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To Kill A Mockingbird Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of To Kill A Mockingbird


Scout Finch is a six year old tomboy that learns about racism in her small Southern Town during the Great Depression. Scout Finch is a six-year-old tom boy living with her father, Atticus and her brother, Jem, and their helper Calpurina during the Great Depression. Scott is a very curious and insensitive child. She notices that some people pay Atticus with food when they consult his legal advice. She reads with Atticus each night and became an avid reader. Though her life changed the day when one of her neighbor had her nephew, Dill came to stay for the summer. Jem, Scott, and Dill became fast friends and played with each other day.
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Though Dill notices that one of Jem and Scott's neighbor, The Radley's never came out, and Jem tells them what he heard around town that Radley's youngest son Boo was this grotesque monster and he killed children. So Jem, Scott, and Dill acted out the Radley's family drama at their yard until Atticus catches them. He gives Jem and Scott the lecture that it was not polite to do that and it is good for people to mind their own business. Scott is confused at this notion.

When Dill leaves the Maycomb County, Jem and Scout starts school. Scout starts to understand the concept that if someone from not the town will not know the town 'rules' or etiquette. Though all changed when her father represented Tom Robinson, a black man accused raping one of the Ewell's daughter, an underprivileged white girl. The majority of the white town believes that Tom is guilty while the black committee is trying to fight for the innocence of Tom. While Atticus is representing Tom, he points out that Tom was the innocent one and really Ewell was the one abusing his daughter. Though the jury does plea Tom guilty for the case. Jem and Scott are shocked but what they are trying to figure out as to why their father is being subjected to many hatred around the town.

Though after Tom commits suicide and the case is put to rest, Scott starts to grow to be a young woman. Though during the school's harvest festival she and Jem are attacked by Ewell. Boo come and saves them. Boo and Scout walks home and she finally understands what it means to walk in someone else's shoes.
Best part of story, including ending: I loved the story being told from a six year old girl and shoes the effects of racism and learning to walk in other person's shoes is so important and it was just beautifully written.

Best scene in story: When Jem went to Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose to read to her everyday because Atticus was punishing him. Jem does not like Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose because she is a mean lady but learns from Atticus that she battled with Morphine addicution and Jem learns the true meaning of courage. Another is when Scout goes to the jailhouse where Attitcus was protecting Tom from the lynch mob and she stood up to the crowd and the crowd retreated not to lynch Tom.

Opinion about the main character: Scout is by far one of my favorite heroine because how her innocence explores a touching and yet important subject. She is smart and very shrewd in her mindset.

The review of this Book prepared by Erin Okamoto a Level 2 American Robin scholar

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

Scout Finch is living with her brother, Jem Finch, and their widowed father (Atticus Finch) in Alabama town of Maycomb. Atticus is a well-known local lawyer in Maycomb County, trying his best to bring-up his children with moral values. That's the reason why he lives his life to his own set-of-rules and standards. This became a compelling & underlying reason to take up Tom Robinson's case, although he knows that could possibly lose, but also feels that Mr. Robinson is an innocent man (wrongly accused due to his minority race). So, it somehow becomes his moral obligation to try his best to help him out.

Finch family however, is reasonably well-off in comparison to the rest of town. Scout Finch is the main character of the story. She has a very strong realization of the fact that why her father is trying hard to make a purposeful-living.

Jem and Scout befriend a boy named Dill, who came to live in their neighborhood for the summer and the trio starts acting out stories together. Their neighboring house is owned by Mr. Nathan Radley, whose brother, Arthur (nicknamed Boo), has lived there for years without venturing outside. Atticus (on the other hand) cautions them not to do anything with Mr. Radley, urging them to let the poor man be. Among the Maycomb's racist white community, Atticus decides to defend a black man -Tom Robinson (accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell). Due to Atticus's decision, Jem & Scout are subjected to a biased behavior from other children of the town. Since, majority is convinced of Tom's guilty (for no logical reason), they start perceiving Atticus quite negatively and a kind of animosity towards the Finch family starts to grow.

As the trial starts, the children observe it too while sitting in the “colored balcony” along with the town's black citizens. Atticus supply clear evidence that the accusers, Mayella Ewell and her father (Bob) are liars. Actually, Mayella propositioned Tom Robinson, was caught by her father and then accused Tom of rape to cover her own shame and guilt. It was all fake claims to bring an innocent man down. Atticus further provides impressive evidence that the marks on Mayella's face are because of her father, who (upon discovering her with Tom) called her a whore and beat her. Yet, in spite of the noteworthy evidence supporting to Tom's innocence, the all-white jury convicts him. The innocent Tom later tries to escape from prison and is shot to death. In the consequence of the trial, Jem's faith in justice is badly shaken, and he tumbled into depression & doubt. Jem and Scout starts believing that majority of the people (in town) are very discriminatory, prejudiced and biased against blacks. They became very hopeless, knowing this harsh reality of the society. It is simply beyond their comprehension that how people can be so mean and crooked to each other? Surprisingly, not even in the court, things are unbiased, rational and justified.

Later, Bob Ewell (Mayella's father) starts threatening Atticus as revenge, and resolves that he'll get him back one way or another. After some time, finally Bob Ewell attacks the children Halloween night with a knife. He breaks Jem's arm and almost kills Scout, but Boo Radley (out of all the people) comes to rescue and saves them. The Scout is really thrilled to finally see the man they for so long fantasized about. She realizes that all this time he was watching them from his front porch windows, and just for a little while she is able to stand in his shoes. He has become a human being to them at last. With this understanding, Scout embraces her father's advice & vision to practice compassion and understanding, alongside a realization that all the bitter experiences of hatred and prejudice will definitely not defile her belief in human goodness.

