To Kill a Mockingbird
Chapters 19-31 Comprehension Questions
Chapter 19
1.) What made Tom visit the Ewell’s house in the first place? Tom walked through their fields on the way to work. Mayella asked him to help her with something inside. Tom was going home when she invited him in.
2.) Why does Scout think that Mayella Ewell was “the loneliest person in the world”? No one helps Mayella, there are 6 kids in the house. Her mom is gone and she has no maternal figure, she doesn't have any friends and she can't talk to anyone. She is socially excluded, she doesn't get accepted because she is a low life. Bob Ewell never took her to the doctor to ensure her safety.
3.) Describe Mayella’s relationship with her father. Bob doesn't care that his daughter was raped or hurt. Mayella takes care of everything and makes sure everything goes smoothly. Bob Ewell is an alchoholic and doesn't do anything. Mayella used her money to buy the kids ice cream, mayella is "mom."
4.) How does Mr. Gilmer’s treatment of Tom contrast with Atticus’ treatment of Mayella in the previous chapter? Atticus is polite to Mayella and it makes her uncomfortable because she isn't used to people being nice to her, she thinks he is mocking her. Atticus waits patiently for Mayella. Mr. Gilmer is disrespectful to Tom, he keeps calling him "boy", he isn't nice to Tom and doesn't want to listen to his answer, Mr. Gilmer is very condescending.
5.) What social mistake does Tom make in his testimony? Tom said that he felt sorry for Mayella, she is white and she has to all of the work in the house, no one should feel bad for a white person because they are a higher class. He wants to do the right thing, it makes him think that he is better than white people.
6.) Why does Dill become sick? Dill doesn't like the way that Mr. Gilmer is treating Tom, so he gets mad and starts to cry, he doesn't appreciate all of this. Little kids don't care that someone is black or white, they have a different way of thinking.
Chapter 20
1.) Scout says that “Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man”. Is she right? Mr. Raymond is a drinker and prefers to hang out with colored people. He married a black lady, has mixed children and his other wife shot herself in the head. He could be faking drinking, he's a very ethical man. He does the right thing because he wants to do the right thing.
2.) In most states in America people who drink alcohol in public places are required to hide their bottle in a paper bag. Why does Dolphus-Raymond hide Coca-Cola in a bag? Mr. Raymond wants people to think that he is drinking and he wants people to think that he hangs out with black people, married a black lady because he is drunk.
3.) What, according to Atticus, is the thing that Mayella has done wrong? Mayella tempted a black person and breaks the code of society by kissing somebody outside of their race.
4.) Explain, in your own words, Atticus’ views on people’s being equal. People aren't born equal, we are equal in court. Black or white, we are equal. He is saying that we are equal.
Chapter 21
1.) What does Jem expect the verdict to be? Does Atticus think the same? Why? Jem thinks that Tom will be innocent, Atticus holds back because he doesn't want to be disappointed. Atticus also wants Tom to be innocent.
2.) What is unusual about how long it takes the jury to reach a verdict? Is the verdict predictable or not? It takes a long time to to reach the verdict. They finally reach the verdict, and he's guilty. I wanted Tom to be the hero and Atticus had better evidence of the story and it steered me in the direction of Tom being innocent.
3.) What does Reverend Sykes instruction to Scout to “stand up” show about his people’s attitude towards Atticus? She stands up because it's respectful and he did a good job on the trial even though he lost.
Chapter 22
1.) Although Atticus did not want his children in court, he defends Jem’s right to know what has happened. Explain, in your own words, Atticus’s reasons for this. Atticus wants to be a good role model, he knows that Jem is growing up so he wants him to catch on to things and learn about the real world.
2.) Miss Maudie tells Jem that “things are never as bad as they seem”. What reasons does she give for this view? Jem thinks that everything is bad because they lost, there is still hope for Tom in the appeal. Tom was helped in the trial because of Atticus' evidence. He did a good job defending Tom.
Chapter 23
1.) What explanation does Atticus give for Bob Ewell’s personal attach and threat? Atticus said that is shredded his last credibility, he said that it saved him from beating the kids or Mayella. Mr. Ewell had to have some type of comeback toward Atticus.
2.) What is “circumstantial evidence”? What had it got to do with Tom’s conviction? Circumstantial evidence is using one or two eyewitnesses, but no one saw Tom beat her or rape her, and no one saw Mayella kiss Tom, it's kind of like gossip.
3.) What reason does Atticus give about why the jury took so long to convict Tom? Mr. Cunningham makes the jury a long time, he is defending Tom and trying to make him innocent. He wants Tom to be acquitted.
