Did the children truly give Boo, "nothing"?

At the end of the novel, Scout remarks that “Boo gave us a broken watch, two dolls, and our lives ...neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad” (320). In fact, they never even got to put the thank you note inside the oak tree.

Is this true, however? Did they realize give nothing to Boo? Please support your response.

Epiphanies: Learning Something New Every Day

As Melissa so adorably said, "I want to read Mockingbird again; I think I read a different book this summer!". After discussing TKM in class, what is your favorite epiphany or revelation? What symbol, motif, or stylistic device have you found the coolest ? What passage did you reread for class that you missed the meaning of before? Share with the rest of us, please!

Study Group for Part One of Test: Hypocrisies and Secrets

To help you prepare for the short essays, I am setting up this thread. Identify examples of secrets or hypocritical statements/ beliefs/ actions from the first part of the novel. Why are they important to a theme of the book?

Debate #1: Name that Protagonist!

Obviously, Jean Louise Finch narrates the story...but is she the protagonist? Which character does Harper Lee put the most emphasis on in terms of character development and growth? Dialogue with each other...just remember to be courteous with your classmates!

Shhhhh! It's a secret! Mrs. Fischer's Forum #2

Secrets and hypocrisies are among the many motifs of To Kill a Mockingbird. While considering this perspective, explain what Miss Maudie means when she says, "The things that happen to people, we never really know." To whom does this quote apply in the novel. Prove it!

Favorite Classroom Moments

It happens to everyone: words get jumbled between the brain and mouth, we enter into a conversation a moment too late... or we are simply confused. Ironically, these are the moments that help us remember the important information from class; laughter is a powerful learning tool. This is an opportunity to remember the special moments, lessons, activities, characters, and, of course, the miscommunications from our class. Help me to keep track of them and I will compile these into a booklet at the end of the year. Please remember that class rules apply: I will not tolerate any malicious attacks on any student or teacher. This is not meant to poke fun at anyone; it is meant in a spirit of reliving the occasional happy moment in our very special circle of hell :-)

Random Musings: Quarter 2

A forum for questions and commentaries. If you have a question about an assignment or you didn't have your voice heard in a class discussion, please share here!