Question

to kill a mockingbird

1. describe some of the rumors surrounding the radley house and its inhabitant. how does the reader know that some of the rumors are untrue and that fears concerning the house may be unfounded?

1. beginning with the line, \the misery of that house began many years before jem and i were born,\ scout tells the reader the sad history of the radley family. briefly summarize what happened to the family.

1. how did the townspeople feel about the radley family? how did they view mr. radley in particular? provide quotes from the text to support your answer.

1. after dill wonders aloud what boo radley looks like, jem gives a description from his imagination. how does he describe boo? what image does his description evoke?

1. on what dramatic note does the chapter end? what do the kids do, and what is the result of their action?

Explanation:

For Question 9:

Rumors include Boo Radley peeking in windows, poisoning pecans, and being a violent monster. The reader learns some are untrue through small, kind acts: Boo leaves gifts in the tree, mends Jem's torn pants, and covers Scout with a blanket during the fire—these show he is gentle, not a threat.

For Question 10:

The Radleys were a strict, reclusive family. Arthur "Boo" Radley got in trouble with teens as a boy; his father locked him inside the house for years instead of sending him to a reform school. After Mr. Radley died, Nathan Radley moved in and continued isolating Boo, keeping him trapped inside the home.

For Question 11:

Townspeople feared and ostracized the Radleys for their reclusiveness, seeing them as strange and unapproachable. They viewed Mr. Radley as a harsh, unforgiving man. Quotes:

• On the family: "The Radleys, welcome anywhere in town, kept to themselves, a predilection unforgivable in Maycomb."
• On Mr. Radley: "Mr. Radley was a foot-washing Baptist... he believed any pleasure was a sin."

For Question 12:

Jem describes Boo as having a "long jagged scar that ran across his face," yellow, rotten teeth, popping eyes, and drool constantly running down his chin. This evokes the image of a terrifying, monstrous outcast, fitting the town's exaggerated rumors about him.

For Question 13:

The chapter ends with the kids sneaking onto the Radley property to peek in a window. Nathan Radley fires a shotgun at them, thinking they're a trespassing Negro. The kids flee; Jem gets his pants stuck on the Radley fence and has to leave them behind.

Answer:

1. Rumors: Boo peeks in windows, poisons pecans, is a violent monster. Truth clues: Boo leaves gifts, mends Jem's pants, covers Scout in a fire, proving he is gentle.
2. Boo was locked inside by his strict father after a teen incident; Nathan Radley continued isolating him after Mr. Radley's death.
3. Townspeople feared/ostracized the Radleys for being reclusive; they saw Mr. Radley as harsh. Supporting quotes: "The Radleys, welcome anywhere in town, kept to themselves, a predilection unforgivable in Maycomb." and "Mr. Radley was a foot-washing Baptist... he believed any pleasure was a sin."
4. Jem describes Boo with a facial scar, yellow rotten teeth, popping eyes, and drool. This evokes a terrifying, monstrous outcast image.
5. The chapter ends with Nathan Radley firing a shotgun at the kids. They snuck to peek in the Radley window; Jem loses his pants fleeing the shot.