1. When Aunt Alexandria forbids Scout from associating with Walter Cunningham because she deems him "trash," Scout and Jem discuss family backgrounds and what differentiates one type of family from another in Maycomb. Jem explains to Scout: "There's four kinds of folks in the world. There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes... Background doesn't make Old Family... I think it's how long your family's been readin' and writin'." Scout disagrees, stating, "I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks." Which character do you believe reflects the author's viewpoint, Scout or Jem? Provide examples from the book.

2. Investigate race relations in the South during the 1930s. Does Lee accurately portray the social tensions of that era? Research and report on specific instances of racially motivated discrimination, protest, and violence in Alabama during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Do you believe that white racists in the South faced consequences for their oppression of Black people during this period of social upheaval?

3. Watch the film To Kill a Mockingbird and compare it to the novel. Which version do you prefer, and why? Note what the director includes or omits from the book and analyze the director's interpretation of the story.

4. Boo Radley's character is like a puzzle that the children piece together throughout the novel. Trace Boo's character development from Scout's initial description of him as a monster to his eventual appearance as a gentle, heroic figure in the final chapters. Explain his significance in the novel.

5. Midway through the novel, Atticus is asked to shoot a rabid dog—Tim Johnson, considered the "pet of Maycomb"—that poses a threat to the community. Discuss the symbolic importance of this event and relate it to the moment when Jem and Scout receive air rifles as gifts, and Atticus tells them, "I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

6. When Scout discovers that women in Alabama are not allowed to serve on juries, she becomes "indignant." Atticus tries to calm her by saying, "I guess it's to protect our frail ladies from sordid cases like Tom's. Besides... I doubt it he'd ever get a complete case tried—the ladies'd be interrupting to ask questions." Is Atticus being entirely sincere or slightly sarcastic in his explanation? Using his response to Scout as a starting point, analyze Lee's portrayal of women in the novel. Focus particularly on Miss Maudie Atkinson, Aunt Alexandria, Calpurnia, and Mayella Ewell, but also consider Lee's depiction of minor characters to illustrate the setting and themes of her novel.

7. A crucial and intensely dramatic moment unfolds when Scout, Jem, and Dill rush into a hostile crowd of men intent on forcing Atticus to abandon his post guarding the jail, allowing them to lynch Tom. Atticus is deeply concerned for the children's safety, but Scout manages to disperse the mob, preventing any violence. Describe what Scout achieves in this scene, how she achieves it, and why it holds significance for the overall narrative.