8-3 Discussion Questions for TKAM Chapters 10 and 11

[Robin Nourie]

Hello all - I want to try this out.  Please join our group and then post your discussion question here.  Here's an example of a discussion question:

Atticus tells Scout that the reason he is taking the Tom Robinson case is because "every lawyer gets at least one cse in his lifetime that affects him personally.  This one is mine."  What does he mean by this?  How does this case affect him "personally"?

[Chelsea Koehler]

Hi, this is Chelsea checking out the discussion format. 

[Robin Nourie]

Welcome Chelsea!

[jsch...@gfsnet.org]

Why didn't Atticus use his "superior gift" with a gun to show off and show the rest of Maycomb he wasn't just a weak little *gger lover and had talents and manly traits? He's civilized but he doesn't enjoy to be made fun of so showing off wouldn't really hurt and it would probably help stop his children getting made from fun of.

[Robin Nourie]

Hmmm good question - I do think the novel gives an answer - anybody want to try answering this question?

[Evan McClelland]

These are my discussion questions :
Chap 10 : Would you rather have the younger father or the older father? Why?
Chap 11 : Do you think Jem's reading, even if Ms. Dubose didn't hear him, helped her die a more peaceful death? Also, do you think Jem and/or Scout learned from this reading?
Chap 12: Do you think T

[Evan McClelland]

Oops, accidentaly post.
Chapter 12 : Do you think Tom Robinson actually raped Mr. Ewells daughter? If so, do you think Atticus would still protect him in court?
Chapter 13 : When Scout says "I mean, are you--" and then was cut off, what do you think about how she would of finished that sentence? why?

[jsch...@gfsnet.org]

Besides the obvious reasons of racial hatred and because ''whites are better" why did Mr. Ewell falsely (in my opinion) accuse Tom Robinson of rape?

What is happening with the marriage between aunt Alexandra and uncle Jimmy? Do/did they love each other? What kind of marriage is that in that time, a pre chosen one?

[Adam Saah]

These are my questions:

Chapter 10: How does the title of the book tie into chapter 10? After reading Miss Maudie's explanation for it, what characters would you attribute this "mockingbird" quality to?

Chapter 11: Was Atticus' so called "punishment" for Jem really a punishment? If not, what was it? How did Jem respond?
Chapter 12: Do you think going to the colored church had an affect on Scout and Jem? If so, what? If not, why?

Chapter 13: When Aunt Alexandra comes to town, she encroaches on Jem and Scout's way of life. At this juncture in the story, it is very easy to side with Scout. Make an argument for siding with Aunt Alexandra and defend it.

[Robin Nourie]

really thoughtful questions, Adam!

[Talya Laver]

Calpurnia says that in order to teach someone something they have got to want to learn it. What do you think made Calpurnia want to learn how to read and write "properly" if she was surrounded by African Americans who didn't know how to?

What do you think made Aunt Alexandra have such an obsession with "living up to the family name" and behaving "properly"?

[Izzy Ballard]

My questions are:

chapter 10: How will knowing Atticus' hidden talent and nickname (One-Shot Finch) will change Scout and Jem's view of him?

chapter 11: Atticus calls Mrs. Dubose "The bravest person I ever knew", What are some things that make a person truly brave?

chapter 12: What are some key differences in the descriptions of the White church and the Colored church and what might they mean?

chapter 13: Aunt Alexandra classifies the people in Maycomb by hereditary traits, what is something that all of the Finches that we have met in the book have in common that could be a classification?

chapter 14: When Dill says "I can't help them any", what does he mean?

chapter 15: What ingenuous remark does Scout make and why does it make the men leave?

[seme...@gfsnet.org]

What does Dills return forshadow for the next several chapters?

What well Aunt Alexandria's strict rules bring about in terms of changes between the relationship of Jem Scout and Dill?

What does Jems sudden feeling that Atticus is in danger hightlight in his new personality as a teenager?

[diabeti...@yahoo.com]

My questions

Chapter 10 - Why do you think Atticus never told Jem and Scout about how well he could shoot?

Chapter 11- Why do you think Jem took particular offense to Mrs. Dubose saying "Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for n******"?

Chapter 12 - What do you make of Dill and Scout's "relationship"?

Chapter 13 - How do you think the children felt about Aunt Alexandria staying at their house?

Chapter 14 - Why do you think Aunt Alexandria is wary of letting Scout go out to Calpurnia's house?

Chapter 15 - What does Atticus's decision to let Dill stay, show about his personality?

[Sookeun Jung]

Why does Aunt Alexandra so vehemently tell Scout that she may not visit Calpurnia?

What did Scout say to Cunningham and the rest of the men that made them leave?

[caroline caraballo]

Chap. 10: Why do you think the children were ashamed about Atticus even though he was a state senator? 

Chap. 11: Do you think Jem's reading helped Mrs. Dubose?

Chap. 12: Why do you think Lula was so opposed to having the Finch children at First Purchase?

Chap. 13: Do you think sexism is a major theme in the book? If so how is it displayed?

Chap. 14: Why do you think makes Atticus respect, or disrespect principles that Aunt Alexandra feels strongly about?

Chap. 15: Why do you think Atticus often asks the question "do you really think so" Is it to make people doubt, and second guess themselves?

[caroline caraballo]

***Another question for chapter 15 is: Why does Scout's babbling convince Mr. Cunningham and the other men to leave?

[Evan McClelland]

Chapter 14 : What changes in Jems personality are shown when Scout says all he wants to do is sit and read (in a way, like Atticus) and when he threatens to spank Scout?

