As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

TKAM Annotations Chart - Round Robin Name _________________________

Harper Lee uses rhetoric and various language styles in her novel ​To Kill a 
Mockingbird.​ ​She created characters such as Atticus, who mostly speaks in a formal 
tone and uses rhetoric towards his children, people throughout the community, and 
the jury in the courtroom. Harper created a 6-year-old narrator that uses many styles 
of language as she speaks to her father (Atticus), her brother (Jem), her housemaid 
(Calpurnia or Cal), her fiance’ (Dill), and neighbors.  

Language styles created by authors: 

​Rhetorical Appeals:​ the language authors, speakers, or ANYONE uses to make an 
impression or persuade others. Rhetoric is considered the art of persuasion. 
1. Ethos​ - speaker’s ability to establish himself as credible or an expert on the 
matter 
2. Pathos​ - speaker’s ability to appeal to the emotions of the listeners/audience. (a 
“play” on emotions) 
3. Logos​ - speaker’s ability to use logic, reason, facts, statistics to prove his/her 
point 
 
​Rhetoric can also be in the form of literary devices: ​allusions, irony, imagery, simile, 
metaphor, hyperbole, oxymoron, parallelism, repetition, personification, and more! 
 
Style: formal language vs. informal language:​ ​everyone switches up how they use 
language depending on where they are or who they’re with. The language we use 
depends on our circumstances. Author’s switch up the type of language they use 
when they write. 
1. Informal language ​- personal or slang language that we use with someone we 
know very well. We use personal pronouns and contractions when we speak to 
family or friends. Uses the active voice. 
2. Formal language​ - a professional and business-like language we use with 
people we don’t know. Uses passive voice and higher level words. 
3. Objective tone​ - States the facts or what was heard, seen, or said; no opinions. 
Can sometimes be used with formal language 
4. Subjective tone​ - speaks using opinions; usually associated with informal 
language 
 
Allusions: ​when authors refer to famous people, characters, stories, myths, to 
emphasize their point. Lee Harper uses a lot of unfamiliar allusions in TKAM. 
 
Fallacious reasoning/fallacies: ​a deceptive or misleading statement. A fallacious 
argument can fool human reasoning. 
 
 
As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

Rhetorical Devices  
Required  Character  Quote from character  Type of  What effect did it have on the 
chapter  (label formal or informal)  Rhetoric  situation? 

1      Ethos  Atticus is teaching Jem to 

    respect other people and 
  He said Atticus never talked much
 
  stay in his lane and not 
Atticus  about the Radleys: when Jem worry about other 
 
  would question him Atticus’s only people's affairs 
  answer was for him to mind his
Page #11  own business and let the Radleys
mind theirs, they had a right to;
but when it happened Jem said
Atticus shook his head and said,
“Mm, mm, mm.” Formal 

2    Pathos  Jem is informing Scout 

  Jem  “but you’ll that school will be 
 
 
  see—school’s different than being at 
    different.” home 
Page #18   
Informal  

3    “Have you ever considered  Logos  Atticus is telling Scout 

  that Jem doesn’t worry her 
  half as much?” Atticus’s  that their house cannot 
 
 
  voice was flinty. “I’ve no  function without 
Atticus  intention of getting rid of  Calpurnia 
  her, now or ever. We 
    couldn’t operate a single 
Page #28    day without Cal, have you 
ever thought of that? You 
think about how much Cal 
does for you, and you mind 
her, you hear?” 
Formal 

4    Ethos  Jem is using ‘’being a girl’ 

    “Nothin‘ to it. I to his advantage when 
 
 
Jem  swear, Scout, Scout does something 
    sometimes you act that he doesn't approve of 
   
so much like a girl
   
Page #42    it’s mortifyin’.”
Informal 
 
“Pull it up, child, pull it up?” She 
5    picked up the limp sprout and 
Logos  Miss Maudie seems very 
    squeezed her thumb up its tiny  experienced in the green 
  stalk. Microscopic grains oozed 

 
Miss  out. “Why, one sprig of nut grass  thumb department and 
can ruin a whole yard. Look here. 
  Maudie  When it comes fall this dries up and  knows what to do when an 
    the wind blows it all over Maycomb 
County!” Informal 
invasion of weeds happen 
Page #47 
As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

   
 

    “Jem, ​please​—”  Pathos  Scout generally cares 

6    Informal  about her brother but 
 
 
  sometimes he could care 
  Scout  less about her 
   
   
   
 
Page #58 
 
 
 

Required  Character  Quote from character  Type of  What effect did it have on the 
chapter  (label formal or informal)  Rhetoric  situation? 

