TKAM Chapter 18 Discussion Qs

What is about Mayella that makes Scout think of the red geraniums in the front yard? Cite a specific quote from the text in your answer.

Why do you think Mayella is scared of Atticus?

Scout observes that there was “something stealthy” about Mayella’s testimony and compares it to “a steady-eyed cat with a twitchy tail”(206). What do you think this image suggests about Mayella?

Why do you think Mr. Gilmer refers to Atticus as “big bad Mr. Finch”(206)? Does his tone seem serious or sarcastic?

Why does Mayella think Atticus is making fun of her? What does this suggest about the way she is used to being treated?

What does Scout realize about the way her father is questioning Mayella? What details about her home life are particularly sad? Do you feel sorry for her?

Analyze Mayella’s responses, including her body language, to Atticus’s questions about her father. What can you imply about the way that Mr. Ewell treats his daughter?

What question does Mayella have a difficult time answering? Why do you think she hesitates? Cite a specific quote from the text to support your answer.

What is evident once Tom Robinson stands up? What aspects of Mr. Ewell and Mayella’s testimony does his appearance immediately call into question?

When Mayella begins to cry, Scout observes that, “Somehow, Atticus had hit her hard in a way that was not clear to me, but it gave him no pleasure to do so”(214). How did Atticus get to Mayella? Why would it have “brought him no pleasure”?