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Quiz about Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird
Quiz about Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird

Jem in "To Kill a Mockingbird" Quiz


All these multi-choice questions are about the sayings, actions, and personality of Jem in Harper Lee's famous novel. Only the text of the book is used.

A multiple-choice quiz by Philian. Estimated time: 8 mins.
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Author
Philian
Time
8 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
136,811
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
25
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
16 / 25
Plays
4282
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
- -
Question 1 of 25
1. On the very first page of the book the author tells us of Jem's reaction to his arm being broken at the age of thirteen. What was this reaction? Hint


Question 2 of 25
2. How does Jem behave when he suddenly starts to remember his mother, who had died when he was six? Hint


Question 3 of 25
3. How did Jem indicate to Scout that Dill was an "acceptable" friend for them to have? Hint


Question 4 of 25
4. From which neighbour did Jem first learn most of the details of Boo Radley's early life? Hint


Question 5 of 25
5. Why does Jem run onto the Radley lot and slap the side of the house even though he is convinced that Boo Radley is dangerous? Hint


Question 6 of 25
6. How does Jem behave when he finds Scout fighting with Walter Cunningham during the dinner hour of her first day at school? Hint


Question 7 of 25
7. Why does Scout believe that Jem didn't suffer from the Maycomb County School system as badly as she did? Hint


Question 8 of 25
8. How did Jem react when Scout first told him she had been chewing the pieces of gum she had found in the knot-hole of the tree? Hint


Question 9 of 25
9. What was Jem's first decision about what they should do with the Indian-head pennies? Hint


Question 10 of 25
10. According to Scout, for what reason did Jem push the tyre extra hard on the day that she rolled into the Radley lot? Hint


Question 11 of 25
11. What did Jem use to borrow from Calpurnia without her knowing so that the three of them could play the Radley game? Hint


Question 12 of 25
12. What did Jem decide to use to help him deliver a letter to Boo Radley? Hint


Question 13 of 25
13. Which of the following was a reason that Jem and Dill offered Scout for choosing a particular night to go on to the Radley lot and peer through a loose shutter? Hint


Question 14 of 25
14. What was the word that Jem kept using about Scout in order to make her fall in with his plans? Hint


Question 15 of 25
15. Why does Jem believe that he must go back to the Radley lot to retrieve his trousers? Hint


Question 16 of 25
16. What sort of phase did Jem go through in the sixth grade at school? Hint


Question 17 of 25
17. How does Jem react when Mr. Nathan Radley closes up the knothole with cement? Hint


Question 18 of 25
18. What does Jem understand about the shooting of the mad dog that Scout does not? Hint


Question 19 of 25
19. At what age does Jem start becoming difficult to live with so far as Scout is concerned? Hint


Question 20 of 25
20. At what point did Scout consider that Jem "broke the remaining code" of their childhood? Hint


Question 21 of 25
21. When he is slightly older, Jem stops playing with Scout and Dill on a Sunday afternoon. What does he do instead? Hint


Question 22 of 25
22. What is Jem's opinion about the Tom Robinson case when he and Scout and Dill are sent home from the courtroom to get their supper? Hint


Question 23 of 25
23. What physical reaction did Jem have when he heard the jury give its verdict? Hint


Question 24 of 25
24. What personal secret did Jem share with Scout to try to take her mind off arguing with Aunt Alexandra? Hint


Question 25 of 25
25. How did Jem know that he and Scout were under the big oak tree whilst on their way to the pageant on Halloween night? Hint





Most Recent Scores
Oct 07 2024 : Guest 212: 24/25
Sep 16 2024 : Guest 210: 18/25

Score Distribution

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. On the very first page of the book the author tells us of Jem's reaction to his arm being broken at the age of thirteen. What was this reaction?

Answer: He was not upset once he knew it wouldn't affect him playing football

It is only at the end of the book that the author tells us exactly how the injury to Jem came about. If you read the story for the second time, knowing what is going to happen, you realise that Jem seems to have inherited his father's level-headed approach to most things in life.
2. How does Jem behave when he suddenly starts to remember his mother, who had died when he was six?

