Ch. 1 Vocabulary Eccentric (adj) - conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual Repertoire (adj) - the range of skills in a particular field or occupation Domicile - housing that someone is living in Literary Devices "Somehow, it was hotter then: a black dog suffering on a summer's day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square/ Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning/ Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o' clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum" (Lee. 6)
Onomatopoeia - "flicked flies" *Flies only bother mules on a hot day, and "flicked flies" can describe the insects coming out to be a nuisance which makes the tone consist of dread and annoyance. Metaphor - "wilted" *Refers to men's stiff collars as "wilted" which can go back as to describe plants in the withering sun, and provides a vivid image, yet still adding to the meaning by the readers assuming the temperature is hot enough to make these men sweat, or the idea that the men are hard working lads in a community of labor" Simile - "like" * This compares ladies by nightfall to soft teacakes, and is significant when discussing the meaning as well as the mood. When a child or person with a widely used imagination hears "lady", they might imagine women with frilly dresses and proper manners, and because of this automatically embedded picture in the mind, the readers could also find it easy to replace the dresses with soft pick teacakes with frosting dripping from the heat instead of the woman's sweat, which can add a humorous effect on the mood. Another reason for the simile describing the ladies refers to "baths before noon, after their three-o' clock naps", it can be observed that the women stay at home and wake up early to work until afterwards sleeping, and therefore highlighting the meaning of Lee's quote, to clarify that in the past women would have cooked and cleaned at home while the men go to work, and this ends off with the sentence "and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and talcum", so they too worked as hard as the men even though both genders had different responsibilities.
Ch. 2
Vocabulary Vexations (n.pl) - something that causes annoyance, frustration, or worry Illicitly (adv) - something that is not morally proper or acceptable Entailment (n) - deduction or implication, that is, something that follows logically from or is implied by something else
Literary Devices “By the time Mrs. Cat called the drugstore an order of chocolate malted mice the class was wriggling like a bucketful of catawba worms/ Miss Caroline seemed unaware that the ragged, denim-shirted and floursack-skirted first grade, most of whom had chopped cotton and fed hogs from the time they were able to walk, were immune to imaginative literature/ Miss Caroline came to the end of the story and said, “Oh, my, wasn’t that nice?” (21-22).
i) Simile - "the class was wriggling like a bucketful of catawbe worms." *This compares the class's urge to move around to the natural movement of worms, and explains simply the nerves that come with sitting still for young children when they were indeed raised to walk around not sit and listen. This gives away the mood of nervous tension ii) Dramatic Irony - "Miss Caroline seemed unaware" *A teacher who has taught children more than once and also going through childhood herself, would actually be well aware the challenges she faced as a child in the classroom, this includes trying to maintain her need for an activity while sitting out of boredom in the classroom. Which is why Miss Caroline does indeed notice her wiggling class quietly begging for her to stop reading, yet she still acts as if this is not in her visible notice, and this gives Scout an idea of her seeming to be unaware, giving the meaning of Scout being the one who is actually unaware that Miss Caroline knows her class's tension. iii) Imagery - "the ragged, denim-shirted and floursack-skirted first grade" *This explains a vivid picture of the wardrobe in which the cat wore in Miss Caroline's story, and gives the tone of the children not listening or paying real attention to their speaker and that their minds are elsewhere. iv) Cacophony - "Chopped cotton" v) Assonance - "fed hogs from the time they were able to walk" vi) Metaphor - "immune to imaginative literature" *When someone is immune it is for a disease, however in this case it's referring to being immune to imaginative literature. This gives off the mood of not understanding writing or stories in general, most of which seem unnecessary for the class of first graders.
Ch 3
Vocabulary Iniquity - absence of moral or spiritual value Truant - absence of moral or spiritual value Factious - easily irritated or annoyed
Literary Devices "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" (39).
*By using this Metaphor Atticus means that a person won't truly know someone if they haven't gone through the same situations, and life challenges. For example, if a person is bullied no-one will know the extent or problems this person faces unless we experience it ourselves and for Atticus this means looking through the eyes of the individual in all aspects of their life.
Ch 4 Vocabulary Unanimous - in complete agreement Arbitrate - act between parties with a view to reconciling differences Melancholy - a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed Literary Devices - "He was as good as his worst performance" *Paradox - This means that his performance couldn't get any worst and it also contains the truth of him being good in a villainous role, which most people wouldn't agree with because it might give him "dark ideas".
