English 1 final study guide
Tom Robinson
- A 25 year old black man, being accused of raping Mayella Ewell - Has wife and children - One of the book's "mockingbirds"
Aunt Alexandra
- Atticus' sister - Tries to teach Scout to be feminine - Wants Scout to look up to her
Walter Cunningham
- Scout's school mate who cannot afford lunch - Family in poverty - Has different habits and does things differently than the Finch family
Mayella Ewell
- accuses Tom Robinson of raping her - lives in a dump but has pretty red geraniums - thinks Atticus is making fun of her when he calls her ma'am
Burris Ewell
- has "cooties" (lice) - makes Miss Caroline cry - only goes to school on the first day
Heck Tate
- sheriff of Maycomb - a decent man, but a major witness in Tom's trial
Mr. Gilmer
- the prosecuting attorney in Tom's case
Analyze the character of Atticus, focusing on how his definition of courage is displayed through his actions and behavior.
-Atticus is presented as a courageous man for agreeing to defend Tom Robinson even when he knows it will cause difficulties for himself and his family. He is a very caring father who would do anything for his children. His quote shows that even though him and his family have gone through hard times it doesn't stop him from doing the right thing. It also shows that he tries his best to make his kids happy and to please them. He is also a very protective parent and wants his kids to have fun but also wants them to be safe.
What happened for the first time since 1885 in Maycomb County?
-Atticus said that the two week period was the coldest Maycomb had had in all that time. In addition to this, it snows for the first time since 1885.
Why do you think Jem has been so quiet since the night he went back to get his pants? What does this say about his character?
-Jem might have been embarrassed about not having pants on or he felt guilty for lying about what they actually did. This could infer that he felt bad about what he did and he was guilty about lying.
TKAM success
-Published in 1960 -was a huge success -won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was turned into an academy award winning movie In 1999 a library journal named TKAM the "Best novel of the century"
The Lottery
-Takes place on June 27 on a beautiful summer day in a small New England town where all the residents are gathering for their traditional annual lottery. -though the events seem festive it soon becomes clear that no one wants to win the lottery
What problems are Atticus, Jem, and Scout going to encounter because of the trial?
-The three of them are going to encounter many problems such as being called names and the kids getting in fights because their father is defending a black person.
Harper Lee (writing TKAM)
-attended University of Alabama to study law but began to feel that writing was her true call, she quit school and moved to New York to write -in the late 1950's she spent over 2 years rewriting and revising what would become TKAM
Harper Lee (early life)
-born Nelle Harper Lee -born on April 23,1926 -mostly raised by her father because her mother was mentally ill and rarely left the house -was a tomboy -based the character "Dill" off of her close friend and neighbor Truman Capote -grew up in a small town during the Great Depression
Harper Lee's later life
-she was a recluse and didn't like the attention the novel brought -in 2007 president George W. Bush presented her with the presidential metal of freedom -she died on February 19, 2016 -she was known as a "one hit wonder " until her prequel "Go Set A Watchman" come out in July 2015
What were the 3 main topics of 'The Lottery'?
1) Human capacity for violence 2) The power of tradition & ritual 3) Mob psychology and conformity
When was 'The Lottery' published?
1948
Man vs. Society
A character has a conflict or problem with some element of society - the school, the law, etc.
Antagonist
A character or force in conflict with the main character The bad guy
round character
A character who demonstrates some complexity and who develops or changes in the course of a work
static character
A character who does not change during the story.
dynamic character
A character who grows, learns, or changes as a result of the story's action
flat character
A character who is not very well developed; has few identifiable characteristics
Simile
A comparison using "like" or "as"
Metaphor
A comparison without using like or as
Man vs. Man
A dramatic struggle between two characters in a story -Usually protagonist vs. antagonist
Personification
A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
verbal irony
A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant Form of sarcasm
What was the Boo Radley game?
