In the Heat of the Night

John Dudley BallFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1965

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Introduction

Before Reading

During Reading

After Reading

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

CHAPTERS 1-3

Reading Check

1. What part of Sam Woods’s job does he “actively” dislike?

2. What sporting event do Sam and Ralph discuss in the diner?

3. What thought does Sam have that “was totally unworthy of a sworn peace officer” from Chapter 2?

4. What does Sam find confusing in his interaction with Tibbs and Gillespie?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What ordinary tasks does Sam complete during his shift in the opening of the novel? What is the most unusual part of his shift?

2. Where does Sam meet Tibbs, and what are Sam’s descriptions of this stranger during their first encounter?

3. What assumptions do Gillespie and Sam make regarding Tibbs? What happens after they contact the police station in Pasadena?

4. With what decision does Gillespie grapple? What is his initial decision?

Paired Resource

“How You Start is How You Finish? The Slave Patrol and Jim Crow Origins of Policing“

The American Bar Association explores the history of the police force in the US and its relation to racial profiling by contemporary US police officers.