Ch 5
Vocabulary Aloof - remote in manner Benign - kind in disposition or manner Placidly - in a quiet and tranquil manner
Literary Devices "sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of--oh, of your father" (60).
*Miss Maudie is comparing the Bible to a whiskey bottle, and this presents the literary device of analogy and gives off the meaning of differentiating between 2 contrasting items, yet still ending with the same result. People may over analyze the Bible, while whiskey can also make people over analyze something or see things differently whether it be positive or negative.
Ch 6
Vocabulary Ensuing - following immediately and as a result of what went before Malignant - dangerous to health Desolate - providing no shelter or sustenance
Literary Devices "The back porch was bathed with moonlight, and the shadow, crisp as toast, moved across the porch towards Jem" (71). i) Imagery - "bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp as toast" *This creates the visual of a visible shadow walking towards the porch with the moonlight of the night contrasting between light and dark. ii) Metaphor - "The back porch was bathed with moonlight" *Usually something is bathed in water, however this is referring to the porch being bathed in moonlight iii) Humor - *The porch being bathed in moonlight gives off a peaceful mood, but then as the shadow comes closer it causes suspense, this results in humor because it gives an abrupt change to the tone
"as I tripped the roar of a shotgun shattered the neighborhood" (71). i) Imagery - *Scout tripping gives the image of his wide scared eyes, and of the shotgun giving off a ear splintering "roar" , and also the children scrambling to see in the dark ii) Metaphor - *Glass usually shatters not neighborhoods, and the sound of the shotgun is being compared to an animal by referring to the "roar" of a shotgun. iii) Humor - *It could be humorous that the children are being chased by a gun
"I could see Dill hatching one: his eyes widened, his fat cherub face grew rounder" (73). i) Imagery - We can see Dill's red, rounded, baby face, getting ready to tell a lie, and the adults look down with expectancy ii) Metaphor - "hatching one" *Usually hatching is referring to an egg but Dill is actually hatching a lie iii) Humor - *Some people might see Dill hatching an egg
"Matches were dangerous, but cards were fatal" (73). i) Imagery - It creates the picture of children playing with matches, but then their is a scene of adults gambling their life away no longer wanting to have a purpose in life ii) Metaphor/ Situational Irony Guns are usually fatal at the other end when the trigger is pulled, and cards aren't seen as fatal but when playing poker it can still end in losing almost everything; guns take away life, while cards take away the meaning of life. iii) Humor - it's humorous when a child is the one explaining a meaning greater than her understanding
Ch 7
Vocabulary Ascertaining - finding out; determining Perpetual - Never ending or changing; constant Embalming - Persevering a dead body
What does the tree symbolize? The tree was first a place where Jem and Scout feared, because it was located in Boo Radley's yard and there were rumors of it being sick or deadly. However, later as the Finch kids continue finding treats inside the tree and stopped fearing it, this creates a profound meaning by symbolizing a safe place, and also causes a strong emotional connection when the tree is filled with cement. "Jem said nothing more about it until late afternoon/ When we passed our tree he gave it a meditative pat on its cement, and remained deep in though." This symbolizes a new beginning and leaving the memories of the tree behind
Ch 8
Vocabulary Aberrations - a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected Touchous - sensitive; touchy Cordial - warm and friendly
Literary Device i) Dramatic Irony - "Autumn turned to winter that year" *It is obvious that the seasons will be the same every year and that Autumn will change to Winter ii) Dramatic Irony/Allusion- "Mr. Avery said it was written on the Rosetta Stone that when children disobeyed their parents, smoked cigarettes and made war with each other, the seasons would change" *The Rosetta Stone traced back to the Egyptians, and it was written with things the Pharaoh has done good. The Egyptians never heard such things about cigarettes and even if they were around it was mean't to be "good for the health"
Ch 9
Vocabulary Compensation - to pay for or make up for something Ingenious - innocent; simple Provocation - to excite some sort of feeling
Literary Devices "But I never figured out how Atticus know I was listening, and it was not until many years later that I realized he wanted me to hear every word he said" (117). *This statement lets readers know that Atticus believes that Scout will make full use of what she has heard, and he knows that she will understand in the future the words he said, therefore, giving the tone of respect and understanding. The Literary device that's used is foreshadowing
Ch 10
Vocabulary Inconspicuous - to not attract attention Articulate - able to speak and express oneself Gingerly - carefully; cautiously
Literary Devices i) Description - "Tim was a liver-colored bird dog, the pet of Maycomb" (122). ii) Simile - "Jem gulped like a goldfish, hunched his shoulders and twitched his torso" (123). iii) Abrupt Actions - "The rifle cracked/ Tim Johnson leaped, flopped over and crumpled on the sidewalk in a brown-and-white heap/ He didn't know what hit him" (127) iv) Exclamations - "For God's sake, Mr. Finch, look where he is! Miss and you'll go straight into the Radley house! I can't shoot that well and you know it!" (127) v) Adjective to indicate urgency - "Mr. Nathan, Mr Authur, mad dog's comin'! Mad dog's comin'!" (124) vi) Suspense through unnecessary description - "With movements so swift they seemed simultaneous, Atticus's hand yanked a ball-tipped lever as he brought the gun to his shoulder" (127). vii) Questions- "Uh, uh, uh, who'da thought of a mad dog in February" (129).