Answer: He would sigh and then go off and play by himself for a while

Jem is not really that demonstrative in his character. His reaction to the memory of his mother is muted. It is not really something that he can share directly with Scout, for she was too young to know her mother at all. On the other hand, Scout seems to have a sympathetic understanding of Jem's need to be by himself.
3. How did Jem indicate to Scout that Dill was an "acceptable" friend for them to have?

Answer: He told Scout to hush when she questions Dill about his missing father

Jem understands that Dill doesn't want to be questioned about his father. He realises that death isn't the only thing that can split up a family.
4. From which neighbour did Jem first learn most of the details of Boo Radley's early life?

Answer: Miss Stephanie Crawford

Miss Stephanie is an inveterate gossip. She takes delight in all the melodramatic details of the Radley story. It is only later that Scout and Jem understand that her version of events is not always to be trusted.
5. Why does Jem run onto the Radley lot and slap the side of the house even though he is convinced that Boo Radley is dangerous?

Answer: Dill dares him to and Jem is too proud to run out on a dare

Scout comments that Jem had never declined a dare in his life. He also feels that he has to uphold the honour of Maycomb people and of the Finch family. It takes Dill three days to wear him down so that he gives in to the dare.
6. How does Jem behave when he finds Scout fighting with Walter Cunningham during the dinner hour of her first day at school?

Answer: He tells her to stop and invites Walter home to dinner

Jem tells Scout quite reasonably that she is bigger than Walter. He then points out to Walter that Atticus and Walter's daddy are friends. He also points out that Scout won't attack him any more, and this proves to be the truth.
7. Why does Scout believe that Jem didn't suffer from the Maycomb County School system as badly as she did?

Answer: She believed that nothing could ever stop Jem from getting the books he wanted

Scout was suffering from the fact that Maycomb County appears to have revised its educational system just as she started school. She considers that Jem was educated on a half "Duncecap" and half "Dewey Decimal System" basis and that nothing could ever crush his spirit for learning. She felt that she was on a treadmill.
8. How did Jem react when Scout first told him she had been chewing the pieces of gum she had found in the knot-hole of the tree?

Answer: He told her to spit them out right away

Jem tries to enforce the general rule that you don't just eat the things that you find. Later he worries because the gum came out of a tree on the Radley lot. He even uses the threat of Calpurnia in order to get Scout to obey him. This is unusual because they mostly settle their differences between themselves.
9. What was Jem's first decision about what they should do with the Indian-head pennies?

Answer: He decided to wait until school starts and ask everybody who they belong to

Jem is both careful and honest over the business of the pennies and the other objects he finds in the knot-hole of the tree. He tries to explain to Scout that someone has taken a good deal of care over some of the objects.
10. According to Scout, for what reason did Jem push the tyre extra hard on the day that she rolled into the Radley lot?

Answer: He was offended with Scout for contradicting him over "Hot Steams"

Jem had told the creepy story of "Hot Steams" and mentioned the rhyme that you need to say to protect yourself from them. Scout declared that Calpurnia said it was "nigger-talk" and that Dill shouldn't believe a word Jem said. However, though annoyed, it is pretty certain that Jem never meant his sister to go into the Radley lot.
11. What did Jem use to borrow from Calpurnia without her knowing so that the three of them could play the Radley game?

Answer: her scissors

He needed to the scissors in order to play out the scene in which Boo is reputed to have attacked his father. One day Atticus catches them in the middle of the game and takes the scissors from Jem.
12. What did Jem decide to use to help him deliver a letter to Boo Radley?

Answer: a fishing pole

All three children get involved in the plot to deliver the letter, and once again Atticus catches them and understands immediately what has been happening.
13. Which of the following was a reason that Jem and Dill offered Scout for choosing a particular night to go on to the Radley lot and peer through a loose shutter?

Answer: If Boo Radley killed them they would miss school instead of vacation

Jem and Dill believed that it was easier to see inside a dark house in the night-time than it was in the daytime. They also knew that Atticus would be so deep in a book he would not notice anything.
14. What was the word that Jem kept using about Scout in order to make her fall in with his plans?

