American Novels
This month-long
course will meet twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-12 a.m., June
10th through July 3rd. During class, we will spend one
week per novel, discussing major themes, characters and ideas. Students will
also view suggested film versions of the novels on their own and we will discuss
the directors interpretation versus the written page. Students will be
expected to have novels read and discussion questions answered prior to the
appropriate discussion. Two papers will be written over the course of the
month, due 6/20 and 7/7 by midnight.
On Tuesdays, we will
discuss the novels and on Thursdays, we will discuss the film versions of the
novels, so students will need to have viewed the appropriate film version by
Thursday's class meeting. The following schedule is more specific:
Tuesday, June 10th: The
Scarlet Letter novel discussion
Thursday, June 12th:
The Scarlet Letter film discussion
Tuesday, June 17th: Huckleberry
Finn novel discussion
Thursday, Jun 19th: Huckleberry
Finn film discussion
**** First paper due,
Friday, June 20th by midnight, Pacific Standard Time****
Tuesday, June
24th: To Kill a Mockingbird novel discussion
Thursday, June 26th: To
Kill a Mockingbird film discussion
Tuesday, July 1st: The
Chosen novel discussion
Thursday, July 3rd: The
Chosen film discussion
**** Second paper
due, Monday, July 7th by midnight, Pacific Standard Time****
BOOKS AND REQUIRED FILM VERSIONS:
1. The Scarlet
Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850)
A story of the
destructive impact of adultery set in early America.
Film version: 1979
version, WGBH Boston Video, directed by Rick Hauser. This version is hard to
find in a rental store, but you will probably find it at the public library. If
not, you can purchase it through Amazon for about 20 dollars.
*Please do NOT view
the version starring Demi Moore.
2.
Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain (1885)
Huck runs away from
home, accompanied by an escaped slave, with whom he develops a deep friendship.
Film version: 1993
version starring Elijah Wood (a.k.a. Frodo Baggins). You should be able to rent
this at any video store.
3. To Kill a
Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A small town in the
South is torn apart by the alleged rape of a white girl by a black man.
Film version: 1962
version, starring Gregory Peck. This video is also easy to find.
4. The
Chosen
by Chaim Potok (1967)
Two Jewish boys
develop an unlikely friendship after being on rival baseball teams.
Film version: 1982
version starring Robby Benson. This version is out of print and hard to find
for purchase or rent, but the public library would be a good place to look for
it. You can find it on e-bay sometimes, too.
Please contact Mrs.
Hinrichs at christy@hinrichs.org with
further questions.
Paper Topics
You will write two papers during the class. There
will be some flexibility about your paper topic, but if you choose to do
something different than suggested, please clear your topic with me first. Both
papers should be 750-1000 words each.
1. One paper needs to be about a novel and a film
version. In this paper, you will come up with a thesis concerning how the
film captures (or fails to capture) the spirit of the novel. Different
elements of film you should think about addressing are listed in the
"Discussion Questions for ALL films" below. You don't need to
address every aspect mentioned below, but please make sure to really delve into
the areas you choose to write about. Also, if you think that some parts of the
film capture the spirit of the novel and others don't, that's fine-- just be
sure to explain why you have these opinions.
2. The other paper needs to focus chiefly on one of the
novels. You can address a major theme, do a character analysis or
character comparison, etc. Please contact me with your specific
idea. You may not do a summary, which is just a retelling of the
story. In order to avoid summary, make sure you are using specific
examples from the book in order to illustrate your thesis statement.
** Please see the essay writing guide that I created for
the English Literature class: englitwritguide.htm
This will give you a clearer understanding of my expectations and more guidance
as you write your papers.
** Discussion
Questions for ALL films
It is best to
read a book before viewing a film. I would recommend viewing a film fairly
quickly after you have finished the book so as to have it fresh in your
mind. Take notes as you watch the movie. Examine the following as
you view the film:
- Characters:
Do the actors chosen fit what the author describes in physical appearance,
mannerism and speech?
- Settings:
Do the settings fit the descriptions from the book?
- Music:
Does it add to or detract from the story?
Be specific about why or why not.
- Camera
Usage: Is there special use of close-up, fade-out, angle, etc. which helps
add to what the author was trying to express? For example, why does To Kill a Mockingbird begin with
close-ups of the objects in Jems treasure box?
- Scene
Additions: Are there extra scenes or changed scenes?
Do you think they are in keeping with the spirit of the novel?
- Scene
Omissions: Are there scenes that were not included?
Why do you think they were omitted?
Do you think it helps the story to flow more smoothly on-screen, or
are there omissions that are problematic to the storyline and/or our
understanding of the characters?
The Scarlet Letter
Questions
Chapter 1
- Describe
the prison. What tone do the
physical descriptions of this building help create?
- What
does the speaker hope the rose blossom will symbolize?
- What
kind of a tale are we about to read?
Chapter 2
- Describe
the attitude of the people in front of the prison.
- Why
do you think Hawthorne describes the possible criminals that might walk out
of the prison, in light of who is about to come out?
- What
were women like then, according to Hawthorne?
- Describe
the old wives versus the young wives, particularly in their comments about
Hester.
- How
is Hester portrayed in our first glimpse of her?
- What
is she thinking of on the scaffold?
- What
is her punishment? Do you think
it is a fitting punishment? How
do you think it will affect Hester and the people around her?
Chapter 3
- What
do we discover about Hesters husbands whereabouts from the
townspeople? Where is he
really?
- What
is her husbands view of her punishment?
- How
does Hawthorne describe the clergy? What
does this tell us about his opinion of them?
- What
does Dimmesdale tell Hester will become of the partner of her crime if she
does not give his name? Do you
agree with him?
Chapter 4
- What
do we discover about Hester and Roger Prynnes marriage when
Chillingworth goes into the prison?
How does Hester feel about her sin?
- What
does Chillingworth vow to do? What do you think he means by Not thy
soul
No, not thine!
Chapter 5
- Why
is Hesters second exit from prison more difficult than the first?
- What
do you think Hawthorne means by describing Hester as a type of shame?
Look up the word type to see which definitions might apply.
- Why
does Hester choose to stay in New England, and what does this tell us about
her?
- What
does she do to earn a living? What
is the one thing she is never called upon to do? (p. 75)
- How
does Hester respond to the eyes gazing on the scarlet letter?
Does she grow callous over time?
What is she able to sense when people look at her letter?
- How
does Hester view her sin and herself? What
does the Bible say about our sins and Gods mercy?
Chapter 6
- Why
does Hester give Pearl the name Pearl?
(*side notehow are pearls created? If you dont know, please take time to find out and
see if you can make any parallels between that process and how Pearl impacts
the life of Hester)
- What
is Pearl like? How does she
respond to Hesters pain? What
reasons does Hawthorne give for why her personality is the way it is?
How does Hester dress her, and what are her reasons?
- What
words are used to describe Pearl? How
does this bias the reader?
- What
question is Pearl obsessed with? What
is Hesters response?
Chapter 7
- Why
does Hester go to Governor Bellinghams mansion?
- What
happens to Pearl on the way to the mansion?
- What
does the breastplate do to the scarlet letter? Why do you think this detail is included?
