Chapters 12-13: Explain what Scout means when she says, "There was indeed a caste system in Maycomb" (175) What is a caste system, and how does it work in Maycomb, according to Scout? (Sharon)

In chapter 13 Scout says "There was indeed a caste system in Maycomb" (175). A caste system is a social class that you are given too at birth. In Maycomb your family name puts you into that category.  When Scout says "...were utterly predictable to one another: they took for granted attitudes, character shadings, even gestures, as having been repeated in each generation refined by time" (175). Scout is explaining how everyone sees others. That everything gets passed down over generation to generation. For example the Ewells have a reputation of only going to school on the first day and never going back. This is what they're known for and the next generation will be known for the same. 
Do you think it's right for the citizens of Maycomb county to stereotype people by their family names? 
If you were a Ewell, and you wanted to actually get an education would you break the reputation that you've created for yourself.

Chapters 12-13: What does Scout learn (and the reader) through the trip to the church about the divisions in Maycomb County? (Simru S-E)

Scout learns quite a bit about the tension between white and black people, as well as their way of life that was brought upon them by this tension.  Calpurnia is truly indifferent to this, shown by when she suggests that Jem and Scout come to church with her.  They enter the church, and most of the congregation treats them with great respect.  “When they saw Jem and me with Calpurnia, the men stepped back and took off their hats… weekday gestures of respect” (158).  However, this is not all of them.  After this show of respect, one woman named Lula comes up and starts to judge Calpurnia’s decision, but Calpurnia fights back.  “‘[Lula] wants to know why you bringin’ white chillun to n***** church… you ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here - they got their church, we got our’n.  It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?’... Calpurnia said, ‘It’s the same God, ain’t it?’” (159).  The congregation then shoos Lula out of there, but still her action is very prominent.  This goes to show how even though most of Maycomb’s black population are polite, there are still some that hold a grudge, and really have every right to.  They are treated as second-class citizens, and white people brought this inferiority upon them.  Therefore, they harbor a hatred for white folks which comes from the white people’s unrealistic hatred for them.  However, most of them, as shown by their warmth and appreciation in the church, are very appreciative and kind, and do not generalize when it comes to the roles of races.  They see that Jem and Scout have not done anything against them, so they don’t have to be wary of them.  Calpurnia especially treats Jem and Scout like her own, and sees that there should be no borders between the two races.  “It’s the same God” is what she says, showing she sees no reason for whites and blacks to be any different from one another.  But people like Lula have developed a distrust for all white people, and generalize when it comes to who caused her race’s oppression.  Overall, in this encounter, Jem and Scout see two sides of the story, and get to experience firsthand the tension they get from varying opinions.

Do you think Scout and Jem will experience more situations like Lula’s as the Tom Robinson trial progresses? Will they also experience hate from white people as well? Overall, how has Scout handled the hate launched at her so far?

Chapter 12-13 What do you learn about Aunt Alexandra in chapter 13 in general, and what do you learn about her influence over Atticus and his family? (Charlotte)

In chapter 13, we learn that Aunt Alexandra is a person who doesn’t take no for an answer. When Jem and Scout return from attending church with Calpurnia, they see her sitting on their porch. Scout described it as, “I looked down the street. Enamored, upright, uncompromising, Aunt Alexandra was sitting in a rocking chair exactly as if she had sat there every day of her life.” (Lee 168) Scout shows us that Aunt Alexandra has a tendency to make herself feel at home, and also that she expects others to allow her to barge in at any random moment. In addition, Aunt Alexandra loves attention. She’ll make it a point to get herself noticed, just like she did by joining and becoming secretary of the Maycomb Amanuensis Club when she had only been staying with Atticus for a short amount of time.

Aunt Alexandra is highly comparable to Charlotte Phelan in The Help, who is always trying to get her daughter, Skeeter, to act more feminine and proper. But despite all of Charlotte’s nagging, Skeeter remains the way she is and forces her mother to accept it.

Overall, Aunt Alexandra is a character who has very old-fashioned views on women, isn’t very understanding, and does not fully comprehend where she is and isn’t wanted.