Ch 11
Vocabulary Apoplectic - to behave as if on the verge of having a stroke Philippic - a bitter verbal attack Palliation - to lessen pain or fear without actually making it go away
Literary Devices *The imagery is describing Mrs. Dubose being sick and old as she lays in her bed
Ch 12 Vocabulary Austere - being stern or strict Enamored - being overly in love with someone Habiliments - clothing
Literary Devices i) Allusion - "brought forth Eunice Ann saying she didn't want to play Shadrach any more" (156). Shadrach is a man in the Bible who got thrown into the fiery furnace with Meshach and Abednego ii) Personification - “ ‘Don’t you fret,’ Calpurnia whispered to me, but the roses on her hat trembled indignantly” (158). The effect is Calpurnia being unsure of her words, and that she should be the one to fret not Scout
Ch 13
Vocabulary Myopic - lacking imagination, or intellectual insight Prerogative - a right or privilege to a particular class Devoid - completely wanting or lacking
Literary Devices “She owned a bright green square Buick and a black chauffeur, both kept in an unhealthy state of tidiness…” (169). Paradox - This creates the effect of Aunt Alexandra having a car that is too clean it is unhealthy
Ch 14
Vocabulary Edification - uplifting enlightenment Infallible - incapable of failure or error Fortitude - strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity
Literary Device Atticus tells Dill, “ ‘And for goodness’ sake, leave some of the county back where it belongs, the soil erosion’s bad enough as it is’” (188). Hyperbole - This exaggerates the effect of Dill being muddy as the Earth
Ch 15
Vocabulary Succinct - briefly giving the gist of something Entailment - implication that follows logically on what is implied Acquiescence - agreement with a statement or proposal to do something Literary Devices Imagery/Alliteration - "Shadows became substance as lights revealed solid shapes moving toward the jail door"(202). This adds the effect of terror and mystery first introducing the shadows as people, but keeping the identities hidden
Ch 16
Vocabulary Elucidate - make clear and comprehensible Prominent - conspicuous in position or importance Countenance - admit as acceptable or possible
Literary Devices Dill (Hyperbole) - “ ‘It’s all over town this morning … all about how we held off a hundred folks with our bare hands,’" (211). Jem (Understatement) - “ ‘Aw, Aunty, that’s just Dill’s way,’” (211). Atticus (Metaphor) - "you children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute" (210).
Ch 17
Vocabulary Obscene - offensive to the mind Serene - not agitated Haughty - having or showing arrogant superiority
Literary Devices Simile - “screamin’ like a stuck hog” (230). Bob Ewell is referring to Tom "ruttin'" Mayella which compares their behavior as in acting like wild animals, and this idea is first implied when Mayella is referred to a hog Idiom - “Jem was counting his chickens” (238). Since chickens move around a-lot it would be hard to count chickens literally and this can result in being confused, therefore Jem may have been overthinking the situation. OR Jem is counting his "chips" and is hoping Mayella's dad was the one to beat her instead of the black, so that there would be a twist in the crime and Tom would be innocent.
