Ms. Giorgio

In these chapters, the novel really begins to heat up. Do you think the gifts in the knothole of the tree may by symbolic of something? How about the fire and/or the snowstorm? Do you think any of the events in these chapters may foreshadow what may come? Towards the end of Chapter 9, Atticus says, “What bothers me is that she (Scout) and Jem will have to absorb some ugly things pretty soon.” What do you think he means by this? Judging from what you can tell the court case is about and what you’ve learned about the people living in Maycomb, what may these “ugly things” be?

**Note: Harper Lee uses the word Negro and the n-word in the novel to accurately depict the racial slurs that were commonly used in the 1930s in Alabama. However, we are in 2012. Please only use these two variations of the N-word while quoting directly from the novel. Otherwise, if your comment refers to the race of a character, please use “Black” or “White.”

*Respond to one or more of the following questions above. Be sure to read everyone else’s responses and respond directly to their comments as well. The more specific your answer is, the better your grade will be (and more importantly, the more beneficial this blog will be to you and your classmates.)

Harper Lee plays with the idea of changing perspectives throughout the novel. How does your (or another character’s) perception of Atticus change through his encounter with the mad dog? How does Jem’s perception of Mrs. Dubose change through his interactions with her? Has Scout changed at all during Part One? 

*Respond to one or more of the following questions above. Be sure to read everyone else’s responses and respond directly to their comments as well. The more specific your answer is, the better your grade will be (and more importantly, the more beneficial this blog will be to you and your classmates.)

In these chapters, Lee builds on characterization. What are your initial impressions of the main characters (Scout, Jem, Dill and/ or Atticus)? Do they remind you of people you already know or characters you have already met from other works of literature or from films? How about the supporting characters (Miss Maudie Atkinson, Miss Stephanie Crawford and/or Mr. Nathan Radley)? Why are they included? What role do they play in the everyday lives of the children?

*Respond to one or more of the following questions above. Be sure to read everyone else’s responses and respond directly to their comments as well. The more specific your answer is, the better your grade will be (and more importantly, the more beneficial this blog will be to you and your classmates.)

In the first three chapters, Lee introduces us to the setting and main characters of the novel. What is Macomb County like? Does it seem like a place you would like to grow up in? Do Scout’s experiences in school remind you of your own? What is your impression of Miss Caroline as a teacher? What could she have done differently to better deal with Scout, Walter Cunningham and/or Burris Ewell? 

*Respond to one or more of the following questions above. Be sure to read everyone else’s responses and respond directly to their comments as well. The more specific your answer is, the better your grade will be (and more importantly, the more beneficial this blog will be to you and your classmates.)