poems 2

Mark Scheme – Question 5

Explore Jem’s changing understanding of justice in To Kill a Mockingbird. You must consider the context of the novel in your answer.

Examiners should be alert to a variety of responses and should reward points that are clearly based on evidence from the text. This is not an exhaustive list but the following points may be made:

(AO1)

• Jem initially has a fairly simple belief that the justice system should be fair and that people should be judged according to the evidence.
• During Tom Robinson’s trial, Jem listens carefully to the evidence and becomes convinced that Tom should be found not guilty. He is therefore shocked when the jury reaches a guilty verdict.
• Jem's disbelief is shown when he asks, “How could they do it, how could they?” His repeated question shows his shock and confusion and suggests that he cannot understand how the jury could ignore the evidence.
• Jem feels that the verdict is morally wrong. His reaction, “It ain’t right”, shows his developing understanding that something can be legally decided but still be unfair and unjust.
• Jem struggles to understand how the jury could reach its decision when there was strong evidence supporting Tom. His response shows that he is beginning to recognise the influence of racial prejudice on justice.
• Jem's disappointment shows his loss of innocence. He has believed that adults and the legal system should know what is right, but the verdict forces him to question this belief.
• Jem begins to understand that prejudice can influence people who are expected to act fairly. His reference to “the same old prejudice” shows that he is becoming more aware of the racial attitudes in Maycomb.
• Jem's conversations with Atticus show that he is trying to understand why the jury behaved as it did. Atticus helps him recognise that changing deeply established attitudes will take time.
• Atticus describes the verdict as “a step”, suggesting that although justice has not been achieved, challenging prejudice may gradually bring change. Jem therefore begins to understand that social change is difficult but possible.
• Jem's understanding of justice becomes more mature because he begins to question the beliefs of the society around him rather than simply accepting them.
• The news of Tom Robinson's death affects Jem deeply. The fact that Tom was “shot seventeen times” emphasises the tragic consequences of the injustice surrounding his trial.
• By Chapter 25, Jem has developed a much stronger understanding that racism and prejudice can have serious consequences for innocent people.
• Jem's development can therefore be seen as a movement from a childlike belief in a fair system towards a more mature understanding of injustice and racial prejudice.

(AO4)

• The novel is set in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s, a period when racial segregation and discrimination were deeply established in American society.
• The treatment of Tom Robinson reflects the racial inequality of the period. Tom is a Black man accused by Mayella Ewell, a white woman, making the case particularly affected by the racial attitudes of Maycomb.
• The trial demonstrates the difference between justice in principle and justice in practice. Although the legal system should consider evidence, racial prejudice affects the outcome.
• Atticus's decision to defend Tom challenges the attitudes of many people in Maycomb and represents an attempt to uphold fairness and equality in a prejudiced society.
• Jem's shock at the verdict is important because he is beginning to recognise that the society in which he lives is not fair or equal.
• The novel also shows how social attitudes and prejudice can influence people's judgement, even when they are expected to make fair decisions.
• Tom Robinson's death highlights the serious consequences of racial injustice and shows Jem that prejudice is not simply an opinion but can have life-changing and tragic consequences.
• The novel was published in 1960, during the Civil Rights Movement, when racial discrimination and segregation were major issues in the United States.
• Lee's presentation of Tom Robinson's trial can therefore be understood in the context of the long history of racial discrimination against African Americans.
• Jem's changing understanding reflects the novel's wider message that people should question unfair social attitudes rather than simply accept the beliefs of the majority.

Scope of evidence

For this question, responses should be based on Chapters 1–25 only. Particularly relevant material includes:

• Chapter 21: Tom's guilty verdict and Jem's shock.
• Chapter 22: Jem's disappointment and discussions with Atticus and Miss Maudie.
• Chapter 23: Jem questioning the jury and the influence of prejudice.
• Chapter 24: news of Tom's death and Jem's reaction.
• Chapter 25: Jem's growing understanding of the injustice surrounding Tom.

Strongest quotation evidence: “How could they do it, how could they?”, “It ain’t right”, “the same old prejudice”, “a step”, and “shot seventeen times.”

est 3 questions

5 Explore Jem’s changing understanding of justice in To Kill a Mockingbird. You must consider the context of the novel in your answer.
OR
5 Explore how Harper Lee presents Jem’s response to the events surrounding Tom Robinson’s trial. You must consider the context of the novel in your answer.
OR
5 Explore how Harper Lee presents Jem’s growing awareness of prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird. You must consider the context of the novel in your answer.
(Total for Question 5 = 40 marks)

Explore how Harper Lee presents Jem’s changing view of the adult world. You must consider the context of the novel in your answer.

Mark Scheme – Question 1

Explore how Harper Lee presents the importance of empathy in To Kill a Mockingbird. You must consider the context of the novel in your answer.

