To Kill a Mockingbird — Chapter 14

Narration Prompt

Trace the chapter as a sequence of household ruptures: Aunt Alexandra's settling-in, Scout's interrogation about Calpurnia and the trial, Alexandra's attempt to dismiss Cal, Atticus's refusal, the Scout-Jem fight, and Dill's emergence from beneath the bed. What internal logic links these episodes?

Discussion Questions

1. Atticus tells Alexandra, '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 to accept things the way they are.' Examine the specific words 'faithful member of this family.' What is Atticus claiming about kinship that Alexandra's pedigree theory cannot accommodate, and why must he stake the claim in front of the children rather than in private?
2. When Scout asks Calpurnia what rape is and Cal sends her to Atticus, Atticus answers with 'carnal knowledge of a female by force and without consent.' Lee gives us no scene of Cal hesitating or softening the question for a child. What does the contrast between Cal's deferral and Atticus's plain definition reveal about how each adult conceives of Scout's readiness for adult truths?

+ 2 more questions in the complete study guide