Great story-line - Worth Reading !!











Best part of story, including ending: I like this story for teaching a lesson of integrity & morality towards humanity instead of their ethnic backgrounds. Every human on earth deserve goodness.

Best scene in story: When Boo Radley saves the kids from Bob Ewell. It was quite emotional and depicted his good heart.

Opinion about the main character: I like Scout's determination of staying intact on her goodness as a human being, even when people are wrong. As we are only responsible for our own parts and that we must perform well (no matter what).

The review of this Book prepared by Humaira a Level 1 Blue Jay scholar

The story Begins as Jean-Louise Finch or "Scout" for short, begins
recounting the events in her childhood which eventually led up to her older brother Jem's broken arm. Scout lives with her brother Jem, her widowed father Atticus (a lawyer) and their African-American nanny Calpurnia in the quite county of Maycomb, Alabama. It is the middle of the great depression, yet in comparaison to others, they're doing considerabley well. One summer Jem and Scout meet a boy named Dill, a visitor from out of town, and with his company they go on great adventures and pick up a new fascination with an old, spooky house down the street called the Radley place, but more specifically....a fascination with an odd character that dwells inside.

Finally, controversy hits the sleepy town of Maycomb. Even through the pro-white protest, Atticus, Scout's father, accepts to defend local black man Tom Robinson, accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Mayella Ewell is the daughter of Bob Ewell, a very simple man with a less than respectable reputation. The trial isn't the only event rocking maycomb though. A potential murder and a strange encounter follow closely behind.

The review of this Book prepared by Sarah




To Kill A Mockingbird is told through the eyes of a six-year-old tomboy named Scout Finch. Her father, Atticus, is an attorney- at- law and defends a black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white young woman. Atticus is an extraordinary lawyer, and the verdict is very surprising.
This plot, however, is not the only action happening in the novel. Down the street from Scout and her older brother jem, lives the Radleys. Arthur(Boo) Radley got in trouble with the law at a young age and has not been seen outside of his house since. The children are very curious about his man, and try various techniques to get him to come out.
The review of this Book prepared by Kristina Murray




Two children, Scout and Jem Finch are dragged into a racial battle with their father. Their father, Atticus Finch defends a black man in court. The black man is accused of raping a white girl. This event in fact never happened. The black man, Tom Robinson was shot to death in prison before his final trial. This does not stop the attacks on the Finch Family. The two children are attacked on there way home from an evening school function, and Jem sustained serious arm injury.
The review of this Book prepared by Natalie




The novel is about three years in the life of the Finch family: Atticus and his son Jem and daughter Scout. They live in the town of Maycomb in Alabama, where whites are in control and blacks are second-class citizens.

Atticus is a lawyer and the central incident of the novel is when he defends a black man, Tom Robinson, against the charge of raping a white girl.


The review of this Book prepared by Andrew Haine




Scout and her brother Jem wittness first hand that the world isn't always fair when their father defends a black man for a crime he didn't commit. Throughout the book, Scout and Jem both grow as individuals.
The review of this Book prepared by Kristian Herron




To Kill A Mockingbird is a story of awakening - awakening to a not so perfect world. The narrator, six year old Jean Louise Finch (Scout) lives in a world that is shattered by her realization that racism and class discrimination are rampant in her town and will effect her family. Her lawyer father, Atticus seems to be one of the few righteous inhabitants of Maycomb and sets about defending a black man charged with a crime he did not commit.
The review of this Book prepared by Shel




A girl and her brother go through their youth being kids but discover a new friend and try to understand and right injustices. They learn something new about other people in town as well as the justice system and their new friend.
The review of this Book prepared by Yasmin Miranda




Scout and her brother Jem are just playful kids when their father is assigned to the case of a black man raping a white woman. They had never been affected by one of Atticus' cases before, and are surprised to have this one impact their lives. And, though Scout is growing up enough to realize the labels society places on people of different race and social status--and enough to have her aunt scolding her about her tomboyish behvior, she learns a lot more about life when this case comes about.
The review of this Book prepared by Sarrah




To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best accounts of the hysteria that racial hatred and false accusations could create in the deep South prior to the 1980s. The tireless efforts of Atticus to save the falsely accused black man are set in a tone to draw the reader into sympathy, surprisingly, with both the victim and his accusers. A classic that deserves the title.
The review of this Book prepared by Kelly Whiting




This 1961 Pulitzer Prize winning book makes you wish that Harper Lee had published other books, but if you're only going to publish one, To Kill A Mockingbird sure is the way to go. Told through the eyes of Jean Louise Finch, better known as Scout, the story is basically a study of racial prejudice in the South before the Civil Rights era. It is a well-plotted story with lots of action, but what makes it so special is the brilliant characterization. Once you meet Scout Finch, her brother Jem, and her father Atticus Finch who is the unsung hero of the novel, you will never forget them. A book worthy of the "Classic" label it has been given.
The review of this Book prepared by Bill Brumlow




Haper Lee's semi autobiographical Pulitzer prize winner is a superb account of bigotry and injustice set in 1930's Alabama.
The review of this Book prepared by Becky Palmer



Chapter Analysis of To Kill A Mockingbird

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Plot & Themes

Tone of book?    -   thoughtful Time/era of story    -   1930's-1950's Political/social activism    -   Yes Plotlet:    -   racism!!!! Ethnic/Regional/Religion    -   Black people in America/Europe    -   American South Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book Ethnic/regional/gender life    -   Yes

Main Character

Gender    -   Female Profession/status:    -   student Age:    -   a kid Ethnicity/Nationality    -   White (American)

Setting

How much descriptions of surroundings?    -   4 () United States    -   Yes The US:    -   Deep South Small town?    -   Yes

Writing Style

Amount of dialog    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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