5H GSAW Chapter 11

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

GSAW Chapter 11

Summary

Jean Louise remembers when she began menstruating in the sixth grade. Because of her cramps, she found herself no longer able to join in with the boys’ rowdy games during recess and started sitting with the other girls. One day a boy named Albert kissed her on the lips—her first kiss from a male outside her family. She thought little of it until she heard the other girls gossiping about a girl who was no longer coming to school because she was pregnant. Jean Louise didn’t know about pregnancy, and the other girls explained it to her in such a way that she thought French kissing causes pregnancy.

Convinced that she had become pregnant from kissing Albert, Jean Louise began counting down the nine months of her pregnancy, planning to kill herself before the baby arrived. On the day of her intended suicide, Jean Louise climbed to the top of the town water-tank to throw herself off. A passerby saw her and warned Hank, who came and pulled her away from the edge before she jumped. Hank then took her to Calpurnia, who explained that Jean Louise wasn’t pregnant and gave her a lesson in sex education.

When Jem came home later that afternoon, Jean Louise wasn’t sure if he had heard about her attempted suicide from Hank or Calpurnia. Jem told her that if anything ever happened that she didn’t want to tell Atticus about, she could tell him instead.

Short questions

Suddenly Jean Louise no longer wants to play games in school. What has happened to her?

Why is menstruation also called: "The Curse"?

Why is Jean Louise so upset when Albert kisses her?

1. afraid she might become ill
2. afraid she might get pregnant
3. she hates him
4. he's Francine Owen's boyfriend

Who rescues Jean Louise when she wants to jump off the watertank?

1. Dill Harris
2. Jem
3. Albert
4. Henry

Calpurnia explained to Scout that different folks get married for different reasons. Why did Alexandra and Jim get married?

Questions to discuss

This fourth chapter of the novel begins with a major flashback in which Jean Louise learns all about menstruation, sex and pregnancy. Why is this important for the story?

What does this chapter tell us about the relationship between Calpurnia and the Finch family?

Jem is really nice to Jean Louise at the end of the chapter. How come his behaviour has changed?