- What
do you think Hester means when
she says, Thou must gather thine own sunshine. I have none to give
thee. (p. 92)
- How
is the rosebush mentioned in this chapter?
Chapter 8
- What
does Governor Bellingham describe Pearl as?
- Who
is at the mansion?
- Why
has Chillingworth befriended Dimmesdale?
- How
does Pearl respond to the catechism questions from Mr. Wilson?
- What
has changed about Chillingworths appearance? Continue to keep track of
his appearance and its changes versus those of Hester and Dimmesdale
throughout the remainder of the book. What
do these changes tell us about these characters?
- Why
does Dimmesdale argue that Hester must keep Pearl?
- Describe
the interchange between Pearl and Dimmesdale.
- How
does Hester reveal that Pearl IS her salvation as they leave the mansion?
Chapter 9
- Why
did Roger Prynne (Chillingworth) decide not to reveal his identity?
- Why
(in Hawthornes speculations) are there few doctors in the New World?
- Where
had Chillingworth honed his medical skills? How does this set him apart from the Puritans?
- What
is happening to Dimmesdale during this time? Why do you think he continues
to avoid confession?
- Describe
the friendship between the two men. Why
does Dimmesdale feel free in some of his conversation with
Chillingworth? What view does
this give us of the Puritans?
- Describe
the tapestries in Dimmesdales apartment. How do they connect to the rest
of the story?
- How
do the townspeople view Chillingworth?
How do they feel about Dimmesdale?
Chapter 10
- How
is Chillingworths quest for Dimmesdales secret described?
What effect does this have on our view of him?
- Both
men seem to be enslaved as a result of the sin of adultery. How does the
enslavement differ for each man?
- Describe
the weeds Chillingworth finds in the graveyard. What is his explanation of them?
- What
is Dimmesdales view of the confession of sin? How do his views connect to what you know of the
Bibles views of confession? (It
would be good to have some verses to discuss in class)
- What
reasons does Dimmesdale give for why someone might not confess to a
sin?
- What
does Pearl put on Hesters A?
- What
does Chillingworth get a glimpse of at the end of the chapter?
What is his response?
Chapter 11
- How
does Dimmesdale begin to feel towards Chillingworth? How does he continue to
act?
- Why
is Dimmesdale becoming more popular as a minister?
- Why
do you think he is unable to confess, even though he has tried more than
a hundred times?
Chapter 12
- Why
do you think Dimmesdale climbs the scaffold?
- What
happens with Hester and Pearl?
- How
is Dimmesdale kept from presenting his sin to the town?
- What
is said about him when his glove is found on the scaffold?
Chapter 13
- Who
is the one person Hester feels linked to, and what is the link described as?
- Who
is she merciful to?
- How
does the perspective of the townspeople change toward Hester?
What do they say about the letter?
- The
worlds law is no law for her mind. What does this quote mean in
regards to Hester?
- What
holds her back from acting on her thoughts?
- What
does she resolve to do at the end of the chapter?
Chapter 14
- Who
does Hester accost at the beginning of the chapter?
- Who
does she think he has started to resemble?
- What
does Hester ask Chillingworth to do?
- What
does his response tell us about where he is spiritually?
- What
do you think he means by the comment, Let the black flower blossom as it
may? (p. 152)
Chapter 15
- How
does Hester feel towards Chillingworth?
- What
does she believe her greaquiz crime was? What impact does this view have on
her responsibility for her sin?
- Who
does she believe has committed the worst evil?
- What
descriptions of Pearl does Hawthorne use in this chapter?
- What
question does Pearl ask Hester and how does she respond?
Chapter 16
- Why
does Hester choose to meet Dimmesdale in the forest?
(Obviously, it would be silly for her to meet him in the center of
town, but think about some contrasts between nature and civilization,
especially in connection with Hester and Pearl.
What is life like for them when they are walking in the woods or by
the beach, as opposed to walking through town? )
- What
does Pearl continue to ask Hester about on their walk?
What tone does this set for the meeting with Dimmesdale?
- What
is Pearls observation about the sunshine? Compare it to her comment about sunshine at Governor
Bellinghams house. (p. 92)
Chapter 17
- What
is the tone of the meeting at first?
- When
Dimmesdale asks, Hast thou found peace?
how do he and Hester answer the question?
- What
does Hester confess to him?
- How
does Dimmesdale react to her news, at first?
- What
is his second reaction?
Chapter 18
- Hester
is described as having wandered in a moral wilderness (p. 174).
How does Hawthorne use descriptions of the nature around her in
connection with her own wild wanderings?
Does he condemn her in how he describes what she has done?
- How
does Hester symbolically show Dimmesdale that she is willing to follow
through on her suggestion to him to run away?
- How
is Pearl compared to the forest? How
does this connect to Hesters moral wilderness?
- What
physical changes come over Hester and Dimmesdale after they decide to
escape? How does nature correspond to their new mood?
Chapter 19
-
How is Pearl
described in this chapter?
- What
is Pearls reaction to seeing Hester without her letter?
What does Hester do?
- Why
do you think Pearl responds as she does to Dimmesdales kiss?
- Hawthorne
states that
the child and mother were estranged
(p. 182)
Why does he say this? What
is separating them?
Chapter 20
- Why
is Dimmesdale happy that they plan to leave in four days?
What does this tell us about him?
- How
does he physically change as he leaves the forest?
- How
has he mentally changed?
- Give
four examples of how he almost gets himself into trouble while walking
through town. What do these
example tell us about his state? What
do you think Hawthorne is saying about the Puritan view of morality?
- How
does Chillingworth respond to his patients newfound vigor?
- What
does Dimmesdale spend the night doing?
Chapter 21
- What
are Hesters mixed emotions at the beginning of the chapter?
- Why
is Pearl agitated?
- How
does Hawthorne show a contrast between this festival day and the somber days
in the past? How do the
townspeople respond to levity?
- How
does Chillingworth ruin Hesters plans?
Chapter
22
- How
has Dimmesdale changed physically, as seen when he is walking in the
procession?
- Why
does Hester want him to look at her as he marches by?
- What
does Mistress Hibbins say to Hester?
- Why
does Hesters letter become the center of attention once again?
- Why
is it significant that the youngest and only compassionate one among
the town wives is deceased? What
does this tell us about the situation Hester is in, as far as she is viewed
by the wives?
Chapter
23
- How
do the people respond to Dimmesdales sermon? How does this affect his physical appearance?
- Why
does Chillingworth try to stop him from confessing?
- What
does Dimmesdale show the people when he confesses?
- How
does Pearl react?
Overall questions:
1.Is Hawthorne
specifically criticizing Puritans, or do you think hes making comments about
human nature in general?
2. How does he describe
the main characters (Hester, Pearl, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth)?
How do these descriptions affect the readers view of each character?
In other words, who do we sympathize with?
3. What does Hawthorne
condemn most harshly in this book?
- How
do the townspeople view the main characters?
How does this affect the readers view?
- Pay
attention to physical appearances of people in this story.
How does Hawthorne use appearance to reveal what is inside the
characters and how he views them?
The Scarlet Letter
film questions
- How
does the film illustrate Pearls wild nature?
- The
set designer for this film says that the set is a 19th century
view of the 17th century. Is there anything you notice in the
film that might support this idea?
