What happens in Chapter 1 of to kill a Mockingbird?
Summary and Analysis Part 1: Chapter 1. Scout, the narrator, remembers the summer that her brother Jem broke his arm, and she looks back over the years to recall the incidents that led to that climactic event. Scout provides a brief introduction to the town of Maycomb, Alabama and its inhabitants, including her widowed father Atticus Finch, ...
What is the main theme of to kill a Mockingbird?
Racial prejudice is the most overt theme in To Kill a Mockingbird, as the book focuses on the trial of a black man (Tom Robinson) accused of a crime he did not commit in a community where racism is the norm. It explores racism within the legal system as well as the Deep South community in which the story is set.
Who is the narrator in Chapter 1 of to kill a Mockingbird?
Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the book’s narrator, Jean Louise Finch, who is more commonly known as Scout. Scout begins her story by recounting how her older brother, Jem, broke his arm.
What is the first page of to kill a Mockingbird about?
To Kill a Mockingbird. by: Harper Lee. Page 1 Page 2. The story is narrated by a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, who is almost always called by her nickname, Scout. Scout starts to explain the circumstances that led to the broken arm that her older brother, Jem, sustained many years earlier; she begins by recounting her family history.
What chapter does Scout's brother break his arm?
What is Scout's description of the town as old and tired?
How does Dill dare Jem to touch the house?
What happened to Scout's brother?
What does Jem's anxiety about touching Radley Place mean?
Why does Scout find Calpurnia tyrannical?
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What is the theme of To Kill a Mockingbird Part 1?
The Coexistence of Good and Evil The most important theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is the book's exploration of the moral nature of human beings—that is, whether people are essentially good or essentially evil.
What is the tone of To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 1?
At the beginning of the novel, as Scout recounts a series of anecdotes describing growing up in a small Southern town, the tone is light and nostalgic.
What are 3 themes in To Kill a Mockingbird?
Three main themes include:prejudice.family life.courage.
What are 5 themes in To Kill a Mockingbird?
To Kill a Mockingbird ThemesGood, Evil, and Human Dignity. ... Prejudice. ... Growing Up. ... Courage. ... Small Town Southern Life.
What did Boo Radley do in chapter 1?
According to town gossip, Boo drove a pair of scissors into his father's leg one day. He was locked up in the Town Hall basement until the Radleys brought him home and he was never seen again.
How is Boo Radley described in chapter 1?
“Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were blood-stained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off.
What are the themes of the chapter?
The theme in a story is its underlying message, or 'big idea. ' In other words, what critical belief about life is the author trying to convey in the writing of a novel, play, short story or poem? This belief, or idea, transcends cultural barriers. It is usually universal in nature.
Is Boo Radley black?
Boo Radley is a white individual who never left his house because of the ways society viewed him. Tom Robinson was a black man who got framed of a crime that he did not do. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird…show more content…
What are 4 common themes?
So today we're taking a look at some of the most popular themes explored in the world of books, through some specific literary theme examples....10 Most Popular Literary Theme ExamplesLove. ... Death. ... Good vs. ... Coming of age. ... Power and corruption. ... Survival. ... Courage and heroism. ... Prejudice.More items...
What's a theme in To Kill a Mockingbird?
To Kill a Mockingbird explores themes of heroism and the idea of role models as well. Lee has stated that the novel was essentially a long love letter to her father, whom she idolized as a man with deeply held moral convictions. Atticus is clearly the hero of the novel, and functions as a role model for his children.
What are 3 common themes?
10 common themes in writing1 Beauty.2 Good vs. evil.3 Coming-of-age.4 Loyalty.5 Betrayal.6 Life and death.7 Justice.8 Family.More items...•
What are major themes?
A major theme is an idea that a writer repeats in his work, making it the most significant idea in a literary work. A minor theme, on the other hand, refers to an idea that appears in a work briefly and that may or may not give way to another minor theme.