Chapter 15 : 1. Who do you think the men were and why do you think they were going after Tom Robinson?

2. Why do you think Atticus gave Jem a head massage, his "one sign of affection", after Jem had disobeyed Atticus' orders?

[Carley]

Chapter 14- If African Americans were resented for speaking "white language" and having a higher education, which "group" of people, white or African American, resented them more?  

Chapter 15-  Did Dill have any horrific memories of his real parents, and that's why he is afraid to stay with others?

[jsch...@gfsnet.org]

14: What sort of relationship do Atticus and Alexandra have? Brother-sister love or do they dislike each other and are pretending for the children?

15: Were the men driven only by their hatred because he supposedly raped a white girl broke the system and they were dumb enough to believe it or is their another person or unsaid action doing something that we do now know about?

[Adam Saah]

These are my questions 2:

Chapter 14: Previously we have seen Jem tell Scout to "act more like a girl." At this point in the story when Dill is found under Scout's bed, the book says Jem “rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood” by telling Atticus. In your opinion, does Scout view Jem as a traitor or a matured boy? Does her lack of matureness play into this decision?

Chapter 15: When Scout, Jem and Dill are all standing with Atticus on the steps before the lynching gang, and Scout asks Mr. Cunningham to say "hey" to Walter for her, do you think she is ignorant to the extent of danger they are all in, or do you think this "innocence" was part of a well thought out and executed plan to break up the mob? Why?

[Talya Laver]

14. Aunt Alexandra tells Scout that she can not visit Calpurnia and tells Atticus to dismiss her. Alexandra is the type of person who likes to follow social standards and social norms. Why do you think she is wants Calpurnia out of their lives so badly if it was a sign of having money and a norm in the South?

15. What happened in town the sunday night before the trial. How may this relate to one of the themes in the book?

[Carley]

Chapter 17- If Mr. Ewell does not know the meaning of the word ambidextrous, as he claims not to be but his answer shows that he is, what does that say in Tom Robinson's defense?

[jsch...@gfsnet.org]

To diabeti, I think Atticus did not tell his children how well he could shoot because he wants to "stay civilized" and not misuse his God given gift. He also does not want to breed violence or the idea that their father is better then everybody else into his children.

[jsch...@gfsnet.org]

What problem does Aunt Alexandra have with Calpurnia? Many other self respecting republicans have "black help", what does Alexandra not like about Calpurnia/ the idea of a black influence?

[Sookeun Jung]

16.aunt alexandra seems to dislike the cunninghams (beyond the fact that one of them tried to kill atticus), calling them 'drunk and disorderly'. why is that?

17. why is jem so happy during court?

[diabeti...@yahoo.com]

Chapter 16: How did the courthouse square look before the hearing?            

Chapter 17: How did Scout react when Jem told her and Dill to leave the courhouse?

[caroline caraballo]

My questions: 

Chap 16: Why do you think so many people from near and far came to Tom Robinson's trial? 

Chap 17: Why do you think Mayella was so offended when Atticus called her Miss Mayella? 

[Adam Saah]

These are my questions:

Chapter 16: Do you think there is any significance to the seating arrangement Scout and Jem find themselves in? Does it affect them in any way? Explain.

Chapter 17: As the reader knows, there is no way that Atticus can win this trial, but somehow the author keeps this part of the story suspenseful. How does she do this? Explain.

[jesse kahn]

1. Why was the tom robinson trial such a big deal?

2. If the courtroom was segregated how were Scout and Jem let into the "colored" section?

[Talya Laver]

In response to Sookeun's question for chapter 16:

I think Aunt Alexandra dislikes the Cunninghams so much because she values acting, dressing and representing your family name properly, having land that your family has owed for generations, and social norms and standards. In Alexandra's opinion, the Cunninghams are far beneath her. They don't have a family name that means anything "good" in her opinion, therefore even by representing it properly, they fall far short of people that she would want to affiliate herself with. 

[Zoe Andersson]

I think that Alexandra doesn't like the idea of a black woman being a motherly figure in Scout and Jem's lives. Because Atticus is busy constantly, Calpurnia does take the role of the mother somewhat in their lives. Alexandra is focused on keeping family tradition as well.

[mstan...@gfsnet.org]

16&17:

Why does Atticus say to never ask a question you don't know the answer to?

What was the significance of Mr. Ewell writing his name?

18-20:

Do you think Mayella was telling the truth about being scared of Atticus? Why or why not?

Why did Atticus begin asking Mayella questions about her family life, which were seemingly irrelevant to the case at hand?

Why did Mr. Raymond pretend to be drinking alcohol in his sack?

According to Atticus, why did Mayella need to get rid of Tom Robinson/the Evidence?

[mstan...@gfsnet.org]

In answer to Caroline's 2nd question: Mayella was offended when Atticus called her ma'am and Miss Mayella, because she had never been called such polite and formal names before, as people rarely respected her, so she honestly thought he was mocking her and took offense.

[jsch...@gfsnet.org]

To Jessies first question, the Tom Robinson trial was so was so important because it was a time of breaking points in trials regarding racial matters and it's desition would show which direction Maycomb was headed in.

 To Marion's, the signifigance of if Mr. Ewell was left handed was that if he was left handed (which he was) he would of punched his daughter on the left side of her face (his daughters bruise was on the left side).

How does Mayella Ewell (a teenage girl) not have any real friends? Even if she is seperated from the general population of the town?

[Adam Saah]

"I had the feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating. I had never encountered a being who deliberatley perpetrated a fraud against himself. But why had he entrusted us with his deepest secret? I asked him why."