- How
is lightning used?
- How
is the pastors sermon at the start of Part II used to set the scene?
How does it help us to see the attitude of the townspeople?
- How
do the costumes reveal the character of the people? (i.e. Mistress
Bellingham versus Hester)
- Why
do you think the scene between Hester and Mistress Bellingham is added?
- How
does Governor Bellinghams mansion fit his character?
- Is
Dimmesdales humorous comment about Chillingworths providential arrival
in keeping with his (Ds) character in the novel?
(Did thunderclouds deposit you
)
- How
is Chillingworth physically made to fit the part of a man undergoing
spiritual decay? Can you see
any reason for Hester to have succumbed to marrying this man, as portrayed
in the film?
- How
do you like the high-tech special effects for the red comet?
J
- Why
do you think the childbirth scene is added in Part III?
- How
is Proverbs 31 used?
- How
does the music change between scenes in town and in the forest?
- The
book does not explicitly state that there is any kissing between Hester and
Dimmesdale. Do you think the
addition of kissing in the film adds anything to the storyline or is it a
distraction?
- Do
you think Dimmesdales preaching style (how he uses his voice, especially)
is in keeping with the Dimmesdale of the book?
- How
do the filmmakers give the Election Day scenes an air of levity as opposed
to the opening scene at the prison door and others?
Huckleberry Finn Questions
Overall ideas to look for throughout the book:
- Hucks
view of religions, both Christian and superstitious.
- Hucks
view of Jim and other blacks. How
do his views change in the way that he treats Jim and his thoughts on him?
- Hucks
view of life versus Tom Sawyers.
- Life
on the river versus life on islands and on the mainland.
Where are Huck and Jim most at peace and what interferes with that
peace?
- Twains
views of different people in society. Examine
the incidents he chooses to have Huck relate.
What do these incidents reveal about his view of these people? (Try
to look past what Huck saysTwain is often making comments that contradict
Hucks rather naïve (at times)views.)
- This
book has been banned many times due to use of the word nigger, as well
as the fact that Huck has not been considered an upstanding example for
young people. Also, there are
those who think this book is pro-slavery.
How do you support or defend these three arguments?
Chapter One
- What
is Hucks living situation and why does he dislike it?
- As
you read, pay attention to Hucks conversations with and thought about
those who profess to follow Christ or be religious. Why does Huck make the statements he makes?
Is he unjustified in his views?
Chapter Two
- What
does the run-in with Jim reveal about some of the local superstitions, as
well as how the boys view him?
- What
drives Tom Sawyers imagination? Why
doesnt Huck understand it?
Chapter Three
- What
are Hucks views of prayer?
- Why
does he lose interest in Toms gang?
Chapter Four
- Why
does Huck begin to be fearful?
- What
does he do with his money?
- Who
does he ask for a vision of the future? What does this reveal about what he
puts his faith into?
Chapter Five
- What
are some of the effective phrases used to describe Pap?
- How
does Pap feel about Hucks education?
- Why
is Huck returned to Paps custody? What
does the story of Paps reform reveal about Twains view of Pap
and those in society who attempt to reform such men?
Chapter Six
- What
is life like for Huck when he lives with Pap?
- Who
does Pap blame for his problems?
Chapter Seven
- How
does Huck outsmart Pap? What does this tell us about Hucks intellect?
How does it differ from Toms?
Chapter Eight
- Who
does Huck discover on the island?
- What
does Jim believe about his future? What
wealth does he currently possess and what does this tell us about the
views of the time concerning slaves?
Chapter Nine
- What
do Jim and Huck discover on the floating house?
Chapter Ten
- Why
does Jim think theyll have bad luck?
- What
trick does Huck play on Jim? What
does his response to the results of his trick reveal about his view of Jim?
Chapter Eleven
- How
successful is Huck in his attempt to be a girl?
- Why
do Huck and Jim leave the island?
- Think
about their life on the island. Were
they able to be at peace? Why
or why not?
Chapter Twelve
- What
does Huck mean by the term borrow?
- Describe
the situation with the men on the wrecked steamboat.
- How
are Jim and Huck placed in jeopardy?
Chapter Thirteen
- Who
does Huck say he is when hes discovered?
How does he get someone to look into the steamboat?
Chapter Fourteen
- What
does the conversation between Huck and Jim about kings, especially Solomon,
reveal about a. Hucks understanding of the facts and b. Jims common
sense?
- What
does the conversation about the French language reveal about Jim and
Hucks reasoning skills?
Chapter Fifteen
1.What happens to Huck and Jim and how does Huck explain it
to Jim?
2. What is his
response when Jim figures out the truth and what does this show us about
Hucks view of Jim?
Chapter Sixteen
- Whats
the story of the mysterious barrel? Why
do you think this incident is in the book?
Does it add anything to our understanding of Huck or life for people
on the river?
- Why
does Hucks conscience start to prick him?
- What
happens with Cairo? Why is
Cairo significant? Who or what
do Huck and Jim blame for their bad luck?
- What
happens to the raft?
***At this point, Twain set the novel down for several
years due to writers block. Think
about this fact as you read the rest of the novel.
Do you think the second half of it is in keeping with the spirit of the
first half?
Chapter Seventeen
- Who
are the Grangerfords?
- What
is Hucks reaction to his reading of Pilgrims Progress?
(If you arent familiar with that story, find a summary of it)
What does this tell us about his understanding of Christianity?
- What
was Emmeline Grangerford known for? From
Hucks descriptions, do you agree or disagree with his evaluation of her
talents?
Chapter Eighteen
- What
is Bucks explanation about feuds and how does he view the Shepherdson
familys bravery?
- What
is Hucks understanding of the sermon?
- What
does Huck find in Miss Sophias quizament?
- What
does Huck discover when he goes to see the water-moccasins?
- How
does Hucks time with the Grangerfords end? What is his first response to being back on the raft?
Chapter Nineteen
- What
is life like for them on the raft at first?
- What
interrupts it?
- Who
are the King and the Duke?
Chapter Twenty
- How
does the King benefit from the revival meeting?
- What
is Jims view of the royalty on the raft?
Chapter Twenty-One
1. How do the two men propose to
earn some money? What is their
understanding of Shakespeare? (If
you dont know Hamlets To be or not to be soliloquy, it would be good
to read it along with their version of it. J)
2.Describe the run-in between Boggs and Sherburn.
Why do you think Twain included this story?
Chapter Twenty-Two
- How
does Sherburn disperse the angry mob?
- What
is Hucks impression of the circus?
- What
is the towns response to the Shakespearean performance and how do the men
propose to get the audience back the next evening?
Chapter Twenty-Three
- What
is the Royal Nonesuch and how do the men get rich off of it and escape
with their lives, too?
- How
does Huck explain to Jim why the royal men traveling with them are such
rapscallions? How
accurate is his understanding of history?
- What
does Jim tell Huck about his daughter?
What effect does this story have on our view of Jim?
Chapter Twenty-Four
- What
plan is concocted to allow Jim to be seen on the raft?
- What
is the next scheme hatched by the two men?
- What
is Hucks view of it? When he
says, Im a nigger, what does he mean?