What is a tone of a chapter?
Tone is the author's attitude toward the topic. The author's attitude is expressed through the words and details he or she selects.
How is Maycomb described in To Kill a Mockingbird chapter 1?
A successful lawyer, Atticus makes a solid living in Maycomb, a tired, poor, old town in the grips of the Great Depression. He lives with Jem and Scout on Maycomb's main residential street. Their cook, an old black woman named Calpurnia, helps to raise the children and keep the house.
What is the mood of the story To Kill a Mockingbird?
Mood. The mood of the novel on a general level is light and humorous, especially when it relates Scout's impulsive actions, Dill's antics and Jem's brotherly demeanor. However, the underlying mood throughout the novel is somber and profound, because certain important issues are being valued and dealt with.
How is Calpurnia described chapter 1?
Scout describes Calpurnia as all angles and bones, nearsighted, and owning a wide, hard hand which she used to discipline Scout. Scout says Calpurnia is "always ordering me out of the kitchen, asking me why I couldn't behave as well as Jem . . . and calling me home when I wasn't ready to come."
To Kill a Mockingbird Part One, Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis - SparkNotes
A summary of Part One, Chapter 1 in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of To Kill a Mockingbird and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter Summaries | Course Hero
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter Summary. Find summaries for every chapter, including a To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter Summary Chart to help you understand the book.
To Kill A Mockingbird - Full Text PDF.pdf - Google Docs
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To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts
At recess, Jem finds Scout, and Scout explains her predicament.Jem assures her that Miss Caroline is introducing a new teaching method called the Dewey Decimal System, which Scout doesn’t question. Back in class, Miss Caroline waves cards printed with “cat,” “rat,” and other words. Scout is bored, so she begins a letter to Dill.Miss Caroline scolds Scout for writing in cursive, which ...
To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter Summaries - Marked by Teachers.com
Chapters 12-16. PART TWO. Chapter Twelve. Jem is 12 now; Calpurnia calls him Mister Jem.Another summer, but no Dill – his mother has re-married. Atticus, who is an elected Maycomb official, has to be away at the state capital for two weeks, leaving the children with Calpurnia.
What does Scout say about Atticus Finch?
A patient and loving, if somewhat unusual, father, Atticus acts as the voice of reason for his children, and later the entire town. The fact that he has a "profound distaste for criminal law" foreshadows the emotions he has surrounding Tom Robinson's trial later in the story.
What is the first chapter of Boo Radley?
Superstition is brought to light in the children's perception of Boo Radley. Much like a mystery novel, the first chapter gives readers the idea that things may not be what they seem on the surface, as when Scout's father, Atticus, says "there were other ways of making people into ghosts.".
Why does Calpurnia speak ill of Boo Radley's father?
This chapter makes clear that Maycomb has very different rules for blacks and whites in the town, as evidenced by the children's surprise when Calpurnia speaks ill of Boo Radley's father because "Calpurnia rarely commented on the ways of white people.".
Why is Dill important in the story of Maycomb?
Dill is a crucial character in the story because he is both an insider and an outsider. He hails from a different state, but because he is a child and because "His family was from Maycomb originally," he is accepted readily. Throughout the story, Dill acts as an observant conscience for the town. The first example of Dill as conscience comes when he and Jem disagree about the method for making a turtle come out of its shell.
What is the sense of place in Scout?
The sense of place established in this chapter is integral to the rest of the story. Through Scout, Lee gives the reader a feel for the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, which is loosely based on Lee's hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. In this town, the rules of society are clearly set. One's social survival depends on how well he or she follows the rules. Scout, Jem, and Dill come to question these conventions as the story progresses.
What does "swept yard" mean in the story?
Glossary. "swept yard" In some areas of the South, a swept yard was a sign of a well-kept home. A swept yard was typically kept neat and clean using straw sagebrush brooms.
What is a coming-of-age story called?