4.) Why does Aunt Alexandra accept that the Cunninghams may be good but are not “our kind of folks”? They defended Tom and they were ethical, they tried to do the right thing even though not everyone agreed with them. She says that because they don't have the reputation and she thinks that she is on top of the world and that she is better than everyone.
5.) At the end of this chapter, Jem forms a new theory about why Boo Radley has never left his house in years. What is this theory? How likely is it to be true? His theory is that Boo Radley doesn't want to leave the house, he doesn't want to leave because he lives in a town with gossip and he doesn't know how to interact with anyone and because of the rumors he has heard about him.
Chapter 24
1.) Do you think the missionary ladies are sincere in worrying about the “Mrunas” (a tribe in Africa”? Give reasons for your answer. They are black and no one wants to to near them, except J. Grimes Everett. They are trying to help out James, they are doing a "Christian Service" and trying to look good.
2.) What is your opinion of the ladies of Maycomb? Explain and support with quotes. The ladies go over to the house and dress up and have tea they are very gossipy and they don't talk about what they're supposed to talk about, and they boss around Calpurnia, they are free and everyone is equal in Birmingham. In Maycomb, black people aren't as free as white people and they get bossed around.
3.) Explain briefly how Tom was killed. What is Atticus’ explanation for Tom’s attempted escape? Tom's running in the hard to try to escape but the guards shot him 17 times. He would have been able to escape if he had 2 good arms, Tom lost hope.
4.) How, in this chapter, do we see Aunt Alexandra in a new light? How odes Miss Maudie support her? Aunt Alexandra is compassionate because Tom has a wife and kids and she feels bad for them. She is mad because they want Atticus to do the towns dirty work and she is scared for Atticus. They both agree on civil rights.
5.) What shows that Scout has new respect for Aunt Alexandra? Scout sees that Aunt Alexandra is a real lady and she pretends that she is a "real lady" with manners and serves the women, she has always been a lady, she just hasn't acted like one.
Chapter 25
1.) How does Maycomb react to the news of Tom’s death? They were curious, they don't feel sorry for Tom, and they said it was "typical" for a black man to die, they like to cut and run.
2.) Comment on the idea that Tom’s death was “typical”. Black people just run from the law, and there are stereotypes about black people and they don't care about anything and they do what they want. The whites don't have the highest opinion of black people.
3.) Explain the contrast Scout draws between the court where Tom was tried and “the secret courts of men’s hearts”. They are setting their ways, they won't change their opinions, even though facts are strong and true, the jury will find him guilty for being black.
4.) Why did Jem not want Scout to tell Atticus about Bob Ewell’s at the end of the chapter? Was this a wise thing to ask her to do? Explain why or why not. The kids don't want to burden him because he had enough things to worry about, he doesn't need another thing to worry about, the kids are trying to protect him.
Chapter 26
1.) In her lesson on Hitler, Miss Gates says that “we (American people) don’t believe in persecuting anything”. What seems odd to you as the reader about this claim? They find it weird that Hitler persecuted the Jews in Germany, but she thinks it's ok to do the same with black people at home.
2.) Why is Scout so puzzled by Miss Gates’ disapproval of Hitler? Miss Gates is talking to Miss Stephanie about how she hates black people as much as she hates Hitler, she doesn't want to build them up.
3.) Why does Scout’s questions upset Jem? Is there a simple answer, or any answer, to the question “How can you hate Hitler an’ then turn around an’ be ugly about folks right at home?” Scout asks Jem why people hate Hitler so much, it upsets Jem because it reminds him of the court case and the harsh acts on Tom Robinson. You have no control of other people and how they act, you need accept this and move on in life, Jem doesn't know how to take it.
Chapter 27
1.) What three things does Bob Ewell do that alarm Aunt Alexandra? He breaks into the back screen door of Judge Taylor's house. Bob assaults her and verbally harasses her when she is walking to and from work. Bob loses his job for being lazy. Bob Ewell envies everyone who gives him a bad name. Helen is guilty by association.
2.) Why, according to Atticus, does Bob Ewell bear a grudge? He thought that the town would think of him as a hero because he sent a black man to jail, but everything went the opposite way of what he thought.
Chapter 28
1.) How do the opening pages of this chapter remind us, the reader, of earlier events in the novel? In the beginning Jem broke his arm and it took them 28 chapters to build up suspense.
2.) Scout decides to keep her costume on while walking home. How does this affect her understanding of what happens on the way? Scout is stuck inside the ham costume, she can't walk very well because it's tight on her, Bob tries to attack her but the ham protects her. Bob then attacks Jem.