Chapter Twenty-Five
- How
do the Duke and the King deal with accusations that they are frauds?
Chapter Twenty-Six
- Why
doesnt Joanna (Harelip) believe Huck?
How do her sisters respond to her disbelief?
- What
does Huck decide to do?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
- Where
does Huck hide the money?
- Describe
the undertaker and the funeral.
- What
do the Duke and King do that upsets the girls?
- Who
does Huck blame for the theft?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
- Why
does Huck finally resort to telling the truth?
- What
happens at the end of the auction that appears to be a problem for the Duke
and the King?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
- What
circumstances appear to be in favor of the Duke and the King as they attempt
to prove they are not frauds?
-
What does Huck attempt to do after the body is taken out of the
ground and examined? How does he feel before the Duke and the King arrive?
Chapter Thirty
- How
do the Duke and King resolve their differences?
Chapter Thirty-One
- What
scheme do the Duke and King hatch concerning Jim?
- Pay
close attention to Hucks battle with his conscience.
What does this tell us about a. his view of salvation and sin and b.
his view of Jim? In other
words, what is he willing to give up in order to save Jims life?
From a biblical perspective, what would you tell Huck to ease his
conscience? Specific verses are
helpful. J
Chapter Thirty-Two
- How
does Huck explain his arrival to his aunt?
- Who
does he find out they think he is?
Chapter Thirty-Three
- How
does Huck intercept Tom? What
trick does Tom play on his aunt?
- Why
is Huck so shocked that Tom will help him set Jim free?
- What
happens to the Duke and the King?
- Closely
read the last paragraph of this chapter.
What does Huck believe about his conscience?
What conscience do you think he is referring to?
(his own, societys? etc.)
Chapter Thirty-Four
- How
do the boys find Jim? What
seems to control the slave who takes care of Jim?
Chapter Thirty-Five through
Thirty-Nine
- What
ideas does Tom have about rescuing Jim?
- How
do Huck and Jim feel about his plans? Why
does Huck go along with them?
Chapter Forty
1. How does the plan backfire on them?
2.How does Jim respond to the situation and what does this reveal about him?
3. On page 341, Huck says about Jim, "I knowed
he was white inside..." What does "white" mean to Huck?
Also, think about how Twain has portrayed the white people in this book.
Have we been given an admirable overall picture of white people?
Chapter Forty-One
- What
do the ladies in town think about Jim after they hear what was in his cabin?
What comment is Twain making about Tom through them?
- Why
doesnt Huck run off in the night to find Tom?
Chapter Forty-Two
- What
is the doctors view of Jim?
- Who
shows up and reveals Huck and Toms identities?
- What
does Tom explain about Jim? Do
you want to strangle Tom? J
- Why
do you think Twain brought the character of Tom into the end of the book?
What purpose does he serve in light of all that has happened?
Chapter Forty-Three
- What
do Huck and Jim intend to do?
Movie Questions:
(see Discussion Questions for ALL
films above, as well)
- What
is different about the portrayal of Jim?
Huck?
- What
views of slavery are expanded upon in the film?
- What
elements have been added to make this movie more accessible to a modern
audience?
- How
are Hucks emotions shown more clearly, especially concerning his parents?
- Why
do you think the directors chose to cut Tom Sawyer entirely from the film?
- Do
you think this film captures the spirit of the novel?
To Kill a Mockingbird Questions
Part One
Chapter One
- What
is the Finch family background?
- Who
is Calpurnia? What is Scouts
family situation?
- Describe
Dill.
- What
is the story behind the Radleys?
- Why
are the children so fascinated with Boo?
Chapter Two
- What
goes wrong with Scouts first day at school?
- Jem
refers to the Dewey Decimal System.
He is actually trying to refer to John Dewey, who was a major figure
in education at this time. His
belief can be summed up in the words, I would have a child say not, I
know, but, I have experienced. How does this tie in with what Jem attempts to say about
the Deweys philosophy?
- Who
is Walter Cunningham? What does the situation between Mr. Cunningham and
Atticus tell us about both men?
Chapter Three
- How
does Lee make it clear that Miss Caroline is not used to Maycomb ways?
- What
does Atticus tell the children about the Ewell family?
How are they different from the Cunninghams?
- Atticus
says, You never really understand a person until you consider things from
his point of view
until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.
(p. 30) Keep this quote in mind
as you read the rest of the book. How
do the various characters come to live this quote out?
- How
does Atticus get Scout to go back to school?
Chapter Four
1. What items do Scout and Jem find in front of the Radleys?
Are there any conclusions we can draw about who put them there by what
they are? Why do you think whoever
put them there chose these specific items?
2.The children use the term nigger talk.
What do they mean? How does their view of Calpurnia contrast with this?
- What
happens to Scout and the tire and what does she hear?
- What
game keeps the children occupied until Atticus discovers it?
Chapter Five
- Who
is Miss Maudie and why do the children like her so much?
- Why
do think Jem yells after Atticus that he isnt sure he wants to be a
lawyer after the note to Boo incident?
Chapter Six
- How
does Jem lose his pants?
Chapter Seven
- Why
was Jem quiet for so long about the night at the Radley place?
- What
other treasures are discovered in the knothole? What is their possible significance?
- What
causes Jem to cry?
Chapter Eight
- What
is the towns response to snow?
- What
does Jem do with the snow that gets him in trouble?
What is a morphodite?
- What
happens during the fire? What
does this tell us about whoever gave the blanket to Jem and Scout?
Chapter Nine
1. Why do Scout and Jem begin to struggle at school and around town?
- What
reasons does Atticus give for his choice of defending Tom Robinson?
- How
does Uncle Jack deal with Scouts use of foul language?
- Why
does Scout break her promise to Atticus about fighting?
- In
the conversation between Jack and Atticus, what is revealed about Atticus
deeper thoughts about defending Tom Robinson? In other words, why is he doing it?
Chapter Ten
- How
do Jem and Scout feel about Atticus and his abilities as compared to the
fathers of their classmates?
- What
does Atticus do to the rabid dog and what does it tell us about his
character that he has not told his children about his ability to do this
type of thing?
- How
does this act change the childrens view of him?
Chapter Eleven
- How
does Mrs. Dubose treat Jem and Scout?
- What
does Jem do in a fit of rage?
- What
is his punishment?
- What
do the children discover about Mrs. Dubose?
- Why
does Jem get angry when he sees what is in the candy box? In other words,
what does the camellia symbolize?
Part Two
Chapter Twelve
- When
the Finch children go to church with Calpurnia, what do we discover about
Calpurnia?
- What
is life like for the blacks of Maycomb?
How does it compare to the life of the Finches and families like the
Ewells and Cunninghams?
- How
does the pastor get the people to contribute enough money for Mrs. Robinson?
What does this tell us about the community?
Chapter Thirteen
- When
Aunt Alexandra arrives, how does it affect life in the Finch house?
- What
are some of Aunt Alexandras theories about the people in Maycomb?
- How
does Alexandra attempt to influence Atticus? Is her attempt successful?
Chapter Fourteen
- What
changes about the way people treat them when Jem and Scout are downtown?
- What
is Aunt Alexandras response to Scouts retelling of the trip to Cals
church?
