Analysis from chapters 12, 13, 14

There's still one more test about the whole book this time, though not an essay, for my luck. This time the task is to analyse the following chapters from the book to get a better comprehension. Hope it's usefull.

Ch. 12

1. Comment on Jem's and Scout's visit to First Purchase Church. What does Scout learn about how black people live?

She learns that they were very kind to them, not just for being white though for being the childs of Atticus Finch. They were very catholics indeed, with a strange ceremony according to Scout, and just one person wasn't kind with them and every other colored folk defend 'em. They were more poor than whites, many of them couldn't read and they spoke dialect, which was strange for Scout and Jem.

2. Explain why Calpurnia speaks differently in the Finch household, and among her neighbours at church.

She says she is like them, so it was natural, and if she speaked as a white person was like trying to be what she wasn't and that wasn't right.

Ch. 13

3. Aunt Alexandra thinks Scout is "dull" (not clever). Why does she think this, and is she right? 

She says Scout is dull because she is not what society expects from her, she is "wild", don't wear dresses, play with boys, curses, fights...

4. How does Aunt Alexandra involve herself in Macomb's social life?

She goes to every meeting, and as she belongs to the Finch's family she is well recieved by everyone, so she made a very bussy social life in Maycomb city.

5. Comment on Aunt Alexandra's ideas about breeding and family, in contrast to Atticus' visions. Who's right, do you think? Why?

Aunt Alexandra is traditionalist, she wants to rise the family name, or keep it clean, she believes in stereotypes, as her first intention is to make Jean a lady, and Atticus don't really care about those traditions and ways of thinking that his sister has got, he is relaxed and let Jem and Scout be free and make their own choises about life.

Ch. 14. 

6. Comment on Atticus' definition of rape. How suitable is this definition as an answer to Scout?

Atticus gives a definition of rape that is the most proper one, though Scout doesn't really realizes what it is, and that's mainly what Atticus wanted.

I don't really know many cultures, I've been in Brasil and the stereotype I've got from them is that they just live the life, they are relaxed and they can go swim any time of the day... of course I'm wrong, but when someone mentions a brazilian I imagine a black person with coco water, in a white t shirt, a wide hat and at the beach. So prejudje is something so easy to commit that it's not weird to find it everywere, black people have their customs, and of course someone might say not every black person does that, but it's related to traditions and what people of a comunnity is used to do what makes everyone go into the same sin, discrimination.

Essay writing

The test came and last week we spend three classes preparing the drafts and the final essay of the first part of  "To Kill a Mockingbird". I believe I did an excelent job, and just grammar discounted me, so I've got a 6.7, that's not bad.

My tesis was "The characters of To Kill a Mockingbird become alienated when they protect their beliefs, as Scout, Atticus and Boo Radley". So I proved they showed how society discriminated them because they were different, as Scout wasn't the stereotype of a lady, Boo was discriminated product of ignorance and isolation, and Atticus when defending a negro at the court. I think the topic was very clear and I developed my ideas very clearly, though I need to improve my style when writting. (the only comment)

TKM part 1 analysis

We are preparing for our formal essay of the book "To kill a mockingbird". So this period you would see a lot of activities related to the book. The activity is to answer some questions about the first part of the book... hope you enjoy or can be usefull.


1. What is the reason for the author's choice of a young narrator?
In my opinion this view that Scout gives us is like an uncensored thinking of all that was happening in those times, as childrens don't save their thoughts we are informed of every single detail, we can understand it, better than Scout, and that is the idea of the author, tell us what happens in a society that is full of corruption, discrimination, etc. And also Jean gives us, as an inocent child, her ideas of what should be or what she thinks of that society, with an "utopic" way of think.

2. How does Jem and Scout's views of Boo Radley change during  part 1 of the book?
For Jem and Scout the image of Boo Radley was unknown, misterious ans in continous change. Why? First they fear him as nothing else in the world, he is the image of a ghost (for them). Though things start happening, they found some things at a tree near the Radley's house, and then Scout discovers it was Boo who lefted things there for them. And Jem found his trousers sew and tidy in the fence of the Radleys when they were running from the shots, the time they almost broke in the house, they also deduced (as they never saw him) it was Boo the responsable of that.