3.) Why had Atticus not brought a chair for the man in the corner? Who might this stranger be? Atticus knows more about countrymen do and doesn't intimidate Boo and wants to give him space.
Chapter 29
1.) What causes the “shiny clean line” on the otherwise “dull wire” of Scout’s costume? The shiny paint that Mrs. Crenshaw put on her costume.
2.) What explanation does Atticus give for Bob Ewell’s attack? He said he was crazy and that he meant business, he was trying to seriously hurt or even kill the kids to get back at Atticus.
3.) What does Heck Tate give as the reason for the attack? He was just a mean person and he got everybody and now he went for kids which I think is outright insane and stupid for Bob to do.
4.) Why should the reader not be surprised about the identity of the children’s rescuer? Boo has been watching them and gave them gifts in the tree, he also put a blanket around them when they were watching the house fire at night, he is a hero because he saved the kids from a crazy man. He also folded Jem's pants over the fence.
Chapter 30
1.) Who does Atticus think caused Bob Ewell’s death? He thinks that Jem was trying to protect Scout and picked up the knife and stabbed Bob Ewell.
2.) Why does Heck Tate insist that Bob Ewell’s death was self-inflicted? He wants to protect Jem from the town gossip and them spreading the word. He is protecting Boo because he doesn't want to get into anything, boo doesn't like to talk to anyone, he was doing the right thing.
3.) Is Heck Tate right to spare Boo the publicity of an inquest? Give reasons for your answer. I think it's right because Heck is respecting Boo's privacy and he doesn't want to make this public and have the town gossip talking about it. It's his duty to protect and serve, he's being unethical and protecting Boo and Jem.
Chapter 31
1.) How do the events of the final chapters explain the first sentence in the whole novel? It's the buildup of information to the scene where Jem actually broke his arm.
2.) How does Scout make sense of an earlier remark of Atitcus’ as she stands on the Radley porch? She sees things from Boo's perspective and a different view of the town. She realizes how bad the street has treated him. Boo has done so much for the kids and they haven't done anything for him.
3.) How much of a surprise is it to find what Boo Radley is really like? Has the story before this point prepared the reader for this discovery? Boo is a little immature because he afraid to walk home at night. He is very shy and quiet, he's not crazy and the rumors aren't true. He is also heroic because he saves Jem and Scout.
1.) What made Tom visit the Ewell’s house in the first place? Tom walked through their fields on the way to work. Mayella asked him to help her with something inside. Tom was going home when she invited him in.
2.) Why does Scout think that Mayella Ewell was “the loneliest person in the world”? No one helps Mayella, there are 6 kids in the house. Her mom is gone and she has no maternal figure, she doesn't have any friends and she can't talk to anyone. She is socially excluded, she doesn't get accepted because she is a low life. Bob Ewell never took her to the doctor to ensure her safety.
3.) Describe Mayella’s relationship with her father. Bob doesn't care that his daughter was raped or hurt. Mayella takes care of everything and makes sure everything goes smoothly. Bob Ewell is an alchoholic and doesn't do anything. Mayella used her money to buy the kids ice cream, mayella is "mom."
4.) How does Mr. Gilmer’s treatment of Tom contrast with Atticus’ treatment of Mayella in the previous chapter? Atticus is polite to Mayella and it makes her uncomfortable because she isn't used to people being nice to her, she thinks he is mocking her. Atticus waits patiently for Mayella. Mr. Gilmer is disrespectful to Tom, he keeps calling him "boy", he isn't nice to Tom and doesn't want to listen to his answer, Mr. Gilmer is very condescending.
5.) What social mistake does Tom make in his testimony? Tom said that he felt sorry for Mayella, she is white and she has to all of the work in the house, no one should feel bad for a white person because they are a higher class. He wants to do the right thing, it makes him think that he is better than white people.
6.) Why does Dill become sick? Dill doesn't like the way that Mr. Gilmer is treating Tom, so he gets mad and starts to cry, he doesn't appreciate all of this. Little kids don't care that someone is black or white, they have a different way of thinking.
Chapter 20
1.) Scout says that “Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man”. Is she right? Mr. Raymond is a drinker and prefers to hang out with colored people. He married a black lady, has mixed children and his other wife shot herself in the head. He could be faking drinking, he's a very ethical man. He does the right thing because he wants to do the right thing.
2.) In most states in America people who drink alcohol in public places are required to hide their bottle in a paper bag. Why does Dolphus-Raymond hide Coca-Cola in a bag? Mr. Raymond wants people to think that he is drinking and he wants people to think that he hangs out with black people, married a black lady because he is drunk.
