Chapter 1 Analysis

1. What do you learn in this chapter about Maycomb, Atticus Finch and his family?

2. Describe Calpurnia as Scout depicts her in Chapter 1.

3. What does Dill dare Jem to do?

4. The townspeople of Maycomb have some fears and superstitions about the Radley place. Describe these fears and superstitions.

5. How important is bravery to Jem?

6. What do you notice about the narrative voice and viewpoint of the story?

Answers:

1.-The Finch family has been in the area since a fur trapper named Simon Finch moved there and made a lot of money which was lost after the Civil War. Atticus Finch was the first Finch not to stay on the family land. He became a lawyer, his brother a doctor and their sister stayed at Finch Landing. Maycomb is a very small, dusty, slow town with nothing much to do or buy. The time is during the Depression so no one has any money. Atticus married when he was in his 40’s; his wife died when their son, Jem, was 6 and their daughter, Scout 2. When the book begins the children are 6 and 10.

2.-Calpurnia is a colored lady who helps out in the Finch household. Scout like Calpurnia because she always seems to have time for Scout and listen to her.

3.-In Chapter 1, Dill dares Jem to go up and touch Boo Radley's house. Jem pretends not to be afraid, but he is still scared as he runs away. Later, Atticus scolds them for trying to provoke Boo.

4.-Initially, Scout, Dill, and Jem fear the Radley place because of its occupants and decor. Furthermore, the neighborhood gossip, Miss Stephanie Crawford, propagates the rumors surrounding Boo Radley, namely that he stares in peoples' windows at night and that he stabbed his father. The children create fantasies about Boo in their minds and even believe at one point that he is dead and stuffed up the chimney. Jem describes Boo early in the novel as "six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch.

5.-It is very important to him because he is older than Scout and as an older sibling he doesn't want to show weakness.

6.-The view point in the novel is from Scout's. She is an adult when she is looking back on the memories of her childhood. She is telling the story in 3rd person and since she is older, has a more mature view of what she did when she was younger.