Answer: girl

It is not until much later in the book that Scout realises that there is a special kind of skill in becoming a "lady". She wants to play with the boys and she wants to dress like a boy. Thus she is always upset when Jem says she is becoming more and more like a "girl". It seems like an offence to her pride.
15. Why does Jem believe that he must go back to the Radley lot to retrieve his trousers?

Answer: He doesn't want to give Atticus a reason for "whipping" him

Jem realises that what he did that night was wrong and he doesn't want Atticus to have to punish him. It isn't that he fears the pain; he just doesn't want to lose respect in Atticus's eyes. Scout comments that this is when Jem and she first began to "part company" or to look at the world in different ways.
16. What sort of phase did Jem go through in the sixth grade at school?

Answer: He got fascinated by the Egyptians and adopted a funny walk

Scout's education is constantly presented as year after year of boredom. She describes the second grade as "grim". Jem's temperament is different and he develops enthusiasms that he enjoys for a while.
17. How does Jem react when Mr. Nathan Radley closes up the knothole with cement?

Answer: He stays out on the porch for a long while and Scout knows he has cried

Jem is careful to use his father to verify that the tree didn't really need to be patched. He has understood that any attempt by Boo to contact the children will be frustrated by his brother.
18. What does Jem understand about the shooting of the mad dog that Scout does not?

Answer: That Atticus' skill was not as important as his modesty about it

Jem is proud of the fact that his father is a dead-shot, but he understands that it is more important that Atticus never ever tries to boast about this talent. He admires his father more for his modesty than for his skill. At the time of the incident Scout does not take this in, but in her narration the reader is made aware of it.
19. At what age does Jem start becoming difficult to live with so far as Scout is concerned?

Answer: twelve

Having previously accused Scout of being a "girl" in order to make her do what he wanted, he now starts demanding that she now should behave more like a girl. He becomes very moody and shows an alarming increase in appetite.
20. At what point did Scout consider that Jem "broke the remaining code" of their childhood?

Answer: When he told Atticus about Dill and his running away

Dill has run away from home and not told his mother nor his new father where he has gone. Jem is now old enough to understand just how much the grown-ups will be worried. Scout feels that Jem is a traitor when he informs Atticus of the true situation.
21. When he is slightly older, Jem stops playing with Scout and Dill on a Sunday afternoon. What does he do instead?

Answer: His stays in his room and reads football magazines

The real world has become more compelling for Jem and he starts to get frightened by the onset on the trial. No longer is he content to live in the world of his imagination with the games he played with Scout and Dill.
22. What is Jem's opinion about the Tom Robinson case when he and Scout and Dill are sent home from the courtroom to get their supper?

Answer: He is confident that Atticus has won the case

Jem is convinced that the jury must see the truth after the way in which Atticus has conducted the case. It is plain to the eyes of a child that Mayella and her father were lying and that Tom Robinson was telling the truth. He has yet to see the depths to which the influence of racism can take the town of Maycomb.
23. What physical reaction did Jem have when he heard the jury give its verdict?

Answer: His shoulders jerked as though he were being stabbed by each "guilty" declaration

Scout also tells us that Jem's hands were white from gripping the rail in front of him. One verdict of guilty is bad enough, but the process of polling the jury means that Jem reacts to the same word over and over again.
24. What personal secret did Jem share with Scout to try to take her mind off arguing with Aunt Alexandra?

Answer: He unbuttoned his shirt to show her his new body hair

Jem tries to explain things to Scout in the way that Atticus used to do. He considers that his father has enough troubles on his mind without Scout causing friction with Aunt Alexandra.
25. How did Jem know that he and Scout were under the big oak tree whilst on their way to the pageant on Halloween night?

Answer: He noticed that the ground felt cooler

It is yet another example of Jem noticing things and storing up experiences so that he can deal with the world. Scout learns from her brother and repeats the story to Heck Tate later after the dreadful attack by Bob Ewell.
Source: Author Philian

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