewell? How did he justify changing the circumstances of his death?

14. What did Scout mean when she said to Atticus: “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?”?

15. As Scout looked out at her neighbourhood from the Radley porch, she regretted not giving Boo anything in return for his gifts to her and Jem. In fact, she had given Boo a great deal, according to the author. What?

16. Where was Atticus when the story ends? What observation does Scout make about this?

Identify the following (remember to note at least two things about each):

a.   roly-poly

b.   B.B. Underwood’s editorial

c.   “current events”

d.   Maycomb County: Ad Astra Per Aspera

e.   a papier-mâché ham

f.   “haints”

g.   a kitchen knife

h.   a switch-blade knife’s owner

i.   Dr. Reynolds

j.   The Grey Ghost