To Kill A Mockingbird Questions? Chapters 20 & 21

Question

Okay to everyone who thinks I am cheating, I am not. My parents aren't home so they can't look over my work. After I read chapters 20 & 21, I have to come up with my 2 of my own thought provoking questions. These are the two I've come up with:

1. Why was Tom convicted, even though he was innocent?

2. Why does Mr. Raymond prefer colored people to whites? Why not just like anyone he wants?

Do these sound like thought-provoking questions to you? Thank you for helping me!!

Answer 1

It sounds like you are really thinking about your work.  There are numerous on line resources to help you with this novel, and with questions such as this one.  Many of them offer chapter summaries, list of characters, character sketches, discussions of themes, setting, imagery, and symbolism, etc.  Do a search for “study guides for To Kill a Mockingbird” etc., and you will find many sites.  Also, do a search here on yahoo answers for To Kill a Mockingbird and you will find a wealth of information.  

Answer 2

Yes, these sound like thought-provoking questions. #1, however, seems a little too obvious. Tom was convicted because he was black. There was absolutely no evidence to incriminate him, and Maycomb condemned this innocent man to uphold their tradition of white supremacy.

You're off to a good start though. Maybe you could reword #1 and instead ask, "Why does Harper Lee make it obvious all along that Tom will be convicted, but has Scout and Jem believe otherwise until the actual verdict is declared?"