A game pretending to be Boo Radley and making up his adventures
Society vs. Society
A group of characters/people that fight another group of characters/people, because they believe their beliefs, laws, and rights are better, and all societies should abide by their rules. -external
Foreshadowing
A narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.
Exposition
A narrative device, often used at the beginning of a work that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances.
Symbolism
A person, place or object which has a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings as well
rising action
A series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax.
external conflict
A struggle between a character and an outside force
internal conflict
A struggle between opposing needs, desires, or emotions within a single character
Man vs. Himself
A struggle with himself, his own soul, ideas of right and wrong, etc. -internal conflict
Tone
A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.
Diction
A writer's or speaker's choice of words 1) they can use formal words or words used in speeches 2) informal- uses informal/ common words used in conversations with friends and or family. In literature writers choose words to create and convey a typical mood, tone, and atmosphere
Mr. Ewell
Accused Tom Robinson of raping his daughter
Overview of the TKAM trial
Atticus is defending a black man named Tom Robinson who is accused of beating and raping a young white woman named Mayella Ewell. Her family is poor, uneducated, and has a bad reputation.
direct characterization
Author directly describes a character
Who shows up at the beginning of chapter 21 with a note for Atticus? What does it say?
Calpurnia showed up at the beginning of the chapter, bringing with her a note from Aunt Alexandra for Atticus which said that his children were missing and that they haven't turned up since noon.
Theme
Central idea of a work of literature
Why do Dill and Jem want to give Boo Radley a note? What does Atticus say when he finds out about their plan?
Dill and Jem wanted to give Boo Radley a note because they want Boo to come out so Dill and Jem can ask him a few questions. In return, Dill and Jem would give him ice cream. When Atticus finds out about their plan, he says that they should all stop tormenting the Radley's.
What excuse does Dill come up with as to why Jem doesn't have any pants on?
Dill said that he won Jems pants from him. He said that they were playing strip poker by the fishpool.
Who was the author of 'Annabel Lee'?
Edgar Allan Poe
Resolution
End of the story where loose ends are tied up
falling action
Events after the climax, leading to the resolution
Atticus Finch
Father to Scout and Jem; lawyer who defends Tom Robinson
Mood
Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader
What is the verdict of Tom Robinson?
Guilty with the charge of rape
Who does the narrator blame for Annabel Lee's death?
He blames her death on angels because he thinks they are jealous of their love.
Heck Tate's testimony
Heck Tate testifies that he visited the Ewell house to find Mayella on the floor, the right side of her face badly beaten. Bob Ewell testifies that he heard Mayella's screams and ran inside to find Tom raping her.
Why is it a "sin" to kill a mockingbird?
It is a sin to kill a Mockingbird because they don't do anything but make music for people to enjoy, they don't eat up people's gardens and don't nest in the corncribs, and they don't do anything but sing their hearts out.
What does Annabel Lee symbolize?
It is from a sea wind that Annabel Lee gets the chill that kills her. The sea is a looming, ominous presence in the poem and symbolizes loneliness, coldness, and emptiness. In the end, Annabel Lee dies and is put in a sepulchre, or tomb. The sepulchre symbolizes death.
The Radley Place
It's located on a bend in the road. The house is dark and gloomy with no screen door. The yard is in the back with a porch in the front and back.
Charles Baker "Dill" Harris
Jem and Scout's summer neighbor and friend. He is a diminutive, confident boy with an active imagination. He becomes fascinated with Boo Radley and represents the perspective of childhood innocence throughout the novel.
Protagonist
Main character in a story The good guy
Mr. Ewell's side of the story
Mr. Ewell's side of the story said that he saw Tom Robinson raping Mayella. He says he saw him do it and ran after him, but he couldn't catch him, so he went to get the sheriff.
Miss Caroline Fisher
New to teaching and to Maycomb and its ways, Miss Caroline is Scout's first grade teacher.
What is Old Man Warner's attitude about those who would like to change things? Why do you think he refuses to change this "tradition?"