- What
does Scout mean by the phrase, I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton
penitentiary closing in on me?
- How
does Dill explain his arrival to Maycomb?
What really happened?
- Why
did Dill run off?
- How
does he think babies come into the world?
Chapter Fifteen
- Why
do Heck Tate and a group of men show up at the Finch home one night?
- How
does Atticus respond to the various risks that Heck brings to his attention?
- How
does Aunt Alexandra feel about Atticus defending Robinson?
- Why
does Atticus go into town that night?
- How
does Scout singlehandedly disperse the crowd of men?
What does this tell us about the men?
- How
does Lee show us that Atticus was afraid that night, even though he tries to
hide it from the children?
Chapter Sixteen
- Who
does Aunt Alexandra use the term them to refer to?
What does this reveal about her attitude?
What effect does it have to call a group of people them?
- How
does Atticus explain the mob mentality?
- How
does Maudie respond to the foot-washers? What does this exchange tell us about Miss Maudie and
the foot-washers?
- What
is the story behind Mr. Dolphus Raymonds behavior?
- Where
do Jem and Scout sit? What does
their response to this tell us about their views of the colored
people?
Chapter Seventeen
1.
What does Mr. Tate reveal in his quizimony?
2.
How does Lee use descriptive language to give us a clear picture of Bob
Ewell? What is he like?
3.
How does Judge Taylor maintain control?
What do his actions reveal about how he feels about different people in
the courtroom? (i.e. Bob Ewell)
4.
What fact is revealed about Mr. Ewell that stuns the courtroom,
especially Jem?
Chapter Eighteen
- What
details are we given about Mayella Ewell in Scouts reflections?
What do they reveal about her? How
is she different from her father?
- Why
does she think Atticus is making fun of her, and what does that tell us
about her?
- What
is revealed about Tom Robinson towards the end of the chapter?
How does Mayella respond?
Chapter Nineteen
- Describe
the relationship (prior to the alleged rape) between Tom Robinson and
Mayella.
- Why
did Tom run?
- Why
is there a shocked response to his confession that he felt sorry for
Mayella?
Chapter Twenty
- Who
is Dolphus Raymond? Why does he pretend to be drunk?
What does this tell us about expectations in Maycomb?
- Why
do you think Atticus, who is generally a very formal man, takes his coat off
while he delivers his final speech to the jury?
- What
makes every person equal in the United States, according to his argument?
Chapter Twenty-One
- Why
is Jem so sure that the case has been won on behalf of Tom?
- Why
do the people in the colored balcony stand up as Atticus passes?
What does this mean?
Chapter Twenty-Two
- How
do different people minister to the Finches the day following the trial?
- Why
does Miss Maudie believe that Atticus has helped the town to take a baby
step? How does she defend
Maycomb from Jems attack?
- What
happened between Mr. Ewell and Atticus?
Chapter Twenty-Three
- How
does Atticus respond to Ewells actions?
- What
is Atticus prediction about Ewells threatened revenge?
- What
are some of the problems with juries, as discussed by the Finch family?
- What
is Aunt Alexandras response to Scouts desire to be friends with Walter
Cunningham? What does this
reveal about the social hierarchy in Maycomb?
- What
do Jem and Scout think of social hierarchies? (in other words, how should
people be categorized?)
Chapter Twenty-Four
- Describe
the missionary tea. What
examples of hypocrisy are revealed?
- How
does Miss Maudie respond to the unkind words of Mrs. Merriweather?
- What
interchange takes place between Maudie and Alexandra?
- What
does Alexandras response to hearing about Toms death tell us about her
beliefs?
- Why
does Scout gain respect for Aunt Alexandra?
Chapter Twenty-Five
- How
has Jem changed?
- How
was he impacted by going with Atticus to tell Helen about Tom?
- How
does the use of the words they and them in this chapter and the
last cause us to view the people referred to?
- Pay
close attention to what Mr. Underwood writes in the paper about the case.
Connect it to what Atticus has told the children about shooting
mockingbirds, as well as the title of the novel.
Chapter Twenty-Six
- What
does the incident with Miss Gates reveal about Miss Gates and Scouts
perceptions?
- How
does Jem respond?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
- What
changes have taken place in Maycomb?
- What
happens to Judge Taylor and Helen Robinson?
- What
is the plan for Halloween, and why was it created?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
- What
happens at the pageant?
- What
happens to Jem and Scout as they walk home? How does Lee create suspense and confusion?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
- What
other details do we discover?
- Who
is the stranger?
Chapter Thirty
1. Why does Atticus suggest they go out to the front porch?
2.Who does Atticus think has killed Bob Ewell?
- Who
has really killed Bob Ewell and why is Heck so insistent that he fell on
his knife?
Chapter Thirty-One
- On
page 279, (paragraph begins, I looked behind me
and ends Just
standing on the Radley porch was enough)
why does Lee switch from calling the kids the children to
his children? Who is the
he she refers to? What
effect does this have on the reader?
Overall Questions
- Why
did Lee take the title from this quote: "I'd rather you shoot 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 its a sin to kill a
mockingbird?"
What does this mean?
2. What is the significance of singing hymns by "linin'" at
Calpurnia's church? Does Calpurnia adhere to any stereotypes? If so does Harper
Lee intend to subvert or call into question these stereotypes?
4. How do the children's games and "dramas" (such as the Boo Radley
"plays") correspond to the games and "dramas" enacted by
adults in the novel?
5. What was Harper Lee's purpose in having Aunt Alexandra come to live with
Scout, Jem, and Atticus? What is her role in the larger
scheme of the
book?
6. From whose point of view is this story told? Why do you
think the author chose this character instead of Jem?
7. What do we know about how Atticus is raising his children from the
childrens perspective and from what he tells them? For example, when Atticus realizes how angry Jem is over Mrs.
Dubose's comments, he says: "You just hold your head high and be a
gentleman. Whatever she says to you, it's your job not to let her make you
mad." What does this comment tell you about Atticus's character and how he
tried to raise his children?
8. In chapter 11, Atticus and Scout briefly discuss why he feels he must defend
Tom Robinson. Atticus says, "The one thing that doesn't abide by majority
rule is a person's conscience." Explain what he means by this and how this
belief causes conflict for him within the community. How is this idea played out
in other scenarios in the novel?
An interesting website with a poem by Walt Whitman and information about
mockingbirds:
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/tokil/bird1.htm
To Kill a Mockingbird Film Questions
- Why
do you think the film opens with a close-up of Jem and Scouts treasure
box?
- There
are many omissions in this film. Several
characters have been blended or omitted entirely, as well as many scenes.
Why do you think the director chose to do this?
Do these omissions stand out to you as glaring, or do you think the
director made a good choice? Which
scenes would you have kept?
- How
do we get more information about Jem and Scouts mother?
- How
is Atticus portrayed as a father who is no fun for the kids?
(differently from the book.)
- Why
is the trial brought in to the plot so soon?
- Why
do you think the director chose to film this in black and white?
Color film was available at this time.
- How
does the music specifically tie into the concept of the rural South?
- Why
is there no music in the scene where Atticus shoots the mad dog?
- Do
you think the directors choice to have Mr. Ewell showing up at the
Robinson place to torment Helen was effective?
