Reading Comprehension Template

1. Author

1.1. Harper Lee

1.2. April 28,1926- living

1.3. American

1.4. She grew up in Monroevill, Alabama. Her parents are Francis Cunningham Finch and Amasa Coleman Lee. She has two sisters Alice Lee and Louise Lee Conner and one brother Edwin Lee. She wrote To Kill A Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman.

2. General Info

2.1. 1960

2.2. Novel

2.3. English

2.4. Maycomb County, 1930s

3. Plot

3.1. Atticus Finch can't decide whether or not he's going to represent Tom Robinson after Bob Ewell accuses him of raping his daughter Mayella.

3.2. Scout and Jem are taunted by kids at school because their dad is representing Tom Robinson.

3.3. Atticus clearly proves that Tom isn't guilty in court

3.4. Tom Robinson is found guilty

3.5. Jem doesn't think the discion is fair and him and Atticus discuss it. Bob Ewell spits on Atticus.

3.6. Boo Radley comes out of his house to protect Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell

4. Themes, Allusions & Symbols

4.1. Fear is a theme because Atticus is scared to represent Tom.

4.2. A mockingbird is a symbol throughout the book that represents as someone's innocence being taken away by evil.

4.3. An allusion is "no mother to buy it with" an allusion to the great depression.

5. Characters

5.1. Scout Finch is a tomboy and loves to play games with her brother and would rather get into fights than solve her problems with reason.

5.2. Jem Finch is Scout's older brother and protects Scout throughout the story and never backs out of a dare.

5.3. Bob Ewell is a poor white in Maycomb, he hates Atticus Finch, and racist towards black people.

6. Vocabulary

6.1. Section 1

6.1.1. "Being Southerners, it was a source of shame to some members of the family that we had no recorded ancestry on either side of the Battle of Hastings." Southerners- people who live in the south

6.1.2. "Atticus's office in the courthouse contained little more than a hat rack, a spittoon, a checkerboard and an unsullied Code of Alabama." Unsullied- not spoiled or made impure

6.2. Section 2

6.2.1. "Atticus shook his head vehemently: "Don't just stand there, Heck!" Vehemently- In a fierce manner

6.2.2. "Uncle Jack gallantly bowed me to the bathroom." Gallantly- In a heroic or brave manner

6.3. Section 3

6.3.1. "His appetite was appalling, and he told me so many times to stop pestering him I consulted Atticus: ' Reckon he's got a tapeworm?"" Reckon- Expect, believe, or suppose

6.3.2. "I realized that this was not a tactful question." Tactful- Having a sense of what is considerate in dealing with others

6.4. Section 4

6.4.1. "We squandered our first nickels on the House of Horrors, which scared us not at all" Squandered- Spend thoughtlessly; throw away

6.4.2. "As I said it, I half pointed to the man in the corner, but brought my arm down quickly lest Atticus reprimand me for pointing." Reprimand- Censure severely or angrily

7. Summary

7.1. Scout Finch is girl who lives in Maycomb, Alabama who has a brother named Jem. Their dad is the town lawyer who's name is Atticus Finch. Their mom died of a heart attack when Jem was about 6 years old. A boy named Dill visited Maycomb for the summer and dared Jem to go knock on Boo Radley's door. Boo Radley is the man every one is scared in the town. He got himself in trouble and instead of going to jail was locked in a basement for 15 years and people say he looks into windows at night. Jem did the dare and he got his pants stuck on the fencing around the house. Scout and Dill got away fine but Jem had to back and get his pants. He almost got shot and caught by Atticus.

7.2. The trial that Atticus is in begins. He has to defend a black man who was accused of raping a white woman. The black man's name is Tom Robinson and the woman that he supposedly raped is Mayella Ewell. The man prosecuting Tom Robinson is Bob Ewell, Mayella's dad.

7.3. Tom Robinson is found guilty and ends up dying on his way to jail. He tried to run away but he got shot. Men were planning on killing him outside of the court house, but Atticus settled most of the crowd by the time Tom Robinson was being transported to jail.

7.4. Jem and Scout were walking home from a Halloween costume party and Bob Ewell attacked them. He broke Jem's arm and gave him a concussion. Boo Radley saved the both of them by killing Bob Ewell.