Old Man Warner's attitude is very cold and rude to the people who want to change the "tradition". He may not want to change the "tradition" because maybe that is all he has ever known and can't imagine what it would be like without the lottery or he is just very cold hearted and enjoys seeing people get killed.
What is the message of the story the lottery?
One key theme of "The Lottery" is the danger of tradition and blindly following along. The characters in the story simply follow the tradition of the lottery because that is all they have ever done. They don't quite recall how the lottery started. They don't recall all of the original ceremonies.
how do you think Scout views the school system?
Scout views the school system as pointless because her father and uncle didn't go to school and they are both very wise
Jem Finch
Scout's brother an one of her best friends; enters young adulthood and faces difficult issues
Francis Finch
Scout's cousin who called Atticus a ******-lover and got into a fight with Scout
Mayella's testimony
She says that she called Tom Robinson inside the fence that evening and offered him a nickel to break up a dresser for her, and that once he got inside the house he grabbed her and took advantage of her.
What does Miss Maudie think of the Radley's?
She thinks that Boo Radley doesn't want to get out of his house, and that the Radley's are foot-washing Baptists.
Who is the author of "The Lottery"
Sherly Jackson
What book did the narrator reference in the poem Annabel Lee?
The Bible/ Biblical times -heaven -Angels -hell -demons
Why didn't the Ewells have to go to school? Why do you think the truancy department (those in charge of making sure children stay in school) didn't really care that the Ewells didn't go back after the first day?
The Ewell didn't have to go to school because One of the ladies threaten them with the sheriff. I don't think they care because the book states that there are many Ewells so there are too many to count and track.
Explain in great detail how the lottery works
The Men, women, and children of the town gathered together in the square. Mr. Summers, the conductor of The Lottery, comes in to the center of the square and brings an old black box and a stool for the box to stand on. In the box there are slips of paper that have the names of people of the town. When the names of the people who are picked are called, the people go forward
What is the climax of the lottery?
The climax of the story is the drawing of the slips of paper and the "winner" Tessie was discovered. The falling action occured as the town gathered around Tessie to give her her "winnings" of being stoned to death.
Setting
The context in time and place in which the action of a story occurs.
What evidence is there that the lottery has been going on for a long time?
The evidence that the lottery has been going on for a long time includes the black box that had all the papers in it was very old and the town was in need of a new one. Another piece of evidence includes the stool that the box sits on is also very old.
Explain the feelings of most people in town toward the lottery.
The feelings of the people in the town to the lottery is very numb. One example of this is when Mrs. Hutchinson said that she merely forgot about the lottery. Another example of this is when Mrs. Delacroix said "Come on, hurry up" when Mrs. Dunbar was being slow to stone Mrs. Hutchinson.
Persona
The identity or character of the speaker in the text. Consider the tone of the text and ask what situation the speaker is in.
Annabel Lee plot
The narrator and Annabel Lee fell in love when they were young 'in a Kingdom by the sea. ' Their love is challenged by Annabel Lee's death, but the narrator does not give up on her, believes that their souls are intertwined, and sleeps in her tomb at night. Another strong theme in this poem is envy.
Jean Louise "Scout" Finch
The narrator and protagonist of the story. Scout lives with her father, Atticus, her brother, Jem, and their black cook, Calpurnia, in Maycomb. She is intelligent and, by the standards of her time and place, a tomboy. Scout has a combative streak and a basic faith in the goodness of the people in her community. As the novel progresses, this faith is tested by the hatred and prejudice that emerge during Tom Robinson's trial. Scout eventually develops a more grown-up perspective that enables her to appreciate human goodness without ignoring human evil.
What creepy think does the narrator do at the end of the poem Annabel Lee?
The narrator lays in her tomb with her dead body. That is why he says her eyes and why he doesn't see the stars.
Arthur Radley (Boo)
The neighborhood recluse and the source of an enthralling mystery to the neighborhood children
Stepanie Crawford
The neighborhood scold who created all the drama about the Radley's
Identify Mrs. Dubose in detail.