Novels that deal with the formation of a maturing character are called bildungsroman or coming-of-age stories. Scout as narrator is key to the novel's success. The reader has the advantage of a storyteller who can look back at a situation and see herself exactly as she was.
What is the theme of To Kill a Mockingbird?
One of the central themes of To Kill a Mockingbird is the process of growing up and developing a more mature perspective on life.
How does To Kill a Mockingbird start?
Structurally, To Kill a Mockingbird is circular: the story begins where it ends. The first line of the novel introduces Jem’s broken arm , and the novel then flashes back to cover the events leading up to his accident. The narrator uses this device to provide background for the Finch family, introducing the legendary Simon Finch and his three descendants. But at this stage of the novel, the family history is treated as background information, of secondary importance to the private world of the young Finch children. In this way, the first chapter provides only a brief sketch of Atticus, whose importance increases as the novel progresses. Jem and Scout are the center of the story, filling it with their world of imagination and superstition, centered on town myths such as the curious history of Boo Radley and imaginative diversions such as acting out stories from books.
What is Boo Radley's focus in Chapter 1?
Boo Radley becomes the focus of the children’s curiosity in Chapter 1. As befits the perspective of childhood innocence, the recluse is given no identity apart from the youthful superstitions that surround him: Scout describes him as a “malevolent phantom” over six feet tall who eats squirrels and cats.
Who was Scout's father in the Finch's Landing?
The farm, called Finch’s Landing, supported the family for many years. The first Finches to make a living away from the farm were Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, who became a lawyer in the nearby town of Maycomb, and his brother, Jack Finch, who went to medical school in Boston. Their sister, Alexandra Finch, stayed to run the Landing.
Where does Boo live in the book?
Arthur “Boo” Radley lives in the run-down Radley Place , and no one has seen him outside it in years. Scout recounts how, as a boy, Boo got in trouble with the law and his father imprisoned him in the house as punishment. He was not heard from until fifteen years later, when he stabbed his father with a pair of scissors. Although people suggested that Boo was crazy, old Mr. Radley refused to have his son committed to an asylum. When the old man died, Boo’s brother, Nathan, came to live in the house with Boo. Nevertheless, Boo continued to stay inside.
What is the prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird?
Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout witnesses many different types of prejudice—and even promotes these attitudes herself—including classism, sexism, and racism. Regardless of the type of prejudicial worldview, each one treats people as stereotyped groups, demands conformity, and doesn’t give any credit to individuals.
How old is Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird?
To Kill a Mockingbird follows Scout, a precocious six-year-old, over the course of three years as she begins to grow, and in the process, bears witness to the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman.
Who is Scout's father?
As a child, Scout has set ideas regarding what’s good and what’s evil, but throughout the novel, her father, Atticus, gradually begins to encourage her to see that the world…. read analysis of Good, Evil, and Human Dignity.
Is "courage" a word in To Kill a Mockingbird?
Many people in To Kill a Mockingbird confuse courage with strength and believe that courage is the ability or willingness to use strength to get one’s way. However, the novel makes it abundantly clear that this understanding of courage is immature at best and is possibly wrong altogether.
What is the theme of To Kill a Mockingbird?
The most important theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is the book’s exploration of the moral nature of human beings—that is, whether people are essentially good or essentially evil. The novel approaches this question by dramatizing Scout and Jem’s transition from a perspective of childhood innocence, in which they assume that people are good because they have never seen evil, to a more adult perspective, in which they have confronted evil and must incorporate it into their understanding of the world. As a result of this portrayal of the transition from innocence to experience, one of the book’s important subthemes involves the threat that hatred, prejudice, and ignorance pose to the innocent: people such as Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are not prepared for the evil that they encounter, and, as a result, they are destroyed. Even Jem is victimized to an extent by his discovery of the evil of racism during and after the trial. Whereas Scout is able to maintain her basic faith in human nature despite Tom’s conviction, Jem’s faith in justice and in humanity is badly damaged, and he retreats into a state of disillusionment.
