Illustration of a bird perched on a scale of justice

To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

Start Free Trial

To Kill a Mockingbird Questions on Mrs. Dubose

To Kill a Mockingbird Study Tools

Take a quiz Ask a question Start an essay

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, characters such as Mrs. Dubose and Bob Ewell offensively use the 'N' word. Mrs. Dubose uses it to insult Atticus and place him at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Bob...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus views Mrs. Dubose as a "great lady" due to her determination to overcome her drug addiction despite the pain and imminent end of her life. He admires her courage and willingness to fight for...

7 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill A Mockingbird chapter 11, Mrs. Dubose calls Scout an "ugly girl" because she disapproves of Scout's overalls and manners. She believes little girls should not look or act like boys,...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

The camellias in To Kill a Mockingbird symbolize Mrs. Dubose's courage and the fight against personal demons. They represent her struggle to overcome her morphine addiction, epitomizing the theme of...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Three-adjective descriptions of characters in To Kill a Mockingbird could include Mrs. Dubose, who is irritable, offensive, and courageous; Miss Maudie Atkinson, who is friendly, down-to-earth, and...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus tolerates Mrs. Dubose in To Kill a Mockingbird by showing her understanding and compassion despite her insults, knowing she suffers from a morphine addiction. He remains polite and...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

In chapters 11 and 12 of To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem and Scout learn the hidden reality that the seemingly nasty Mrs. Dubose is a woman of great courage, fighting to beat a morphine addiction before...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

Despite their differences, Atticus Finch and Mrs. Dubose in To Kill a Mockingbird share traits of courage, determination, and self-control. Both face significant challenges head-on: Mrs. Dubose...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout, Jem, and Atticus are round characters. They exhibit complex personalities, emotional depth, and significant development throughout the narrative. Additionally,...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

Mrs. Dubose upsets Jem by calling Atticus no better than the Black people and trash he works for. Scout finds it worse than other insults because it's the first time she hears such derogatory...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

In her drug-addled state, Mrs. Dubose had become filled with hate, even toward those--like Atticus--who loved her most. Unrepentantly racist and still living in the past, Mrs. Dubose despised...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee does not specify Mrs. Dubose's exact age, but Scout describes her as "very old" and implies she could be in her early nineties based on historical context. Her...

5 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

A thesis statement about courage in To Kill a Mockingbird could be: "Courage in To Kill a Mockingbird is demonstrated through the characters' willingness to stand up for what is morally right,...

4 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Mrs. Dubose is a morphine addict. She knows she is about to die. She wants to die free from addiction to that drug. However, because of her great pain, this is difficult to do. The kids coming to...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Basically, Mrs. Dubose fought her addiction by toughing it out.  She just overcame her problem by sheer will power. One thing that helped her was having Jem and Scout come and read to...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

One of the primary lessons Scout learns from Atticus concerns perspective, and Scout exercises perspective by standing in other peoples' shoes at various moments in the novel. This, in turn,...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Mrs. Dubose is an old lady that Jem visits as a punishment for ruining her flowers.  Here are some adjectives, or describing words, for her. ...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

In Chapter 11, Mrs. Dubose criticizes Atticus for defending Tom Robinson and adds some racist comments. She also criticizes the Finch family. In their experiences with her, Jem and Scout simply see...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

Mrs. Dubose is the meanest old lady ever. Scout describes Mrs. Dubose as “plain hell” because she picks on the children.  Mrs. Dubose lived two doors up the street from us; neighborhood...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

Jem and Scout have many run ins with Mrs. Dubose. The children don't like her at all, and when she makes a nasty comment about Atticus defending Tom Robinson, Jem messes up her camellia bush. For...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, "Snow-on-the-Mountain" represents the pervasive racism and the struggle against it. Mrs. Dubose's camellia, a "Snow-on-the-Mountain," symbolizes the entrenched prejudice in...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee introduces Mrs. Dubose in To Kill a Mockingbird to illustrate themes of courage and moral integrity. Through her struggle with a morphine addiction, Mrs. Dubose demonstrates true bravery,...

4 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Jem and Scout's childhood innocence is symbolized by the appearance of mystery in their town, which is further developed by the characters of Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley.

4 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Jem and Scout loathe walking down Mrs. Dubose's street because she is often on the porch, hurling insults their way. An elderly lady confined to a wheelchair, Mrs. Dubose is a peevish neighbor, who...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

After Jem cuts all the blossoms off of her flowers, Mrs. Dubose asks that he and Scout should be required to come to her house quite often.  She asks that they come six times each week for a...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus speaks about the necessity of looking at things through someone else’s eyes. This is a lesson that Scout has to learn the hard way in her dealings with other children at school and with...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In the case of the Radley house, neighborhood rumors and gossip have surrounded it with an air of mystery. Miss Stephanie Crawford, among others, has told tales of how Boo Radley was kept in the...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

The conflict between Mrs. Dubose and Jem and Scout is similar to the schoolyard fights Scout faces when Atticus makes the decision to defend Tom Robinson. All of these conflicts parallel the most...

1 educator answer

To Kill a Mockingbird

By the last week that Scout and Jem go to Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's house to read to her, Scout realizes that Mrs. Dubose manages to stay awake and coherent "for nearly two hours with no...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Mrs. Dubose is a paradoxical character throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird because she displays both positive and negative personality traits. A paradox can be defined as a situation,...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

The children's fear and hatred of Mrs. Dubose stem from her harsh, racist comments and intimidating demeanor. She frequently insults their father, Atticus Finch, for defending a Black man, which...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Making Jem read to Mrs. Dubose as a means to make amends for destroying her flowers is the lesson he first and foremost wants to teach.  No matter how angry someone makes you, you shouldn't...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout Finch is curious and outspoken in the early chapters, reflecting her innocence and naivety. As the story progresses, she becomes more empathetic and aware of social...

2 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Mrs. Dubose makes derogatory remarks about Atticus Finch's parenting, lamenting that his children, Scout and Jem, run wild since their mother's death. She praises their...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem Finch is punished for destroying Mrs. Dubose's camellia bushes by reading to her daily. Unbeknownst to Jem, this helps her battle a morphine addiction. Jem and Scout...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Mrs. Dubose exemplifies true courage as defined by Atticus Finch, who considers her the bravest person he knew. Despite being terminally ill and addicted to morphine, Mrs....

11 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem's interactions with Mrs. Dubose significantly contribute to his maturation. Initially, Jem sees her as a mean, racist neighbor, but his perspective evolves after he is...

8 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Mrs. Dubose's insults about Atticus deeply anger Jem. She criticizes Atticus for defending Tom Robinson, saying, "Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee explores the theme of deceptive appearances through various characters and situations. Boo Radley, initially perceived as a frightening recluse, turns out to be a...

8 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, isolation is a prominent theme affecting various characters and settings. Boo Radley is physically isolated in his home due to past transgressions, while Mayella Ewell is...

3 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird explores the themes of tolerance and intolerance through the teachings and actions of Atticus Finch, who instills moral education in his children, emphasizing empathy and...

4 educator answers

To Kill a Mockingbird

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the Golden Rule, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you," is exemplified through various characters' actions. In Chapter 8, the community helps Miss...

10 educator answers