3. Atticus tells the children several times that they need to walk in someone else's shoes before judging the person. Describe times when Atticus, Scout or Jem walk in someone else's shoes. How does this change how they view the situations? What role does this advice play in sympathy and compassion? 
Throughout the story Atticus tries to teach Scout to walk into someone else's shoes before judging him, she realises it many times in the book, as the time when Jem was having a hard time so Scout understood (by going into his shoes) that he was growing... or something, and he just needed time alone so then he would be fine again and would play with her as always.

4. How do you think Atticus managed his role as a single parent? 
I believe Atticus managed very well as a single parent, even if people thought Jem and Jean had grown wild, he tought them important things of life and not what made society discriminant, as choosing friends by their social condition, not talking about some things with some kind of people, like "niggers" in front of afroamericans... He was based on moral, but also tought Scout how to read.

5. Discuss race issues in part 1 of the book.
During the  early XX century racism was a very controversial theme, white people would look blacks as "below" them. They were very discriminated and we can apreciate that in the book, with the case Atticus was givven to defend, and the bothers of other childrens towards Jem and Scout.

6. From your reading of part 1, What does To Kill a Mockingbird teach us about how people cope with issues of race and class? Do you classify people in your world as different "folks?" Do you see those sort of distinctions today? 
Differences in between races has always existed, and people dismiss other by their skin colour, Scout tell us in "TKM" how it was, even for kids, how society banned black people. I believe though racism isn't that bad now days, there's still a thought of superiority from white folks against black, "my world's" people isn't that different, they tell racist jokes, also class jokes, I think it's the feeling of being superior what makes human go through that, is to see the other is suffering and he is less than me, so I'm important, or more important, so "Hey, here I am, I shall pass before because I'm white...!"

7. Who is your favorite character from part 1 and why? 
My favorite character? Atticus, because he is the voice of the reason, he is the one that makes me read the book knowing not every person is trash in that town, that thinks everyone has got rights, pride, honor. He is a wise old man with hiding tricks, that's always there for Scout and Jem, to protect them, to teach them and to help them grow into good folks.

Interhouses debates

As a tradition in my school the english interhouse debates were developed on this week with the British Week. For a better understanding there are four houses: Somerscales, Mackay, Robertson and last but not least Sutherland. The school gives you one when you enter and it's for all your school life and family. I'm from the yellow house: Sutherland, one of the first headmasters of the school (the creator of the School with Peter Mackay)... but I wont tell you the story of my school (which is very intresting), that's your homework, though I'll tell you about the happenings.
There are many competitions in between the houses during the year as arts, music, DEBATE, sports, math, ortography... and we (Sutherland debate team, which I'm part of) went to second place with Mackay as winners, for me it was a great time and I couldn't decide wether of the houses won, eventhough we loss. The first debate we won against Robertson, I can say it was very easy, and allthough I didn't speaked I was the master mind for the first debate structure and arguments.

Hope next time I'm in!

To Kill a Mockingbird First chapter analysis

1. What do you learn in this chapter about Maycomb, Atticus Finch and his family?
Maycomb is a city in Alabama, U.S.A.. It's an old small town, with not many childrens but Scout and Jem. Scout (Jean) is sister of Jem, both sons of Atticus Finch, coming from a wealthy family. The mother of both child died when Jean was two years old (so she barely remembers her, not so Jem) and there's a afroamerican maid called Calpurnia.

2. Describe Calpurnia as Scout depicts her in Chapter 1.
She's an afroamerican woman very tyranical (according to Scout), though kinder in the next chapters, and always argues against Jean.      

3. What does Dill dare Jem to do? 
The first summer the siblings met Dill he dares Jem to go on Boo Radley's porch so that he would come out; to see Boo was the great wish and desire of Dill, as it was a mixture of mistery and death.

4. The townspeople of Maycomb have some fears and superstitions about the Radley place. Describe these fears and superstitions.
Some fears? almost everybody feared Boo Radley's house (according to Scouts view), people wouldn't talk about them and their story. They always had their doors closed and no one except the father of Boo was seen in the place, even he wouldn't talk to anyone. The childrens would make up stories of murders and that they had Boo in the basement chained.
5. How important is bravery to Jem?
Is one of the most important things to him, he would never show he was afraid and less in front of her little sister.

6. What do you notice about the narrative voice and viewpoint of the story?
The narrative voice is Scout, so the whole story is looked through an inocent and childish point of view, without really taking serious what was racism, raping and all the important themes in the book.