ToKillaMockingbird

StudyQuestionsforChapters1920

Answerincompletesentencesbelow.

Chapter19:
1. AccordingtoTom,whydidheentertheEwell'syardandhouse?
AccordingtoTom,heenteredtheEwell'syardbecauseMayellaaskedhimtodoajobforher.She
wouldoftencallhimin,claimingshehadlittlebusyworkforhim.Heclaimshedidthisoftentohelp
heroutofpity.Hethoughtshelackedcompanionship,andhelpfromherfamily.(191).

2. WhydoesScoutthinkthatMayellaEwellwastheloneliestpersonintheworld?
ScoutthinksthatMayellawastheloneliestpersonintheworldbecauseshehasnotleftthehousein
twentyfiveyears.SheexplainshowwhenAtticusasksifshehasanyfriends,shethoughthewas
makingfunofherandshedidnotknowwhathewastalkingabout.Nobodywantstotakeherin,and
sheisconstantlyalone,muchlikethechildrenofmixedrace,asshethoughtfullycomparedtoby
Scout.(192).

3. WhatappearstobethetruthofwhathappenedtoMayellaEwell?
WhatseemstohavehappenedwiththeEwellcase,isthatMayellawasreallylonely,andfacingconstant
abusefromherfather,disturbed.Beinglonely,shewaslookingforcompanionship,Tombeingtheonly
source.Howeverherneedforlovebecametolargeforhertocontrol,soshekissesTom,andtriesto
forcehimtobethesourceofthatlove.Unfortunatelyforher,herfatherseestheact,andhebecomes
enraged,beatingherforcefully.Then,tocoveruptheshameofwhatshedid,andtheawfulacts
occurringinthehouse,thisintricatestoryiswoven,andbroughttothepolice.(194).

4. WhatfatalmistakedoesTommakewhileMr.Gilmoreisquestioninghim?Whywasita
mistake?
ThefatalmistakeTommakeswhileMr.Gilmoreisquestioninghim,isthefacthesayshefeelssorryfor
Mayella.Hesensedhemadethemistakeassoonasheutteredthewords,andthecourtroomgoteven
moretenseinstantly.Thereasonsitwasamistake,isbecauseinthattime,thewhiteweresuperiortothe
blacksineverydimensionandpartoftheirlife.So,ablackmanpityingawhiteperson,awomannone
theless,wasunheardof,andsomewhatofanunspokenrule.Inthepeoplesmind,theblackhavethe
leastauthorityandtheleastamountofpossessions,sotheywouldnothavetheaudacitytopityawhite
person,soassoonashesaidthis,hiscasetookaserioushit.(197).

5. HowdoesDillreacttothispartofthetrial?Whyisthis,inyouropinion?
Atthispartintheongoingtrial,Dillstartstocry,andhehastobetakenoutbyScout.Dillsaystheway
thattheblackmanisbeingtreatedismakinghimsick.Thefactheissopoorlytreated,treatedlikeless
thanhuman.Theatmospheresurroundingthecaseistense,alreadyemotional.Dillisayoungchild,but
hehasstrongviews,theinjusticeheiswitnessingisenoughtomakehimbreakdown.Ithinkitwasa

largemixofemotions.Heisfrustratedwithwhatheisseeing,knowinghecannotdoanythingtostopit.
Heisappalledaboutwhatheisseeing,andheissadaboutthewholesituations,itishardforanyperson
towitness,letaloneachild.(199).

Chapter20:
1. Scoutsays,Mr.DolphusRaymondwasanevilman.Issheright?
PersonallyIdonotthinkMr.DolphusRaymondisanevilmind.Sheisprobablyofthisopinionbased
onthethingsshehasheardabouthim,andthefactheassociateshimselfwithblacks,andeventhough
shemightnotagreewithsegregation,childrenareimpressionable.However,inmymindthethings
peoplesayaboutyouarenotalwayswhatyouare,peopleneedtolearnfromhowthepeopleactwith
thempersonally,notjustbaseideasoffwhatotherssay.Also,inmymindinterracialrelationsshouldbe
morewidelyaccepted,andIcommendhimonhisattempttobreaktheracialbarriers.IfIwasinher
position,Iwouldprobablyhavethesameideas,duetoherageandthetimeperiod,butbeingwhoIam,
Idintviewhimasanevilman.(200).

2. InmoststatesoftheUSApeoplewhodrinkalcoholinpublicplacesarerequiredtohidetheir
bottleinapaperbag.WhatisinMr.Raymondsbottle,andwhyisheusingthepaperbag?
CocaColaisthesubstanceMr.Raymondhiedinhispaperbag.Heusesthepaperbagtogiveoffthe
impressionheisdrinkingalcohol.Hesayshedoesthingtogivepeopleareasontonotlikehim.Hesays
hedoesntcareifpeoplelikehimornot,andgenerallytheydonot,sowhynotgivethemareasonto
havethisopinion.Heletspeopleblamethewayhelivesonhisaddictiontothesubstanceinthepaper
bag,whichturnouttobesoda,andareasonsforpeopletolatchonto.(200).

3. AccordingtoAtticus,whathasmotivatedMayellatoaccuseTom?
AccordingtoAtticus,MayellaaccusedTombecauseofguilt.Hetellsthejurysheaccusedhiminan
attempttojustifyoneofthebiggestcodesthattimehad.Blackandwhiteareseparate.Shewouldbe
ridiculed,andexiledbyherpeersandfamilyiftheyfoundoutshebrokethistimeoldcode.So,inan
attempttocoverthatup,shechosetoputtheblameonhervictim.Shetriestoputtheevidenceinher
favortohidethefactthatherdesirewasstrongerthatherwilltohonorthecode.Now,shehasputthe
evidenceonaman,whohasdonenothingwrong,butdenytheadvancesofMayella.(203).

4. WhatdoesAtticusmeanwhenhesaysthatallmenareNOTcreatedequal?
Atticus,whenhesaysthatallmenarenotcreatedequalisexplainingthefactsoftheworld.Some
peoplearenaturallybornwithgifts,orintowealthyfamilies,orwithdifferentskin.Thosethingsgivea
personanadvantageoveranotherfrombirth,mixedwiththefactthatskincolorwasahugedenotation
ofapersonsworthatthetime,themenarenotequal.Theonesbornwithdarkerskinarebornwitha
seriousdisadvantage.Theyhavedifferencesputonthembygeneticsandsociety.Thosedifference,

althoughnotbad,areinnowayequalormadeequalbysociety,instead,thedifferencearepreyedupon
andmadeintodisadvantagesandinequalities.SoAtticusistellingthetruththatistruethen,today,and
probablyalwayswillbe,therearealwayssomewhohaveiteasierthanotherpurelybyluck.(205).