TKM part 1 Analysis

Questions:

1. What is the reason for the author's choice of a young narrator?

2. How does Jem and Scout's views of Boo Radley change during  part 1 of the book?

3. Atticus tells the children several times that they need to walk in someone else's shoes before judging the person. Describe times when Atticus, Scout or Jem walk in someone else's shoes. How does this change how they view the situations? What role does this advice play in sympathy and compassion? 

4. How do you think Atticus managed his role as a single parent? 

5. Discuss race issues in part 1 of the book.

6. From your reading of part 1, What does To Kill a Mockingbird teach us about how people cope with issues of race and class? Do you classify people in your world as different "folks?" Do you see those sort of distinctions today? 

7. Who is your favorite character from part 1 and why? 

Answers:

1. To show innocence, that is a big part of the book because if you read it in a grown ups view you would wonder why is this grown person making these mistakes, but from a kids point of view everything is new. When reading the book you understand that Scout doesnt understand manners and how to be ladylike, because when you read a book from a kids point of view it is mostly going to be about them still growing up and learning, because they don't know any better. When a person is innocent you have more of a feeling for them, and we can almost all relate to the innocence of a child because at some point we all were.

2. At the beginning of the book Jem, Dill, and herself enjoyed playing "Boo Radley" as a game and tormenting him by trying to have a chance to see him or prove their bravery by touching the house. As time went on, Scout's fears and apprehensions regarding the Radley place slowly disappeared. She mentions how "the Radley Place had ceased to terrify me (her)..." As she matures and is more able to take care of herself, she realizes more and more that Boo Radley is a human being, just like herself.

3. At an early stage in the novel, Jem was able to comfortably step in someone else's shoes and view the situation from their perspective. When Jem confronted Scout after she had beat up Walter Cunningham he said, "'Come on home to dinner with us, Walter'" (Lee, Pg 25) Jem, with his righteous mind and sense of initiative and maturity allowed himself to change his perspective in a way that would be greatly valued later in the novel.

4. I think without Calpurnia there in the house I think that Atticus may get a bit overwhelmed. I say this because both of his children are well raised, but they are adventurous and rowdy. And seeing that Atticus is a defense lawyer he is very busy, and wouldn't have to raise his children as well as a family with two parents. So I think Calpurnia is there to act as the motherly guidance to these children making sure that they are polite and well behaved.

5. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are many examples of social inequalities and racial profiling. There is a strong social hierarchy in the town of Maycomb. At the top is the Finch family, due to Atticus’ position as a lawyer. Beneath them are the white townspeople who have jobs such as the Cunningham’s, who are farmers, and Ms. Maudie who babysits for Scout. Next are the white trash families like the Ewells. Despite being treated like trash, all of these white people still have a higher status than any of the black people. An example of how the Finch’s are at the top of the social structure is when Walter pours molasses on his dinner and Scout criticizes him by saying, “He’s only a Cunningham.” This shows that even Scout, who is basically a good person, can be influence by the town’s social structure and say mean things.

6. When Jem says "there's four kinds of folks..." he's reflecting the attitude that leads to prejudice - seeing people as part of a group instead of as individuals and expecting members of a group to all behave in the same way.

Scout eventually counters by saying "...there's just one kind of folks. Folks..." This reflects the attitude that Atticus takes consistently. When he talks about other people he focusses on the characteristics of the individual not of the group that individual belongs to.

In my own experience, I've found that I'm more likely to prejudge people because of stereotypes of different social groups.


7. My favorite character is "Boo" Radley because he dominates the imaginations of Jem, Scout, and Dill. He is a powerful symbol of goodness covered in an initial shroud of creepiness, leaving little presents for Scout and Jem and emerging at an opportune moment to save the children.