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Copywork
About This Passage
Selected for thematic weight — this is one of the most important things Atticus ever says about why he is taking the case, and Lee makes it small and quiet so it feels like a rule for life rather than a speech.
Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Tell someone what happened in this chapter in order. When you get to the most important part, slow down and tell it carefully — what happened, why it mattered, and what you think about it.
Discussion Questions
- Cecil Jacobs tells Scout that her father defends 'niggers' and that she should be ashamed. Atticus has told Scout not to fight, but Scout very much wants to. Was Atticus right to tell Scout not to fight, or should Scout have been allowed to defend her father with her fists? What in the story makes you think so?
- Atticus tells Scout that his case is one he 'cannot win.' He still takes the case anyway. Why would a person take a job they know they cannot win? What in the story makes you think so?
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Critical Thinking
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