What is the conclusion of To Kill a Mockingbird?
As is true of To Kill a Mockingbird ’s other moral themes, the novel’s conclusion about education is that the most important lessons are those of sympathy and understanding, and that a sympathetic, understanding approach is the best way to teach these lessons. In this way, Atticus’s ability to put himself in his children’s shoes makes him an ...
Why does Lee use the children's perplexity at the unpleasant layering of Maycomb society?
Lee uses the children’s perplexity at the unpleasant layering of Maycomb society to critique the role of class status and, ultimately, prejudice in human interaction.
Why does Atticus risk his reputation?
Atticus risks his reputation, his position in the community, and ultimately the safety of his children because he is not racist, and therefore good. Bob Ewell falsely accuses a black man of rape, spits on Atticus publicly, and attempts to murder a child because he is racist, and therefore bad. To Kill a Mockingbird does attempt to look at some ...
What is the second lie in the book of Maycomb?
The second lie prevents the destruction of an innocent man who occupies a precarious social position in Maycomb because of his extreme reclusiveness.
What does Atticus mean by "good and bad"?
Atticus understands that, rather than being simply creatures of good or creatures of evil, most people have both good and bad qualities. The important thing is to appreciate the good qualities and understand the bad qualities by treating others with sympathy and trying to see life from their perspective.
What is Scout's progress in the novel?
Scout’s progress as a character in the novel is defined by her gradual development toward understanding Atticus’s lessons, culminating when, in the final chapters, Scout at last sees Boo Radley as a human being.
What is the theme of To Kill a Mockingbird?
Courage and Bravery Theme. To Kill a Mockingbird emphasizes that standing up for what is right requires both courage and bravery . We see these traits in many characters of the book, while others exhibit cowardice. Atticus and the children exhibit courage and bravery in their insistence on speaking out for justice rather than going along with ...
What is the theme of Atticus Finch's book?
Throughout the book, though, he sees for himself that evil does often win out, especially when it grows out of ignorance, racism, fear, and hatred for people who are different or ideas that challenge the status quo.
Why is To Kill a Mockingbird so popular?
To Kill a Mockingbird is a powerful story that conveys many meaningful and important themes. That's why this book and its powerful story remain so popular today, many decades beyond its 1960 publication date. Discover some of the major themes in To Kill a Mockingbird to make sure you understand the message that author Harper Lee wanted readers to take away from the book.
What is the theme of Scout's book?
The book conveys the theme that true knowledge doesn't always come from formal classroom education. As a matter of fact, the teachers who work at Scout's school seem to be more focused on perpetuating ignorance and bigotry than teaching the children factual information and critical thinking skills.
Where does To Kill a Mockingbird take place?
Also think about the book's setting, both in terms of where it took place (a small town in southern Alabama) and when (prior to the Civil Rights movement). This can help you better understand the themes and lessons in this important work of literature, ...
What does Atticus learn from the book of Atticus?
Atticus learns that, in order to do what is right and just, one can't always rely on the law or the legal system. After all, laws are made by people.
What does the mockingbird represent?
The mockingbird comes to represent true goodness and purity. Tom Robinson is one example of a human "mockingbird". He stands accused of raping and beating Mayella Ewell, but is innocent of the charges. The town commits the ultimate sin by finding him guilty and sentencing him to death.
What does Atticus say about the mockingbird?
Atticus explains that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.
What does Scout learn from Atticus?
Scout comes to Atticus with concerns about her education and he helps her understand that she must get an education, even though she might find the process frustrating, and that he will continue to read with her and teach her at home. Clearly, Atticus understands the faults of the educational system, but also knows it is necessary for his children to pass through this system to be a part of society. However, his teaching at home, both morally and otherwise, is far more valuable to his children than anything they learn in the classroom. Scout notices this most obviously when learning about the Holocaust. Her teacher explains that such oppression of one group of people could never happen in the United States and Scout is astonished. She heard Miss Gates outside the court house during Tom Robinson's trial saying that, referring to black people, she thought it was, "time somebody taught them a lesson, they thought they was getting' way above themselves, an' the next thing they think they can do is marry us." Scout sees Miss Gates's statement about blacks in clear conflict with her statement about the equality in America.