Ch 18
Vocabulary Tedious - lacking in interest to cause mental weariness Strenuous - taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance Mollify - cause to be more favorably inclined
Literary Devices Simile - “stealthy … like a steady-eyed cat with a twitchy tail” (242). This causes the readers to think Mayella as a smooth talker, ready to latch out, and when cats are being stealthy they can be seen as stalking on a mouse, like Mayella possibly stalking a person's every-move. She is also carefully thinking the words she puts in her mouth, waiting for the correct time to say her point of view and is readily waiting for the questions that could provide a slip-up
Ch 19
Vocabulary Candid - open and honest Fatalistic - accepting the event as it is Veneer - attractive outer surface
Literary Devices Dilemma - involves a decision in which a person needs to choose one of the two choices *The dilemma Scout describes is Tom either having the choice to hit Mayella, or run, either way he appears guilty, but hitting a woman would be considered less socially acceptable.
Ch 20
Vocabulary Corrupting - to bring a person down to a lower moral level Indicted - formally accused; charged Temerity - foolish or rash boldness Literary Devices *Atticus' audience is the jury and court, but his last words "In the name of God, believe him," are directed to mainly the jury indicating his sincerity of truly believing his defendant, Tom Robinson. He repeats 'in the name of God' to add emphasize on the importance of his words.
Ch 21
Vocabulary Acquit - to find not guilty of a fault or crime Demurred - objected; voiced opposition
Literary Devices Hyperbole - “ ‘--skin every one of you alive … Miss Alexandra’ll absolutely have a stroke of paralysis when she finds out!’” (277) Calpurnia was angry and Aunt Alexandra will mostly be shocked once she is told where the children have been, giving a mood of Scout being severed from society.
Ch 22
Vocabulary Cynical - distrustful of human nature Heathen - someone who deliberately insults religion
Literary Devices "They’ve done it before and they did it again tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it--seems that only children weep’” (285). Symbolization - children are symbolizing innocence of not being racist, and that only children feel sorry for the unfair case or that adults don't weep for the wrong in the world.
Ch 23
Vocabulary Vehement - extreme intensity of emotions or convictions
Literary Devices “ ‘...whenever a white man [cheats] a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash,’” (295). Metaphor - This complicates Jem's conclusions because he is in the mind set of there being 4 types of people each not liking one another but the Negro's are at the bottom of the caste system, while Atticus
Ch 24
Vocabulary Squalid - Miserable; wretched
Literary Devices “tears him to pieces” (316). Hyperbole - This creates the effect of Atticus getting worn-out because of his job, and establishes the mood of being trapped
Ch 25
Vocabulary Veneer - A false front
Literary Devices “senseless slaughter of songbirds” *Alliteration - This causes Tom's death to be considered unnecessary, irrelevant, and without purpose. Because songbirds/mockingbirds were referred in the novel as being not a nuisance, Tom is seem as being convicted for a crime he didn't do. Therefore the symbol of Tom as a songbird is used appropriately. *Metaphor - "the secret courts of men's hearts" (323) Courts decide, same with hearts, and they each have to make a decision based on what they believe
Ch 26
Vocabulary Recluse - a person who leads a shut up life or withdrawn from the world, a hermit or loner
Literary Devices Irony - The American's still discriminated against the black people which is not literally persecuting them as Hitler did, but is still draws a border between the whites and blacks.
Ch 27 Vocabulary Irascible - easily angered Literary Devices Verbal Irony - "Things did settle down" Things didn't actually settle, it only became more chaotic Ch 28 Vocabulary Repertoire - accomplishment; skills Literary Devices Harper Lee creates tension by keeping Scout in the Ham costume during the fight with Bob Ewell and it made her seem vulnerable since she wasn't able to completely run. Also the setting was in the dark so the readers weren't completely aware on what was happening especially when Scout came across a body and doesn't automatically identify who it is. "metal scraping against metal" This can cause the effect of terror and vulnerability, making it seem as if it is instead bones scraping against bones Ch 29 Vocabulary Affluent - a person who's financially well off Literary Devices Scout has a hard time explaining the fight with Bob Ewell when she doesn't fully know what's her imagination compared to the reality of what really happened Ch 30 Vocabulary Connived - Plotted, secretly allow something considered immortal , illegal, wrong, harmful to occur Literary Devices "it's a sin" to drag Boo into "the limelight" Metaphor - It 's to avoid unwanted attention Ch 31 Vocabulary Acquiescence - agreement without protest