- Do
you think the actress who played Mayella Ewell captured the Mayella
described in the book? Why or
why not?
- Do
you think Scout being dressed up as a ham with no explanation is odd, or do
you think those who havent read the book can figure out whats going
on?
- How
does the relationship (such as it is) between the children and Boo
Radley differ in the movie? Is
the director able to portray Boo as a sympathetic character?
The Chosen
As you read this novel, you may run across terms you are
unfamiliar with. In order to help your reading, please see this
website. It defines many terms.
http://department.monm.edu/classics/Courses/SienkewiczFreshSem/CourseMaterials/Potok'sChosen/CorderyImportantTerms.htmreading,
If the website doesn't come up, please scroll down to the
bottom of this page for the definitions.
The Chosen Discussion Questions
Chapter One
- What
differences and similarities are there between the communities that Danny
and Reuven have grown up in?
- Why
are the yeshivas allowing the boys to spend time playing softball?
- Compare
Mr. Galanter to the Hasidic teams coach.
- How
do Dannys team members appear to respond to him? What are his interactions with the non-Hasidic team
like? (i.e. what comments does he make?)
- Describe
Dannys behavior at bat. Why
do you think he acts this way?
Chapter Two
- How
does Potok help the reader to understand that Reuvens condition may be
serious when he arrives at the hospital?
- Who
are the people in the beds next to Reuven? Why do you think Potok chose these characters? Is there
anything hes trying to say about sight? About who Reuven is?
- What
is Mr. Malter like?
- How
does he respond to Reuvens comments about Danny?
- Pay
close attention to the last paragraph of the chapter.
When you are done with the book, go back and read it again.
How is it significant?
Chapter Three
- How
does the war impact life in the hospital?
- Who
is little Mickey and what role does he play in helping us understand Mr.
Savo?
- How
does Reuven respond to Dannys first visit? What does his father tell him
he must do?
- What
surprising things does Reuven discover about Danny in the second visit?
- What
is Reb Saunders (Dannys father) like?
Make note of the comment made about silence (p. 72towards end of
chapter) and examine it later when you have finished the book.
Chapter Four
- What
does Reuvens father tell him about people and friendship?
- What
are Mr. Savos comments about Danny and how do they compare with Mr.
Malters?
- What
does Danny say about people and ants, his fathers response to his
comments, and the passage from Hemingway?
What do these comments tell us about Danny?
- How
does Danny feel about being a rabbi?
- What
do we discover about the relationship between Danny and Mr. Malter?
- What
is the diagnosis on Reuvens eye?
Chapter Five
- Make
note of the quote that starts Book Two.
- How
has Reuvens view of everyday life changed?
Chapter Six
- How
were Jews persecuted in Poland?
- Who
was the Baal Shem Tov (Besht)?
- What
do the Hasids believe the role of the leader of the sect is? (105)
- Who
is Solomon Maimon and how does he relate to Danny?
Why does Dannys father take such an interest in what Danny reads?
Chapter Seven
- What
does Danny reveal about his father?
- What
is Dannys neighborhood like? How
do the people respond to him?
- How
does Reuven feel in this environment?
- How
does Potok paint a picture of Reb Saunders? What do his physical traits seem to reveal about his
personality?
- How
does Reb Saunders quiz Reuven and Danny after the service?
- What
are Reb Saunders thoughts on Reuven being Dannys friend?
- How
does Mr. Malter explain Reb Saunders behavior to Reuven?
Chapter Eight
- What
is Danny reading that has upset him so much when Reuven finds him in the
library?
- Why
is he learning German?
- What
is Mr. Malters explanation for why he has suggested books for Danny to
read?
- Describe
the Talmud battle between Danny, Reb Saunders and Reuven. What is revealed
about Reb Saunders from Reuvens observations?
- What
does Reb Saunders ask Reuven? How
does he respond to the discoveries? What does this reveal about his opinion
of the Malters?
- What
do Mr. Malter and Danny say about silence?
Chapter Nine
- What
does Reuven discover about Billy?
- Pay
close attention to the description of spider and fly.
Who or what might it symbolize?
Chapter Ten
- Why
is Danny frustrated in his study of Freud and how does he resolve his
frustration?
Chapter Eleven
- What
gets in the way of Danny and Reuvens friendship?
- How
do the people respond to the death of President Roosevelt?
- How
do the boys fathers respond to news of the German concentration camps?
- What
happens to Mr. Malter?
Chapter Twelve
- What
does Reuven start to realize about Dannys reading of Freud?
What is stated as Freuds view of man? (p. 184)
- What
is Reb Saunders response to Reuvens mention of a Jewish state?
Why does he feel so strongly about this?
- What
does Danny tell Reuven about how he feels about his brother?
Chapter Thirteen
- Note
the quote at the start of Book
Three.
- Why
is Danny so frustrated at college?
- What
might Dannys struggle with his physical eyes symbolize?
- What
are Mr. Malters justifications for working so hard for Judaism?
- Why
does Reuven support Professor Appleman over Danny when it comes to
psychology? How does his conversation with the professor help him?
- Describe
the tension between the Hasidic and non-Hasidic students.
- Why
does the friendship between the boys end?
What is Mr. Malters response?
What does he say about fanatics?
Chapter Fourteen
- What
is Reuvens opinion of silence?
- How
does he view Danny and Reb Saunders?
- What
is Rav Gershensons class like, and how does Reuvens anger soften
towards Danny because of it?
- How
does Reuven prepare for Rav Gershensons class? Why does he have so much time alone?
- How
does Gershensons silence affect Reuven?
- Why
is Reuvens explanation of the passage (after class) an explanation that
Gershenson does not want him to use in front of the other students?
Chapter Fifteen
- What
disappointment did Mr. Malter suffer due to his heart attack?
- How
does Danny approach Reuven at the end of the chapter?
Chapter Sixteen
- What
role do eyes and silence play in Reuven and Dannys first conversation?
- How
does Danny feel about his father?
- How
does Danny justify the use of Freud and experimental psychology?
- What
is Reuvens view of Reb Saunders after the reconciliation?
Chapter Seventeen
- What
does Danny reveal about his understanding of silence?
- How
does Mr. Malter counsel Danny?
- Why
does Mr. Malter get upset when he hears that Reb Saunders has been asking to
see Reuven?
Chapter Eighteen
- How
does Reb Saunders explain his decision to raise Danny in silence?
- How
does he respond to Dannys decision to be a psychologist?
- What
is Mr. Malters explanation of the method?
- What
is Dannys last thought about silence?
Overall
- The
quotes that begin Book One, Two and Three are significant.
When you have finished the novel, go back and look over these quotes
to find connections to what has happened.
- What
significance does the word chosen have in this novel?
There are several answers.
- What
is the significance of sight in this novel? (Think about the ability to see inside of other
peopleget past the idea of physical sight.)
- What
role does silence play? How is
it viewed by the different characters?
The Chosen Film Questions
- How
is music used to draw contrasts between the non-Hasidic world and the
Hasidic?
- How
does the film create contrasts visually between the two sets of boys?
- Is
the tension between Danny and Reuven developed enough before the baseball in
the eye incident?
- Why
do you think the filmmakers chose to give Danny and accent?