Why is Scout ahead of her classmates?
Scout is ahead of her classmates because Atticus has taught her to read and write, and Calpurnia has even taught her script. However, once her teacher discovers this, she punishes Scout and tells her not to learn anything else at home, because her father does not know how to teach her properly.
How do Scout and Jem change?
Throughout the book, Scout and Je m make the classic transition from innocence to maturity. Jem leads this change, as he is older than Scout, but both children experience it. At the beginning of the novel, they approach life innocently believing in the goodness of all people, thinking everyone understands and adheres to the same values they and their father do. During Tom Robinson's trial, the children are sorely disappointed when the jury, made up of their fellow townspeople, convicts the obviously innocent Tom Robinson simply because he is a black man and his accuser is white. The realization that there is true evil within their society shakes Jem to the core. He held a strong belief in the goodness of all people, but after the trial must reevaluate his understanding of human nature. The challenge of this struggle causes him great emotional pain as he tries to come to terms with disappointing realities of inequality, racism, and general unfairness. Scout also struggles to understand these things, but even following the trial is able to maintain her belief in the goodness of human nature. At the end of the novel, both children are faced with true evil, as Bob Ewell tries to kill them. True goodness, embodied in Boo Radley, saves them. In this final conflict between these opposing forces, goodness prevails.
What does Scout believe in at the end of the book?
Scout also struggles to understand these things, but even following the trial is able to maintain her belief in the goodness of human nature. At the end of the novel, both children are faced with true evil, as Bob Ewell tries to kill them. True goodness, embodied in Boo Radley, saves them.
Why does Atticus struggle?
Despite the challenge of overcoming the town's deeply ingrained racism and forcing people to change their social perspectives, Atticus struggles on, because he believes that one day, goodness will prevail over the evils of racism and racial equality will exist.
What chapter does Scout's brother break his arm?
To Kill a Mockingbird: Chapter 1. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in To Kill a Mockingbird, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Scout explains that when her brother, Jem, was 13, he broke his arm. Many years later, they argue about when everything that led to the accident truly began.
What is Scout's description of the town as old and tired?
Scout's description of the town as old and tired further establishes the setting in which the story takes place—the Great Depression. Scout's language to describe the town also accomplishes something else, as well. A child is unlikely to either perceive or describe her hometown as being "tired.".
How does Dill dare Jem to touch the house?
Dill decides he’d like to get a look, so he dares Jem to touch the house by goading and insulting him. Jem takes his time but races to the house, slaps the siding, and then races back to the safety of his own porch with Dill and Scout behind him. The children notice a small movement in the window.
What happened to Scout's brother?
Scout explains that when her brother, Jem, was 13, he broke his arm. Many years later, they argue about when everything that led to the accident truly began. Jem maintains that it began the year Dill arrived, while Scout insists that they take a broader view.
What does Jem's anxiety about touching Radley Place mean?
Jem’s very real anxiety about touching Radley Place makes the case that as people ostracize others for being different and as rumors circulate, this inevitably turns into not an understanding of difference, but a genuine fear of people who are different.
Why does Scout find Calpurnia tyrannical?
Scout likely finds Calpurnia tyrannical and one-dimensional because she’s so young and can’t yet understand Calpurnia as a complex individual. Dill and his imagination begin to situate these kinds of fantasy games as a hallmark of childhood in Mockingbird, while the fact that their games are based off of books indicates that all three children are literate. While this might not seem important to the children themselves, it does point to their financial situation and Atticus’s professional job, as they have enough money to live in a home that encourages education.
