The Mystery of Boo Radley

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee sets up Boo Radley's character to keep the reader guessing and wondering what his true nature might be.

What do you know so far about Boo Radley?
In what ways is he scary and in what ways does the author make you think he might not be as bad as Scout originally thinks?
What are the facts and rumors about Boo Radley put forth at the beginning of the book, in chapter 1? Why are the children fascinated by Boo Radley?

Write two paragraphs about what you know about Boo Radley so far in the book. What do you think is really going on with this character? Describe how the author makes Boo Radley mysterious and intriguing. Address all or most of the questions above in your two paragraphs.

Due Monday, December 12.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Social Enviornment

As you know, setting refers to the time and location where a story takes place. Another aspect of setting that you may not have studied in middle school is the social environment created by time and place. For this blog post, use your notes on what makes up the social environment aspect of setting and write about both the social environment in To Kill a Mockingbird and the social environment in Olympia High School.

For your first paragraph, describe the setting of the novel. Where is it set? When is it set? How would you describe the social environment? Describe at least three items from the bulleted list in your notes (for example, gender roles, customs, and traditions.) Use evidence from the novel to support your description of the setting.

For your second paragraph, write about the social environment of Olympia High School. Again, describe at least three items from the bulleted list. Compare our culture at Olympia High School to the culture of the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama.

Due Monday, December 5.