- Are
Reuvens wisecracks in keeping with the Reuven of the book?
- How
do the filmmakers try to explain to us the life of the Hasids through what
Reuven sees?
- What
about Reuvens friends response to his friendship with Danny?
- How
does the film address the issue of silence?
- How
are the different aspects of Reb Saunders personality portrayed?
- What
do you think of the following scene additions (i.e. why were they added?):
the hoodlums beating up on Danny and Reuven, the overt flirtation between
Reuven and Dannys sister, Dannys trip with Reuven to the movies and
museum, Danny being kissed when the war is ended, Reuven packing illegal
weapons for the pro-Zionists, Reuvens disrespectful response to his
father, Mr. Malters speech, the dance party at Reuvens house.
- How
is Reb Saunders grief over the death of the Jews portrayed?
- Pay
special attention to the scene where Reb Saunders is dancing.
What does this scene show the audience about him?
- Is
the final conversation between Reb Saunders, Danny and Reuven done well?
Why or why not?
- Do
you think the story of the prodigal son (story from Talmud) mentioned at the
end of the film is a good way to end?
Note: Beginning with the word "Yiddish," all of the terms are listed
in order of their appearance in the book.
Hasidism: Today the word Hasid is often used as a synonym
for the most religiously conservative Jew. Historically Hasidism was a religious
movement that began in Eastern Europe in the 1700s. The founder of Hasidism was
Israel Ba'al Shem Tov, usually referred to as the Ba'al Shem
Tov. (Sometimes another name used to refer to him is his acronym, the
Besht, from Ba'al Shem Tov.)
His name literally means "Master of the Good Name." After several years of
solitude and meditation, in approximately 1736 the Ba'al Shem Tov emerged as a
leader and healer. In 1740 he moved to the Polish border near Lithuania and
began accepting disciples. The Ba'al Shem Tov's teachings focused on an
individual's personal relationship with God and not so much on the details of
Jewish law. The Ba'al Shem Tov taught that "God desires the heart," by which he
meant that, for God, a pure heart mattered more than a complete, detailed
knowledge of religious scripture. He also believed that, as God created the
world and God was all throughout the world, people should be joyful in the
world. Thus, Hasidic worship could be chaotic compared to the worship services
of other types of Jews and it might include singing and dancing and feasting.
The Ba'al Shem Tov taught that the Tzaddik ([p. 81] the
religious leader of the Hasidim) should be the role model for all people who
followed him, and thus the Tzaddik should live an exemplary life because God
revealed himself in the actions of the Tzaddik. (Tzaddikim [p.
104] is the plural of Tzaddik.) This is how the Tzaddik became so powerful in
Hasidic Judaism. After the Ba'al Shem Tov died in 1760, groups of Hasidic Jews
formed all over, each with their own Tzaddik.
Hasidic: the adjective that describes a type of Jew, i.e. an
Hasidic Jew
Hasid: (singular) a Jew who is Hasidic
Hasidim: (plural) all of the Hasidic Jews
Rebbe or Reb: The title used to refer to a
Tzaddik.
Mitnagdim: These were the people who opposed the Ba'al Shem
Tov's teachings because they were so unlike other Jewish ideas of the era.
Throughout the eighteenth century the Mitnagdim persecuted the Hasidim, but in
the nineteenth century the differences between them decreased. This was in part
because in the nineteenth century, the Hasidim began emphasizing the study of
religious scripture. Mitnagdish is the adjective, i.e., a
Mitnagdish child. Mitnaged is the singular form; see page 118.
Yeshiva: a school for religious and secular education; it
can be a college
Yiddish: (p. 9) a language spoken by many Jews, especially
Eastern European Jews, that developed out of German and is written in Hebrew. In
the United States, many European Jewish immigrants spoke Yiddish in their own
communities. Several Yiddish words have entered the English language as a
result. Some examples include: bagel; pastrami; shlemiel (a dweeb); shlemazal (a
clumsy person); maven (an expert); meshugga (crazy); shlepping
(dragging) [see schleppers, p. 26]; and yenta (someone who
talks a lot). Today in the United States Yiddish is the primary language only in
Hasidic communities.
Shabbat: (p. 9) Sabbath. Sunday is the Christian Sabbath
while Sabbath for Jews begins when the first star is visible in the sky on
Friday evening and lasts until Saturday night. The Shabbat begins with the
lighting of candles, a ritual which is traditionally performed by women, and a
blessing said over the candles. ("Blessed are You, Lord God, King of the
Universe. . . who has commanded us to light the Shabbat candles.") Then the
Shabbat ritual continues with the parents blessing the children, the husband
reading a biblical poem of respect and admiration for his wife, the singing of a
hymn, the kiddush prayer which is said before the drinking of the Shabbat wine,
the hand washing ceremony, and the blessing and the eating of the challah (or
chalah). The challah is a special braided bread eaten on the Sabbath. Then the
family eats the Shabbat meal and concludes with a special grace after the meal.
The traditional Sabbath greeting is "Shabbat Shalom!" (A peaceful Sabbath!)
Hasidic Jews take seriously the biblical commandment not to work on the Sabbath,
and for Hasidim the definition of work is very broad.
Synagogue: (p. 9) the place where Jews worship formally, a
synagogue is not a temple or a church in that it is not a consecrated space. It
is a building or a space used for the specific purpose of worship.
Rabbi: (p. 10) this Hebrew word literally means "teacher."
It denotes a Talmud scholar and usually a learned Jewish spiritual leader, but
not always. Anyone can call him or herself a rabbi. A rabbi is not analagous to
a Catholic priest, for example, in that a rabbi does not administer sacraments.
Talmud: (p. 10) The Talmud is the collection of writings on
Jewish law and custom.
Gentile: (p. 11) a non-Jew
Ten Commandments: (p. 13) These are the ten laws given to
Moses by God, as found in Exodus 20:1-21.
Tzitzit: (p. 14) ritual fringes attached to any
four-cornered garment and worn to remind the wearer of God's commandments,
according to Numbers 15:39. When Jews attend prayer service, the ritual fringes
are attached to a prayer shawl and called a tallit. A tallit is
worn like a cape.
Momzer or momser: (p. 20) a really, rotten, awful person.
This is a pretty bad name to call someone.
Apikorsim: (p. 23) this is defined in the text on page 28
Mincha or minkha service: (p. 24) an afternoon religious
service
Torah: (p. 28) the first five books of the Hebrew Bible
(which is called the Old quizament by Christians), also referred to as the
Pentateuch. The Torah can also be the scrolls on which the they are written.
Kosher: (p. 44) an adjective meaning that something or
someone adheres to Jewish dietary laws. The laws of kashrut state that Jews may
eat only certain types of foods prepared in certain ways. The word kosher
literally means "fit." The biblical laws of kashrut ([p. 167]
or kashruth) come from Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14:4-21.
Abba: (p. 49) father. The more precise American term would
be "daddy."
Tefillin: (p. 53) two small black boxes with black straps
attached to them with biblical passages inside of them. Jewish men are required
by the Bible to place one of the boxes on their head and one on their arm each
weekday morning. Putting on the Tefillin is one of the first commandments that a
boy fulfills after he makes his Bar Mitzvah. Tefillin is often translated
phylacteries (p. 57). The point of wearing Tefillin is to
fulfill the biblical command to keep God's word before you at all times, which
comes from Deuteronomy 6:5-8.
