To Kill a Mockingbird Study Guide: Chapters 8–18

Who puts a blanket around Scout during Miss Maudie's fire (ch. 8)?

Boo Radley; it's the first clear proof of his kindness toward the children

How does Miss Maudie react to losing her house?

She stays cheerful and says she'll build a smaller house with a bigger garden

What did Nathan Radley do to the knothole in the tree (ch. 7-8)?

He filled it with cement, cutting off Boo's gifts to the children

Why does Scout fight Cecil Jacobs (ch. 9)?

He says Atticus defends Black people; Atticus tells Scout to keep her head high and her fists down

Why does Scout punch her cousin Francis at Christmas?

He insults Atticus and says Atticus is ruining the family

Why does Atticus take the Tom Robinson case even though he expects to lose?

He believes no one else in the county would give Tom a fair defense; he must do it to keep his self-respect

What gift does Atticus give Jem and Scout, and what warning comes with it (ch. 10)?

Air rifles; it's a sin to kill a mockingbird

Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird, according to Miss Maudie?

Mockingbirds only make music for people to enjoy and do no harm

What does the mockingbird symbolize?

Innocent people harmed by evil or cruelty, such as Tom Robinson and Boo Radley

What is the name of the rabid dog Atticus shoots?

Tim Johnson

What nickname did Atticus earn in his youth?

One-Shot Finch (best shot in the county)

Why doesn't Atticus brag about his marksmanship?

He believes skill shouldn't be used to feel superior to others

Who hands Atticus the rifle during the rabid dog scene?

Sheriff Heck Tate

Why does Jem destroy Mrs. Dubose's camellias (ch. 11)?

She insults Atticus for defending Tom Robinson

What is Jem's punishment for destroying the camellias?

Reading aloud to Mrs. Dubose every day for a month

What is the purpose of the alarm clock at Mrs. Dubose's house?

It signals when her fits are over and Jem can leave; it grew longer each day as she weaned herself off morphine

What was Mrs. Dubose's secret struggle?

She was addicted to morphine and wanted to die free of it

What does Mrs. Dubose leave Jem when she dies?

A white camellia in a candy box

How does Atticus define real courage?

Knowing you're licked before you begin, but beginning anyway and seeing it through no matter what

Where does Calpurnia take the children in chapter 12?

First Purchase African M.E. Church

Why does the church take up a collection?

To help Helen Robinson, Tom's wife, who has trouble finding work

Who is Zeebo?

Calpurnia's son, who lines the hymns for the congregation

What does Scout learn about Calpurnia at church?

She can read and write, was taught by Miss Buford, and speaks differently at church than at home

Why does Aunt Alexandra come to live with the Finches (ch. 13)?

To give Scout a feminine influence and support Atticus during the trial period

What does Aunt Alexandra value most?

Family heritage, social status, and "gentle folk" breeding

Why does Aunt Alexandra want to fire Calpurnia, and how does Atticus respond (ch. 14)?

She thinks Calpurnia is no longer needed; Atticus refuses and says Calpurnia is part of the family

Why does Dill run away from home?

He feels neglected and unwanted by his mother and stepfather

Where does Scout find Dill when he arrives?

Hiding under her bed

Why does Scout feel betrayed by Jem in chapter 14?

Jem tells Atticus that Dill is hiding at their house

Why do Atticus, Scout, Jem, and Dill end up at the jail in chapter 15?

Atticus guards Tom Robinson from a mob; the children sneak out and follow him

What does Atticus do while waiting outside the jail?

Sits in a chair with a lamp and reads a newspaper

Who is the leader of the mob at the jail?

Mr. Walter Cunningham Sr.

How does Scout stop the mob?

She talks politely to Mr. Cunningham about his son Walter and his entailment, reminding him of his humanity

Which theme does the mob scene show most clearly?

Empathy: seeing people as individuals

Who watches over Atticus from the newspaper office window with a shotgun?

Mr. Underwood

What does Atticus say about Mr. Cunningham the next morning (ch. 16)?

He's basically a good man who has a blind spot about race

Where do the children sit in the courtroom?

The colored balcony, with Reverend Sykes

What is Mr. Dolphus Raymond actually drinking from the paper bag?

Coca-Cola

Who is the judge, and who is the prosecutor?

Judge Taylor presides; Mr. Gilmer prosecutes

Who is the first witness in the trial (ch. 17)?

Sheriff Heck Tate

Where were Mayella's injuries, according to Heck Tate?

The right side of her face

What does Atticus point out about the medical evidence?

No doctor was ever called to examine Mayella

What does Bob Ewell's testimony claim?

He saw Tom Robinson raping Mayella through the window

How does Atticus reveal that Bob Ewell is left-handed?

He has Bob write his name in court, and Bob uses his left hand

Why does Mayella accuse Atticus of mocking her (ch. 18)?

Atticus calls her "ma'am," which she isn't used to

What does Atticus learn about Mayella's life?

She is lonely, has no friends, and her father drinks

Why is Tom's left arm important to the case?

It was crippled in a cotton gin accident, so he couldn't have caused injuries on the right side of Mayella's face

How does Mayella end her testimony?

She breaks down and accuses the courtroom's men of cowardice

What is a chiffarobe?

A wardrobe with drawers; Mayella claims she asked Tom to break one up

What is an entailment?

A legal arrangement limiting how property can be inherited

How does Jem change between chapters 8 and 18?

He matures: he faces consequences, understands courage, and takes the lead in doing what is right

Name three major themes in chapters 8-18.

Courage, prejudice and racial injustice, empathy, loss of innocence, class (any three)

What does the colored balcony symbolize?

The racial divide in Maycomb's justice system

What do the camellias symbolize?

Mrs. Dubose's courage and the idea that people are not simply good or bad