3.) What, according to Atticus, is the thing that Mayella has done wrong? Mayella tempted a black person and breaks the code of society by kissing somebody outside of their race.
4.) Explain, in your own words, Atticus’ views on people’s being equal. People aren't born equal, we are equal in court. Black or white, we are equal. He is saying that we are equal.
Chapter 21
1.) What does Jem expect the verdict to be? Does Atticus think the same? Why? Jem thinks that Tom will be innocent, Atticus holds back because he doesn't want to be disappointed. Atticus also wants Tom to be innocent.
2.) What is unusual about how long it takes the jury to reach a verdict? Is the verdict predictable or not? It takes a long time to to reach the verdict. They finally reach the verdict, and he's guilty. I wanted Tom to be the hero and Atticus had better evidence of the story and it steered me in the direction of Tom being innocent.
3.) What does Reverend Sykes instruction to Scout to “stand up” show about his people’s attitude towards Atticus? She stands up because it's respectful and he did a good job on the trial even though he lost.
Chapter 22
1.) Although Atticus did not want his children in court, he defends Jem’s right to know what has happened. Explain, in your own words, Atticus’s reasons for this. Atticus wants to be a good role model, he knows that Jem is growing up so he wants him to catch on to things and learn about the real world.
2.) Miss Maudie tells Jem that “things are never as bad as they seem”. What reasons does she give for this view? Jem thinks that everything is bad because they lost, there is still hope for Tom in the appeal. Tom was helped in the trial because of Atticus' evidence. He did a good job defending Tom.
Chapter 23
1.) What explanation does Atticus give for Bob Ewell’s personal attach and threat? Atticus said that is shredded his last credibility, he said that it saved him from beating the kids or Mayella. Mr. Ewell had to have some type of comeback toward Atticus.
2.) What is “circumstantial evidence”? What had it got to do with Tom’s conviction? Circumstantial evidence is using one or two eyewitnesses, but no one saw Tom beat her or rape her, and no one saw Mayella kiss Tom, it's kind of like gossip.
3.) What reason does Atticus give about why the jury took so long to convict Tom? Mr. Cunningham makes the jury a long time, he is defending Tom and trying to make him innocent. He wants Tom to be acquitted.
4.) Why does Aunt Alexandra accept that the Cunninghams may be good but are not “our kind of folks”? They defended Tom and they were ethical, they tried to do the right thing even though not everyone agreed with them. She says that because they don't have the reputation and she thinks that she is on top of the world and that she is better than everyone.
5.) At the end of this chapter, Jem forms a new theory about why Boo Radley has never left his house in years. What is this theory? How likely is it to be true? His theory is that Boo Radley doesn't want to leave the house, he doesn't want to leave because he lives in a town with gossip and he doesn't know how to interact with anyone and because of the rumors he has heard about him.
Chapter 24
1.) Do you think the missionary ladies are sincere in worrying about the “Mrunas” (a tribe in Africa”? Give reasons for your answer. They are black and no one wants to to near them, except J. Grimes Everett. They are trying to help out James, they are doing a "Christian Service" and trying to look good.
2.) What is your opinion of the ladies of Maycomb? Explain and support with quotes. The ladies go over to the house and dress up and have tea they are very gossipy and they don't talk about what they're supposed to talk about, and they boss around Calpurnia, they are free and everyone is equal in Birmingham. In Maycomb, black people aren't as free as white people and they get bossed around.
3.) Explain briefly how Tom was killed. What is Atticus’ explanation for Tom’s attempted escape? Tom's running in the hard to try to escape but the guards shot him 17 times. He would have been able to escape if he had 2 good arms, Tom lost hope.
4.) How, in this chapter, do we see Aunt Alexandra in a new light? How odes Miss Maudie support her? Aunt Alexandra is compassionate because Tom has a wife and kids and she feels bad for them. She is mad because they want Atticus to do the towns dirty work and she is scared for Atticus. They both agree on civil rights.
5.) What shows that Scout has new respect for Aunt Alexandra? Scout sees that Aunt Alexandra is a real lady and she pretends that she is a "real lady" with manners and serves the women, she has always been a lady, she just hasn't acted like one.
Chapter 25
1.) How does Maycomb react to the news of Tom’s death? They were curious, they don't feel sorry for Tom, and they said it was "typical" for a black man to die, they like to cut and run.
2.) Comment on the idea that Tom’s death was “typical”. Black people just run from the law, and there are stereotypes about black people and they don't care about anything and they do what they want. The whites don't have the highest opinion of black people.