The old lady that lived a couple houses down, and she enjoyed harassing Jem and Scout as they passed her every day on their way to school.
Why did the people in the balcony stand as Atticus walked past?
The people on the balcony stand to honor Atticus and thank him for trying his best, and for actually trying to win the case.
What does the lottery symbolize?
The stones symbolize death, but also the villagers' unanimous support of the lottery tradition.
In what way is the title, "The Lottery", misleading? Why would the author want to trick the reader by having a misleading title? How does she successfully mislead the reader throughout the story?
The title is misleading because normally a "Lottery" is known as being very happy and exciting when actually the "lottery" in this case is very sad and damaging. The author successfully misleads the reader by making them anticipate that something good is going to happen at the end. One example is when the author describes the town of having " The morning of June 27 is clear and sunny with a fresh one of a full summer day; The flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green."(242) Another example is when the men talk about planting, rain, tractors, and taxes.
Imagery
The usage of language that appeals to the five senses (touch,taste,smell,hearing,sight)
Describe the seating arrangements of the court.
The white people are seated on the main floor while the African American's are seated on top in the balcony. Jem and Scout sit in the balcony with the blacks.
What did Scout and Jem find in the Radley's tree?
They found gum, two pennies, a watch, twine, a spelling bee metal, and two carved soap figures of themselves.
What does Tom have trouble doing when he is called to the stand?
Tom has a very hard time putting his left hand on the Bible so he can testify under oath, but it is hard for him because his left hand is crippled.
Tom Robinson's testimony
Tom testifies that he always passed the Ewell house on the way to work and that Mayella often asked him to do chores for her. He then goes on to add that she asked him to come inside the house and fix a door. When he got inside, there was nothing wrong with the door, and he noticed that the other children were gone. Mayella told him she had saved her money and sent them all to buy ice cream. Then she asked him to lift a box down from a dresser. When Tom climbed on a chair, she grabbed his legs, scaring him so much that he jumped down. She then hugged him around the waist and asked him to kiss her. As she struggled, her father appeared at the window, calling Mayella a ***** and threatening to kill her.
What happened to Tom Robinson's left arm?
Tom's arm was caught in a cotton gin when he was eight years old. Because of this, his left arm is 12 inches shorter than his right arm and his arm is completely unable to do anything.
What did Dill dare Jem to do?
Touch the Radley house
Allusion
When an author uses a reference to another piece of literature- often times the Bible. Normally classical pieces
Individual vs. Society
When the main character must overcome adversity for believing differently than others; trying to change the way society sees a certain idea/group
Sutuational irony
When the opposite of what is expected to happen, happens
Justaposition
When two ideas or characters are placed side by side to develop a comparison or contrast.
foil character
a character's whose main purpose is to highlight the strengths of another character
Jack Finch
atticus and alexandra's brother, well liked, doctor, tells scout not to swear
Miss Maudie Atkinson
lives across the street from the Finch family; a good friend; house burns down
Why did Scout rub Walter Cunningham's nose in the dirt?
she rubbed his face in the dirt because he made her start off on the wrong foot.
What was Calpurnia's "fault?"
she taught scout how to write and her teacher got mad at her.
Calpurnia
the Finch's housekeeper; acts as a more distant mother-figure to Jem and Scout
Climax
the most intense, exciting, or important point of something; a culmination or apex.
indirect characterization
the process by which the personality of a fictitious character is revealed through the character's speech, actions, appearance, etc.
Maycomb
the racist town in Alabama where this book takes place
Motivation
the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.
Plot
the sequence of events in a literary work
dramatic irony
when a reader is aware of something that a character isn't
Man vs. Nature
where a character or characters have to fight against the forces of nature
Edgar Allan Poe
~Known for his chilling poetry ~considered to ne one of the best horror writers of all time which is probably due to his tormentet life