Commentaries: (p. 69) these are explanations and theological
discussions of scripture written by scholars and rabbis throughout history. The
commentaries are printed and studied alongside the Hebrew Bible in order to
understand what the text means.
Maimonides: (p. 69) Moses ben Maimon, also known by his
acronym Rambam ([p. 224] from Rabbi Moses
ben Maimon). Maimonides was a twelfth-century Jewish
scholar. He was born in Spain but fled from persecution to Egypt and spent most
of his life there. He wrote down the Jewish legal code, in a book called the
Mishneh Torah. He was also widely regarded as a physician, he wrote many
books about medicine and healing, and he served as the doctor for the Sultan of
Egypt. Maimonides wrote the Mishneh Torah to try to help Jews to live a
kosher, or fit, life, and to help them better understand the commandments of
Jewish law. Maimonides is one of the most influential philosophers and scholars
of all time.
The Mishna: Around the year 200 C.E. (or 200 A.D.) a Rabbi
named Rabbi Judah the Prince wrote down the Oral Law, which is a legal
commentary on the Torah explaining how people are supposed to actually carry out
its many laws. The Oral Law had been passed down from scholar to scholar and
taught to the people, but after a time of persecution in Palestine, Rabbi Judah
the Prince decided it was best to write down this Oral Law. It consists of 63
tracts and is called the Mishna. The Mishna is organized topically, unlike the
Torah. If you wanted to research all of the ways to, as one of the Ten
Commandments states, "remember the Sabbath and keep it holy," then you would
have to search throughout all of the Talmud--and you would only find scattered
mention of the Sabbath. If you looked in the Mishna, you would look in the
section called "Shabbat," and its twenty-four chapters would explain how to keep
the Sabbath holy, according to the accumulated wisdom of the ancient rabbis.
Theodor Herzl: (p. 94) Theodor Herzl was born in 1860 and he
dedicated his adult life to trying to create a place where all Jews from around
the world could come to live in a totally Jewish state as one people. This is
known as Zionism, and it was Herzl who made Zionism into an
international movement by founding the First Zionist Congress in 1897 (in Basel,
Switzerland), to bring the world's attention to his cause. Herzl is often called
the founder of the modern Zionist movement.
Hayyim Nachman Bialik: (p. 94) a twentieth-century Hebrew
poet whose writings urged Jews to fight back against their oppressors. He was a
leading poet of the Zionist movement.
Chaim Weizmann: (p. 94) a Russian Jewish chemist, born in
1874, who was strongly influenced by Theodor Herzl's life and ideas. He was a
professor at the University of Manchester in England, and after World War I, was
a leader in the negotiations that led to the Balfour Declaration of 1917 that
committed England to supporting a Jewish homeland in Palestine. After World War
II, he influenced U.S. President Harry Truman's support for the creation of
Israel in 1948. Weizmann served as Israel's first president. He died in 1952.
Like Theodore Herzl, Chaim Weizmann is a hero to many Jews.
Shofar: (p. 100) a musical instrument, made from a ram's
horn and blown on certain Jewish holy days to bring people to repentance.
Shul: (p. 111) the name that Hasidic Jews use for synagogue
Ark: (p. 116) The Ark (the Aron Hakodesh) is the chest in
which the sacred Torah schools are kept in the synagogue. It is always elevated
above the floor, and usually placed against the East wall of the synagogue. In
many synagogues the Eternal Light (p. 116) is suspended above
the Ark. The Ark in every synagogue is a symbolic reminder of the Ark that God
commanded Moses to make to house the Ten Commandments.
Kaddish: (p. 122) an Aramaic prayer in which God's name is
sanctified, or blessed, which is said at every prayer service. There is a
mourner's Kaddish which is a highly ritualized prayer recited every day at the
morning, afternoon, and evening services for eleven months after the death of
one's parent.
Ashkenazic Jews (Ashkenazim) and Sephardic Jews (Sephardim):
(p. 130) Jews used to be divided into two communities: Ashkenazic and Sephardic
Jews. The Sephardim were usually from Spain (Sefarad means "Spain" in Hebrew) or
from the Arab world. The Ashkenazim came from Europe (Ashkenaz is Hebrew for
"Germany"). Jews living in the Arab world are called Sephardic because their
forms of worship more closely resemble Sephardic custom.
Havdalah: (p. 140) the ceremony that concludes the Shabbat.
Havdala signifies that the working week has resumed. Havdalah literally means
"separation," the separation between the Sabbath, or the time set aside for God,
and the rest of the week. The Havdala includes a candle lighting, just as the
beginning of Shabbat does, and it is similarly traditionally lit by a girl or a
young woman.
Pirkei Avot: (p. 152) a section of the Mishna that
contains moral advice and useful sayings, such as "Say little and do much;" and
"Who is wise? The person who learns from everyone."
Goy: (p. 159) a Gentile, someone who is not Jewish.
Avodah Zara: (p. 166) idolatry, or the section in the Torah
about idolatry.
Irgun: (p. 213) Vladimir Jabotinsky (1880-1940) was a
Russian Jewish poet-turned-Zionist who remains one of the most controversial
leaders of the movement because his dedication to the cause of a Jewish state
was so strong that it inspired his followers, the Irgun, to use violence to
bring it about. The Irgun, a militant Zionist organization, was started to fight
back in an organized way against Arabs who did not want a Jewish state created
from Palestine. They began fighting, especially after 1944, British army
officers who were busy persecuting Irgun members. By the middle of World War II,
the British had reversed their support for a Jewish state. Palestine was a
British protectorate then, and Zionists knew that if Great Britain stood against
the idea, Israel might never be created. The Irgun is still remembered today for
their 1946 terrorist bombing of a hotel in Jerusalem that killed ninety British
soldiers (the Irgun did not sanction terrorism against civilians).
Neturei Karta: (p. 213) also called The Guardians of the
City [of Jerusalem]. This is a group of people who oppose Zionism. They oppose
the creation of a Jewish state for several reasons, but the largest sub-group of
the Neturei Karta is made of up Orthdox Jews, like the Hasidim, who believe that
God will restore Israel to the Jews in God's own time. Anyone who tries to
change God's timing, like the Zionists, would be defying God's will. Most of the
opposition to Zionism disappeared after the Holocaust, as Jews saw that it would
be best to have their own homeland. Today the Neturei Karta consist mostly of a
few hundred families who live in Jerusalem.
Ahad Ha'am: (p. 215) an early Zionist thinker
Smicha: (p. 262) or Semikha, the word in Hebrew means to
"lean on." Before the first century, the way that men were ordained as rabbis
would include the ordaining rabbi laying his hands on the head of the man to
become a rabbi, thus literally leaning on him. While this is no longer done as
part of the ceremony, Smicha still means rabbinic ordination. Today not all men
or women who study for the rabbinate become Rabbis at a synagogue. Many go into
education or other fields. Ordination today is usually granted by rabbinical
seminaries. Today, Reform, Reconstructionist, and Conservative Jews ordain
women; only Orthodox Jews, like Hasids, do not.