Do you think Aunt Alexandra will end up changing Scout? Or will Scout end up changing Aunt Alexandra?

Chapter 12-13- What do you learn about Calpurnia in chapter 12? What does Scout realize about her? (Emily Plump)

            In chapter 12, we learn that Calpurnia has a different side of her from working for the Finches. Scout and Jem have never heard Calpurnia talk like she does in her church. Scout asks Calpurnia why she talks like colored people and Scout says that it isn’t right to do that. Jem thinks that she doesn’t have to talk like that and Calpurnia replies, "Suppose you and Scout talked colored-folks' talk at home it'd be out of place, wouldn't it? Now what if I talked white-folks' talk at church, and with my neighbors? They'd think I was puttin' on airs to beat Moses” (Lee 167).  From hearing Calpurnia talk differently with colored people, Scout and Jem realize that she has a different life outside of their house. Calpurnia also acts differently when she’s with her colored friend. Scout finds out that Zeebo is Calpurnia’s son. She is teaching him how to read because Calpurnia learned from Mrs. Buford, who taught her how to read. From finding out about Calpurnia’s different life, Scout really starts to like her a lot more and he even wants to go to Calpurnia’s house to find out a lot more about her.

Why do you think Calpurnia acts and talks differently with her colored friends and to the Finches?

Chapter 10/11 Explain Atticus's definition of courage (Julia Lang)

      After Mrs. Dubose died, Atticus told Jem and Scout his real definition of courage. This is what he said, ".....I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholded to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew" (Lee 149). Atticus knew that the kids looked up to him for having the courage to shoot the dog in chapter 10, but that isn't the type of courage that he wants them to admire. Atticus would rather them look up to him for taking on the Robinson case because it shows great respect for others and it is the right thing to do even if it may cause him to loose friends or to get a lot of public hatred. Real courage isn't one small thing that is noticed it is the big picture, it is all the small painful and scary things that eventually grow into one big thing. Real courage may cause you to get hurt mentally or physically, but once whatever you've done is over you will have such a great feeling of accomplishment.

Chapters 10-11: Explain Atticus's definition of courage. Mitch

     


       In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird  by Harper Lee, The main characters father, Atticus describes "Courage" in a very unique way. According to (Lee 145) Atticus says  to Jem, "I want you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand." What he meant by this is courage is not playing it safe; it is taking a risk to prove yourself and not have a fear of failure. In these two chapters Atticus did not stand up to a rabid dog. He was clearly scared of it. Instead of trying to lure it back to safety he took Mr.Tate's rifle and shot it. Also according to (Lee 145) again Atticus says "You rarely win but sometimes you do." What I personally think about this is that Atticus is saying you have a lot of courage to keep fighting even after a loss. You are trying to prove to yourself or to other people that you are not afraid to fail, and that you will keep trying.

      Do you think this is what Atticus meant when he was speaking about courage? Do you think Atticus is the man people really say he is? Do you think he wants his children to be like himself, or better than himself?

Chapter 10/11 Why is it appropriate to kill a mad dog, but not a mockingbird? (Amy Khoshbin)

       Atticus tells his children that it is okay to shoot a bluejay, but it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, which is a philosophy that he uses when Scout and Jem see the rabid dog. Atticus wants them to believe that courage and integrity are values that are not obtained through the abuse of power, such as killing an innocent being, but through the use of power only when necessary, and just. After receiving air rifles for Christmas, Atticus tells Jem that it’s okay to shoot bluejays, but it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. After asking Ms. Maudie why he said this, she tells him, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, they don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us,” (Lee 119). This quote illustrates Atticus’ strong sense of justice by teaching his children that it is never right to accuse, nor punish, something just because you can. This advice not only relates to the accusation of Tom Robinson, where because of his race and social position he is portrayed as guilty based off of the testimony of one person, but also shows that Atticus would never kill for sport, and in the case of the rabid dog, the animal is a risk to the entire neighborhood, and killing it is not an abuse of power, but a necessity.

How does Atticus’ quote about the innocence of a mockingbird relate to the title? Do you think that he’s comparing Tom Robinson to a mockingbird? If so, is he comparing the person who accused him to the dog?