    Pathos  That Boo Radley looks after the 

7    “When I went back for my children(Scout & Jem) in his 
  Jem  breeches—they were all in a own special way 
   
    tangle when I was gettin‘ out
    of ’em, I couldn’t get ‘em
Page #66   
loose. When I went back—”
Jem took a deep breath.
“When I went back, they
were folded across the
fence... like they were
expectin’ me.”
Informal 
 

  Scout  “The ​world’s  Pathos  Scout has never seen snow 

8  before and it was a surprise to 
  endin‘, Atticus!  her 
  Please do 
 
 
something—!” 
Informal 
 
Page #73 

  Atticus  “Of course I do.  Ethos/Logos  Atticus does not want Scout to 
  use a term that downgrades 
  Don’t say n*gger,  someone 
9  Scout. That’s 
 
 
common.” 
Formal 
 
Page #85 
As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

  Atticus  “I’d rather you shot at  Ethos  Even though Atticus was 
  tin cans in the back  considered the towns 
  yard, but I  sharpshooter he wants his 
10  know you’ll go after  children to be considered not 
  birds. Shoot all the  common he wants the best of 
  bluejays you want, if you  them like all fathers 
  can hit ‘em, but 
Page #103  remember it’s a sin to 
kill a Mockingbird.” 
Formal 

  Atticus  “Easy does it, son,”  Ethos  Atticus wants Jem to be 
  Atticus would say. “She’s  respectful to all people; young, 
  an old lady and she’s ill.  old, white or black 
11  You just 
  hold your head high and 
  be a gentleman. 
  Whatever she says to 
Page #115  you, it’s your job 
not to let her make you 
mad.” 
Formal 

  Calpurnia  “Baby,” said Calpurnia, “I  Ethos/Logos  Calpurnia being a friend to 
  just can’t help it if Mister  Scout when Jem does not want 
  Jem’s growin‘ up. He’s  to play games with her 
12  gonna want to be off to 
  himself a lot now, doin’ 
  whatever boys do, so 
  you just 
Page #132  come right on in the 
kitchen when you feel 
lonesome. We’ll find lots 
of things to 
do in here.” 
Formal 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

 
 
 
 
Examples of Fallacious Reasonings 
Chapter  Character  Fallacy Used  What effect did it have? 
13 

  Mayella  Ad Populum  “Mayella stared at him and 

  burst into tears” 
  She is trying to gain 
  sentimental value in the 
  courtroom 
 
 
Page 
#204 

  Atticus  Black/White; Either/Or  “Tom Robinson’s a colored man, 

  Jem. No jury in this part of the 
  world’s going to say, ‘We think 
  you’re guilty, but not very,’ on a 
  charge like that. It was either a 
Page  straight acquittal or nothing.”  
#250  People in Maycomb either go to 
  church or not just like if you are 
racist or not racist 

  Atticus and  Red Herring  but Mayella’s face was a mixture of 
terror and fury.” ”But she did not hear 
  Mayella  the compassion in his invitation. “I got 
  somethin‘ to say an’ then I ain’t gonna 
  say no more. That nigger yonder took 
advantage of me an‘ if you fine fancy 
  gentlemen don’t wanta do nothin’ 
  about it then you’re all yellow stinkin‘ 
Page  cowards, stinkin’ cowards, the lot of 
#213  you. Your fancy airs don’t come to 
nothin‘—your ma’amin’ and Miss 
Mayellerin‘ don’t come to nothin’, Mr. 
Finch—” 
After Mayella realized what Atticus said 
she tried to divert from what he said 

  Atticus, Aunt  Hasty Generalization  “Tom’s dead.” Aunt 

  Alexandra  Alexandra put her hands to 
  her mouth. “They shot him,” 
Page  said Atticus. “He was running. 
#268  It was during their exercise 
period. They said he just 
broke into a blind raving 
charge at the fence and 
started climbing over. Right 
in front of them—” 
As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

People are going to assume 

since Tom jumped the fence 
he is guilty 

  Mayella  Straw Man   “Long’s he keeps on callin‘ me 

  ma’am an sayin’ Miss 
  Mayella. I don’t hafta take his 
  sass, I ain’t called upon to 
  take it.” 
  Mayella thinks Atticus is 
Page  being rude to her by calling 
#207  her ma’am 
 
 
 
 
 
Allusions (use the ​Allusions Survival Guide​ to help you ) 
Chapter  Character  What allusion did they use?  How did it affect the meaning or tone? 
& 
Page # 

  Jem  Cultural  “Ku Klux got after some 

15  Catholics one time.”  
#167  Mentions the KKK 
  Helps the reader understand 
  that even in the small town of 
  Maycomb cults can rise and hurt 
  others 

  Scout  Historical  ​Maycomb was an old town, but it was a 

  tired old town when I first knew it. In 
1  rainy weather the streets turned to red 
slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the 
#5  courthouse sagged in the square.  
   
  Scout is describing how Maycomb 
  county is to give the reader a visual 
  about the place 

  Cousin Ike  Historical  when Stonewall Jackson came 

9  around by 
#87   
  Cousin Ike is explaining some of 
  his experiences in the Civil War; 
  he is the sole surviving 
  Confederate Soldier in Maycomb  

  Scout  Cultural  found a picture of Dixie Howell 

As you read, stop and jot your notes in the charts on each page.

   
11  Scout is trying to cheer Jem up 
#119  after he destroyed Mrs. Dubose's 
  roses 
 
 

  Atticus  Historical  and the crash hit them hardest.”  

2   
#23  Atticus is referencing the Great 
  Depression and how farmers 
  were hit the hardest