To Kill a Mockingbird- Dialectical Journal

As you read To Kill a Mockingbird, record information about how Harper Lee characterizes and
develops the character of Scout. Here’s a link to the Characterization Lesson for your
reference. You should be sure to create an entry at least once every 2-3 chapters, for a
minimum total of 12 entries.

You might consider how Harper Lee reveals Scout’s character through STEAL: Scout’s
Speech/dialogue, her Thoughts, the Effect she seems to have on other characters, her Actions,
and her Looks/physical description.

In addition, you should examine how Scout’s character is changed/developed through:

● Interaction of characters (impactful characters)
● Internal monologue (POV)
● Plot events
● Momentous experiences
● Motivation
● Change in worldview
● Symbols and motifs

Evidence of characterization in Short Response

TKAM You can respond to some or all of the following questions:
(include quote with page number In this passage, what narrative technique is used to develop
from the text) Scout? (see your list above) What is Harper Lee revealing about
Scout? How has Scout grown or changed?

EXAMPLE
“‘Shoot no wonder, then,’ said Jem,
jerking his thumb at me. “Scout
yonder’s been readin‘ ever since she
was born, and she ain’t even started
to school yet.’” (4)
EXAMPLE
In this quote from Ch 1, Harper Lee characterizes Scout as well-
educated for her age. After learning about the town of Maycomb so
far, Scout’s intelligence may be out of the ordinary for their
community. As her older brother Jem brags about Scout’s ability to
read to Dill, readers can also see that the siblings seem to be
close and get along well.

I tried again: “Walter’s one of the This is an example of indirect characterization because the author
Cunninghams, Miss Caroline.” is showing Scout's character through her actions and speech. This
“I beg your pardon, Jean Louise?” shows that Scout is very outspoken and says what everyone is
“That’s okay, ma’am, you’ll get to thinking when no one else wants to.
know all the county folks after a
while. The
Cunninghams never took anything
they can’t pay back—no church
baskets and no
scrip stamps. They never took
anything off of anybody, they get
along on what
they have. They don’t have much, but
they get along on it.”
My special knowledge of the
Cunningham tribe—one branch, that
is—was gained
from events of last winter. Walter’s
father was one of Atticus’s clients.
After a
dreary conversation in our livingroom
one night about his entailment, before
Mr.
Cunningham left he said, “Mr. Finch, I
don’t know when I’ll ever be able to
pay
You.” chapter 2 pg, 20

“I told Atticus I didn’t feel very well
and didn’t think I’d go to school any
more if it was all right with him. “
chapter 3
This is indirect characterization and this shows that she values real
learning and her own integrity over whatever Mrs.Carolines
class.She finds her class but a waist of her time and even to be
damaging.

Bit by bit, I told him the day’s This is yet another example of indirect characterization because
misfortunes. “-and she said you atticus is helping scout develop empathy for her teacher because
taught me all wrong, so we can’t ever she is helpless in this new scrappy town
read any more, ever. Please don’t
send me back, please sir.” Atticus
stood up and walked to the end of the
porch. When he completed his
examination of the wisteria vine he
strolled back to me.

“First of all,” he said, “if you can learn

a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along
a lot better with all kinds of folks. You
never really understand a person until
you consider things from his point of
view-” Chapter 3

Atticus said the Ewells had been the This is an example of backstory to enrich the mystery and lore of
disgrace of Maycomb for three the town of maycomb.
generations. None of them had done
an honest day’s work in his
recollection. He said that some
Christmas, when he was getting rid of
the tree, he would take me with him
and show me where and how they
lived. They were people, but they
lived like animals. “They can go to
school any time they want to, when
they show the faintest symptom of
wanting an education,” said Atticus.
“There are ways of keeping them in
school by force, but it’s silly to force
people like the Ewells into a new
environment-”

“You, Miss Scout Finch are common This passage outlines a basic theme in TKAM which is the people
folk. You must obey the law.’ He said of the town are all different and different things are expected from
that the Ewells were members of an them.
exclusive society made up of Ewells.
In certain circumstances the common
folk allowed them certain privileges
by the simple method of becoming
blind to the Ewell’s activities. They
didn't have to go to school for one
thing”

"Maycomb was an old town, but it personification in chapter 1 by giving the town of Maycomb human
was a tired old town when I first knew attributes, such as the ability to be tired.
it" (6).

"There was no hurry, for there was Scout uses hyperbole in chapter 1 to describe the activities
nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no available in her small town.
money to buy it with, nothing to see
outside the boundaries of Maycomb
County"

"...we would squirm our way through Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of
sweating sidewalk crowds and a word. Scout repeats the "s" sound.
sometimes hear......." (pg 135)

"...bound in chains and left to die in An anecdote is a brief story about an interesting, amusing, or
the basement (there were basements strange event. Dill tells an anecdote when he explains to Jem and
in Meridian) by his new father, who Scout how he ran away.
disliked him, and secretly kept alive
on raw field peas by a passing farmer
who heard his cries for help..." (pg
140)

"He shivered like a rabbit." (pg 142) A simile is a comparison of two UNLIKE objects using the words
like or as. When Dill's Aunt Rachel arrives, Scout says,

“People in their right minds never She finds Atticus putting down the rabid dog. She considers
take pride in their talents.” Atticus a modest and a humble man. That is why she expresses
that he should not take pride in what he is doing. It explains that
people should not carry pride in their talents and choose to stay
humble despite success.

Mentioning mockingbirds is symbolic "He seemed dedicated to one course and motivated by an invisible
to the story as a whole because of the force that was inching him toward us. We could see him shiver like
motif it carries with it. a horse shedding flies; his jaw opened and shut; he was alist, but
he was being pulled gradually toward us" (95).

"Mr. Underwood simply figured it was Mr. Underwood writes a newspaper article about how Tom
a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, Robinson died in chapter 25. Scout summarizes.
sitting, or escaping. He likened Tom's
death to the senseless slaughter of
songbirds by hunters and children"
(241).