Chapter+10

During this chapter Atticus' children describe their point of view about him, they say he is very old 'nearly 50'. They also explain how he is very boring and doesnt do anything fun or have any talent. Miss Maudie tried to change the childrens mind however this didnt work. They found a neighbor, Tim Johnsons dog near the street and it was limping around as though it was sick and in pain. Calpurnis believed it was a mad dog, however the mad dogs usually come around august and it was only februeary. She called everyone in the neighborhood and told them to lock their doors so the 'mad dog' couldnt get in. She then called Atticus and he came home from work right away with the sheriff, Mr Heck Tate. Atticus shot the dog eventually which really shocked the children. They then realised that Atticus was useful and not completely boring after all.

-Scout says that "Atticus was feeble". Do you think that this is her view as she tells the story of her view when she was younger? Does she still think this after the events recorded in this chapter? Scout thought atticus was feeble when she was younger, however after seeing him shoot the dog she then realised he was not as old and boring as she had always thought.

-In this chapter Atticus tells his children that "Its a sin to kill a mockingbird". What reason does he give for this? Miss Maudie's reason for this was that 'Mockingbirds dont do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They dont eat up peoples gardens, they dont do one thing buut sing their hearts out for us. Thats why its a sin to kill a Mockingbird'.

-Why does Heck Tate not want to shoot Tim Johnson? Heck had not shot anything in 30 years and he would have shot the Radleys house if he missed the dog.

-Near the end of this chapter Atticus cuts of Heck Tate as he is speaking to Jem. What might heck have been about to say? and why would atticus want to stop him from saying it? Atticus did not want the kids to find out what he had been doing. he may have been afraid of what they would think of him and how they would take it. Jem also really liked shooting but Atticus told him he would only like him to shoot tin cans. Jem probably wouldnt have thought it was very fair if he was only allowed to shoot tin cans and his father was going out shooting all kinds of things.

-Jem and Scout have different views about telling people at school how well Atticus can shoot. Explain this difference. Which view is closer to your own? Scout was very excited to tell people at school that her dad could shoot however Jem believed there must have been a reason for why their dad had never told them and maybe they were not supposed to know so he thought it would be best to keep quiet about it. My response would have been the same as Jems as their father had no choice but to let them see what was happening and maybe he did not want them to know!

Words you may not understand. Feeble: Physically weak from age or sickness; frail.

Quotes 'I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, 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.' That was the only time i ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and i asked Miss Maudie about it. 'Your fathers right,' she said. 'Mockingbirds dont do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They dont eat up people's gardens, dont nest in corncribs, they dont do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.'