"Children of the Mountains" and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Atticus told Scout that “the Ewell’s had been a disgrace to Maycomb for generations...They were people, but they lived like animals” (40).  Readers find out that the Ewells live on the corner of the town garbage dump, often living without food, clean clothing, or money.  This is quite similar to the families viewed in “A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains.” 

 Mayella Ewell accuses an innocent man, of a horrible crime. This is a harsh, mean action, which would lead a reader to thinking that she is a terrible person. But, even though Mayella lies on the witness stand, she still can be seen as a sympathetic character. Perhaps one of the most shocking things about Mayella is that she is different from the rest of her family. She “[looks] as if she [tries] to keep clean” and has a flower garden that is “cared for as tenderly as if [it] belonged to Maudie Atkinson” in their otherwise disgusting yard (179) (171). This shows her kindness and thoughtfulness. 

Knowing this, why should readers sympathize (as Atticus does) with Mayella Ewell?

Why do you think she makes the decisions she makes in relation to going along with the trial?

What strategies does the author use to make sure readers will feel some sympathy toward her? Do you?

"Incident" by County Cullen

Once riding in old Baltimore,
    Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
    Keep looking straight at me.

Now I was eight and very small,
    And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
    His tongue, and called me, "Nigger."

I saw the whole of Baltimore
    From May until December;
Of all the things that happened there
    That's all that I remember.

What influence(s) has the white child had that would lead him to speak this way to another child? Explain.

How/where does the mood of the poem change? Why?

What does the speaker mean when he says "he saw all of Baltimore" once he was called a "nigger"? What could this mean?

Which young characters in TKAM does this poem connect to (text-to-text)? Explain this connection using evidence from both works.

Found Poem

Post your Found Poem for chapters 15/16 here!  Be sure to comment on/respond to a classmate!

Essential Question

THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION TO EXPLORE THROUGHOUT OUR NOVEL IS LISTED BELOW.  WHEN CREATING YOUR RESPONSE, BE SURE TO USE SPECIFIC EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT.

How do relationships with friends, family, and community influence Scout and the person she is becoming?