3.) Explain the contrast Scout draws between the court where Tom was tried and “the secret courts of men’s hearts”. They are setting their ways, they won't change their opinions, even though facts are strong and true, the jury will find him guilty for being black.
4.) Why did Jem not want Scout to tell Atticus about Bob Ewell’s at the end of the chapter? Was this a wise thing to ask her to do? Explain why or why not. The kids don't want to burden him because he had enough things to worry about, he doesn't need another thing to worry about, the kids are trying to protect him.
Chapter 26
1.) In her lesson on Hitler, Miss Gates says that “we (American people) don’t believe in persecuting anything”. What seems odd to you as the reader about this claim? They find it weird that Hitler persecuted the Jews in Germany, but she thinks it's ok to do the same with black people at home.
2.) Why is Scout so puzzled by Miss Gates’ disapproval of Hitler? Miss Gates is talking to Miss Stephanie about how she hates black people as much as she hates Hitler, she doesn't want to build them up.
3.) Why does Scout’s questions upset Jem? Is there a simple answer, or any answer, to the question “How can you hate Hitler an’ then turn around an’ be ugly about folks right at home?” Scout asks Jem why people hate Hitler so much, it upsets Jem because it reminds him of the court case and the harsh acts on Tom Robinson. You have no control of other people and how they act, you need accept this and move on in life, Jem doesn't know how to take it.
Chapter 27
1.) What three things does Bob Ewell do that alarm Aunt Alexandra? He breaks into the back screen door of Judge Taylor's house. Bob assaults her and verbally harasses her when she is walking to and from work. Bob loses his job for being lazy. Bob Ewell envies everyone who gives him a bad name. Helen is guilty by association.
2.) Why, according to Atticus, does Bob Ewell bear a grudge? He thought that the town would think of him as a hero because he sent a black man to jail, but everything went the opposite way of what he thought.
Chapter 28
1.) How do the opening pages of this chapter remind us, the reader, of earlier events in the novel? In the beginning Jem broke his arm and it took them 28 chapters to build up suspense.
2.) Scout decides to keep her costume on while walking home. How does this affect her understanding of what happens on the way? Scout is stuck inside the ham costume, she can't walk very well because it's tight on her, Bob tries to attack her but the ham protects her. Bob then attacks Jem.
3.) Why had Atticus not brought a chair for the man in the corner? Who might this stranger be? Atticus knows more about countrymen do and doesn't intimidate Boo and wants to give him space.
Chapter 29
1.) What causes the “shiny clean line” on the otherwise “dull wire” of Scout’s costume? The shiny paint that Mrs. Crenshaw put on her costume.
2.) What explanation does Atticus give for Bob Ewell’s attack? He said he was crazy and that he meant business, he was trying to seriously hurt or even kill the kids to get back at Atticus.
3.) What does Heck Tate give as the reason for the attack? He was just a mean person and he got everybody and now he went for kids which I think is outright insane and stupid for Bob to do.
4.) Why should the reader not be surprised about the identity of the children’s rescuer? Boo has been watching them and gave them gifts in the tree, he also put a blanket around them when they were watching the house fire at night, he is a hero because he saved the kids from a crazy man. He also folded Jem's pants over the fence.
Chapter 30
1.) Who does Atticus think caused Bob Ewell’s death? He thinks that Jem was trying to protect Scout and picked up the knife and stabbed Bob Ewell.
2.) Why does Heck Tate insist that Bob Ewell’s death was self-inflicted? He wants to protect Jem from the town gossip and them spreading the word. He is protecting Boo because he doesn't want to get into anything, boo doesn't like to talk to anyone, he was doing the right thing.
3.) Is Heck Tate right to spare Boo the publicity of an inquest? Give reasons for your answer. I think it's right because Heck is respecting Boo's privacy and he doesn't want to make this public and have the town gossip talking about it. It's his duty to protect and serve, he's being unethical and protecting Boo and Jem.
Chapter 31
1.) How do the events of the final chapters explain the first sentence in the whole novel? It's the buildup of information to the scene where Jem actually broke his arm.
2.) How does Scout make sense of an earlier remark of Atitcus’ as she stands on the Radley porch? She sees things from Boo's perspective and a different view of the town. She realizes how bad the street has treated him. Boo has done so much for the kids and they haven't done anything for him.
3.) How much of a surprise is it to find what Boo Radley is really like? Has the story before this point prepared the reader for this discovery? Boo is a little immature because he afraid to walk home at night. He is very shy and quiet, he's not crazy and the rumors aren't true. He is also heroic because he saves Jem and Scout.