To Kill a Mockingbird: Revision and Chapter 16
Work through Parts A, B and C, then print your work at the bottom of the page (choose "Save as PDF" in the print window to keep a digital copy).
Chapters 1 to 15: put the events in order
Drag a card to move it. On a phone or tablet, tap a card, then tap the place where it should go. You can also use the small arrows. Press Check to see how many cards are in the right place.
Chapter 16: read the summary, then answer
Everyone (or nearly everyone) in Maycomb goes to the courthouse to see the trial of Tom Robinson begin. He has been charged with the crime of . The defendant in the case is a young woman, Mayella Ewell.
Jem and Scout are told by Aunt Alexandra to stay away from the courthouse, but of course, they ignore her. So, with Dill, they walk down to the courthouse.
While listening to some old white men (who spend their lives sitting in front of the courthouse, doing nothing except gossiping) Scout learns that Atticus was obliged to defend Tom Robinson. This makes Scout confused: if Atticus was obliged to defend Tom, then why are some white people so angry with him for being Tom's lawyer?
This chapter introduces us the character Dolphus Raymond. He is described as a rich, white drunk who has fathered many children with a local African American woman.
The last part of the chapter gives a detailed description of the judge, Judge Taylor. He is described as a brilliantly intelligent person who knows the law perfectly. He seems to be serious about the law and justice.
Question 1
Help Scout: why are some people in Maycomb angry with Atticus for defending Tom Robinson given that he had been obliged to defend Tom (probably by Judge Taylor himself)? See page 218.
- Being appointed is not the same as being asked to try hard. Many people expected a token, half-hearted defence.
- Atticus takes the duty seriously and treats a Black defendant as someone who deserves a real defence. That challenges the town's racial assumptions.
- The anger shows that Maycomb's loyalty to its racial hierarchy outweighs its respect for the law.
- Scout's confusion shows how a child's simple logic exposes the unfairness of the adults' reasoning.
Question 2
How might the courthouse function as a symbol for society in Maycomb? Compare and contrast this symbol with that of the snowman in chapter 8. See page 89.
- Courthouse: the centre of the town, representing law, order, authority and the ideal of equal justice. But it also shows how Maycomb is divided, for example in where people sit and who has power.
- Snowman: a playful, temporary creation. The mud inside is covered with a thin layer of snow, so it suggests surface appearances and the mixing of black and white. It melts, so it is fragile.
- Similarity: both show a surface that can hide or cover something underneath, and both are tied to how Maycomb sees race.
- Contrast: the courthouse is solid, adult and official, while the snowman is children's improvisation. One claims permanence, the other is clearly short-lived.
Preparing for next week: Chapter 17
Pair work is allowed. Everyone gets five minutes in class to present a theme and their evidence.