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Copywork
About This Passage
In this short speech Atticus tells his sister that Calpurnia is not a worker she can dismiss but a member of the Finch family. Lee builds the moment from one quiet sentence to the next: Cal stays as long as she wants, the years she has given the house cannot be replaced, and the family already includes her. The sentence 'She's a faithful member of this family' is the chapter's plain answer to a long, hidden question about who counts as family at the Finches'.
Calpurnia’s not leaving this house until she wants to. You may think otherwise, but I couldn’t have got along without her all these years. She’s a faithful member of this family and you’ll simply have...
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell the chapter back in three parts. First, what happens when Scout asks if she can visit Calpurnia. Second, what happens when Scout finds something warm and alive under her bed. Third, what Scout and Dill talk about late at night when the house is finally quiet.
Discussion Questions
- What in the story shows you that Aunt Alexandra wants to send Calpurnia away, and how can you tell that Atticus does not agree with her?
- When Scout asks Atticus what a hard word means, Atticus gives her a serious answer instead of brushing her off. What in the story makes you think Atticus believes children should be told the truth about hard things, even when other grown-ups would not answer?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
The sister of one of your parents
Item 2
A group of people who live together and care for one another
Item 3
A building where a family lives
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Critical Thinking
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