Examiners should be alert to a variety of responses and should reward points that are clearly based on evidence from the text. This is not an exhaustive list but the following points may be made:

(AO1)

• Empathy is an important lesson that Atticus teaches Scout and Jem. He encourages them to understand other people's experiences rather than judging them quickly.
• Atticus teaches Scout that she should try to understand other people by “climb[ing] into his skin and walk[ing] around in it”. The metaphor encourages Scout to imagine another person's experiences before judging them.
• Scout initially struggles to understand people who are different from her. When she criticises Walter Cunningham's table manners, Atticus explains that she should try to understand his circumstances rather than judge him.
• Atticus's treatment of Walter shows empathy towards people from poorer backgrounds. He understands that the Cunninghams are poor but also respects their self-respect and independence.
• Atticus also teaches Scout not to judge Boo Radley based on gossip. Although Scout and Jem initially believe the frightening stories about Boo, Atticus encourages them to consider that they do not really know him.
• Scout gradually begins to question the stories that Maycomb tells about other people. This shows her developing ability to look beyond reputation and appearances.
• Atticus demonstrates empathy towards Mrs Dubose, even though Jem and Scout dislike her. He describes her as “the bravest person I ever knew”, encouraging the children to understand her struggle with addiction and her determination to overcome it.
• Jem initially sees Mrs Dubose simply as an unpleasant and racist woman. Through Atticus's explanation, he learns that there is more to a person than their outward behaviour.
• Atticus also shows empathy towards Mayella Ewell during the trial. Although she accuses Tom Robinson, Atticus treats her respectfully and recognises that she is lonely and socially isolated.
• Atticus's treatment of Mayella contrasts with the attitudes of many people in Maycomb. He tries to understand why she might have behaved as she did, rather than simply condemning her.
• Atticus also shows empathy towards Tom Robinson. He defends Tom because he believes that Tom deserves the same fairness and legal protection as anyone else.
• Tom's statement that he felt “right sorry for her” shows an important example of empathy. Despite being accused by Mayella, Tom feels sympathy for her because he recognises her loneliness and difficult circumstances.
• Tom's sympathy for Mayella also highlights the tragedy of the situation: he is able to empathise with her even though her accusation places his own life in danger.
• During the trial, Jem and Scout begin to see the world from the perspective of people who experience poverty, loneliness and racial discrimination. Their experiences contribute to their moral development.
• Dolphus Raymond provides another example of empathy and understanding. He explains his behaviour to Scout and shows that appearances can be misleading. Scout begins to understand that people may behave differently from society's expectations.
• The contrast between appearance and reality is important to the theme of empathy. Harper Lee shows that people cannot always be understood simply from what the community says about them.
• By the events surrounding Tom's trial and its aftermath, Jem and Scout have begun to understand that people should not be judged simply because they belong to a particular race, class or family.

(AO4)

• The novel is set in Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930s, when American society was strongly divided by race and social class.
• Racial segregation meant that Black people were treated unequally. Atticus's defence of Tom Robinson challenges the racist attitudes of many white people in Maycomb.
• Tom's ability to feel sympathy for Mayella despite the danger he faces demonstrates the importance of seeing individuals as human beings rather than judging them according to racial stereotypes.
• Social class also affects relationships in Maycomb. The Cunninghams and Ewells live in poverty but are treated differently because of their different family reputations and social positions.
• Atticus's advice about understanding other people challenges the tendency of small communities to judge people through gossip, reputation and social stereotypes.
• The treatment of Tom Robinson reflects the racial attitudes of the segregated American South during this period.
• The novel was published in 1960, during the Civil Rights Movement, when racial segregation and discrimination were being challenged in the United States.
• The novel can therefore be seen as encouraging readers to question prejudice and to develop a greater understanding of people whose experiences are different from their own.
• The idea of empathy is particularly important to the novel's bildungsroman structure. Through their experiences, Scout and Jem gradually learn to understand people and society in a more mature way.

Particularly useful evidence for students

For this question, I would encourage students to know a small number of strong quotations rather than memorising too many:

• Atticus: “climb into his skin and walk around in it”
• Atticus on Mrs Dubose: “the bravest person I ever knew”
• Tom: “right sorry for her”
• Atticus's attitude towards Walter Cunningham and the Cunninghams
• Atticus's respectful treatment of Mayella
• Atticus defending Tom Robinson
• Dolphus Raymond challenging assumptions about people's behaviour

Important scope restriction

For this assessment, do not reward evidence from Chapters 26–31. In particular, students should not use Scout's final meeting with Boo Radley or her final understanding of Boo, because those events occur after the section they have studied.

The strongest line of development available to students is:

Scout's early tendency to judge → Atticus teaches empathy → Scout and Jem learn to understand people such as Walter, Mrs Dubose and Mayella → Tom demonstrates empathy towards Mayella → the trial exposes the consequences of a society that fails to empathise with people because of race and social position.