To Kill a Mockingbird

1. To Kill a Mockingbird Introduction PowerPoint by Mr. B

2. To Kill a Mockingbirdessential questions… • Why is it required to read TKAM? • Who wrote TKAM? • When was TKAM written? • What is TKAM about? • Setting and Historical Context • Characters • Plot • Themes

3. Why is TKAM required reading? Consistently regarded as one of the best American books of the 20th century. Addresses issues and themes so intertwined with American history. Beautifully written. Rite of passage.

4. Who wrote TKAM? Harper Lee B.1924 Alabama Based novel on her father, a Southern lawyer who defended two innocent blacks accused of murder.

5. When was TKAM written? TKAM was written in the late 1950s and was published in 1960. It was the Pulitzer Prize for literature in 1960. A movie, starring Gregory Peck was made in 1962 and won the Academy Award.

6. Anticipatory Analyses • Analyses 1 • Describe the last time either you were bullied or you witnessed someone being bullied? • What was your response?

8. Analysis 2 The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States, near Denver and Littleton. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12 students and one teacher. They also injured 21 other students directly, and three people were injured while attempting to escape. The pair then committed suicide.

9. Why? The link between bullying and school violence has attracted increasing attention since the 1999 rampage at Colorado's Columbine High School. Both of the shooters were classified as gifted children and had been bullied for years. A year later, an analysis by officials at the U.S. Secret Service of 37 premeditated school shootings found that bullying, which some of the shooters described "in terms that approached torment," played the major role in more than two-thirds of the attacks.

10. Analysis 3 To what extent should the bullies, who tormented Eric and Dylan in childhood be held accountable for Eric and Dylan’s heinous actions? If at all.

11. Analysis 4 How do you stop a bully from bullying?

12. Analysis 5 For 350 years, slavery was a practice that was accepted by the vast majority of Americans. In fact, our founding fathers did not recognize blacks as equal to whites. We know slavery today to be pure evil. Why was slavery accepted for so long? Were all people who owned slaves and/or approved of slavery evil people?

13. Analysis 6 Describe one thing in your society that is “accepted” by the majority of people to be permissible that you think is evil or wrong. Tell why you think it is evil.

14. Emmitt Till

15. Bryant’s Grocery, Money, Mississippi

16. 21 year old, Carolyn Bryant

17. J.W. Milam and Roy Bryant

18. Emmitt Till

19. Analysis 7 Although the evidence against both Roy and J.W. was “slam dunk” both men were found not guilty of the murder of Till. Two months later, protected by double jeopardy, Roy and J.W. admitted to killing Till in exchange for a $400 interview with a magazine. Besides J.W. and Roy, who else, in your opinion should be held accountable for this boy’s death?

20. Dixie

21. What do you know? In your journal, write down everything that comes to mind when you think of “The South”.

22. Why was the South racist against blacks? From 1600-1865 the practice of enslaving blacks and using them for labor was pervasive in the South. Millions of Africans were brought to America against their will to work on large plantations in the South. Slavery was symbiotic with the cotton harvest. The justification for slavery was based on race—whites were seen as masters and blacks were seen as servants.

23. Emancipation Blacks were emancipated after the Civil War (1865). Jim Crow Laws Lynching Separate but Equal Fear of integration

24. Titus 2:9:Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 1 Peter 2:18:Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. Psalm 123:2 (New International Version (NIV)): As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy. 1 Peter 2:18:Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.

36. Setting of TKAM To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a rural town in Alabama during the great depression. Both blacks and whites in the town are extremely poor and ignorant. The majority of whites can’t read or right and they have been brainwashed by their society since birth to regard blacks with scorn. To poor whites, making blacks out to be beneath them gave them a sense of superiority. Blacks in 1930s Alabama lived completed separate from whites in all aspects of life.

37. Setting (cont.) Blacks, like whites in 1930s Alabama also were firmly entrenched in a paradigm. You will see that blacks in this novel lived in fear of whites. Blacks called all whites, “sir” or “ma’m” Blacks were brainwashed into thinking that whites were superior to them. Although blacks were “technically” free, they still lived in a “slave” status. Jim Crow Laws totally separated blacks from whites—blacks were not allowed to vote. Also, “the law” turned a blind eye to lynching.

38. Characters

39. Scout Narrator of the story—based on Harper Lee as a little girl. 6 years old. Her father, Atticus is the towns defense attorney, who takes a case to defend a black man, Tom Robinson accused of raping a white woman. Scout witnesses the evil of society. The conflict in the story revolves around Scout—after witnessing the evil of humanity first hand, will she still have hope in the goodness of humanity?

40. Atticus Single father of Scout and Jem. Regards the racism of his society as evil, but he still understands the ignorance of the people and tries to be an example as to how and change the peoples’ attitudes. Does the right thing even if it means endangering himself and his family.

41. Jem Scout’s older brother. After the events of the novel unfold, Jem, unlike Scout loses his innocence and faith in the goodness of humanity.

42. Tom Robinson Poor, illiterate black man accused of raping a poor white girl MayellaEwell. A black man making any “pass” at a white woman was the most unspeakable crime in the Jim Crow South. Even though he claimed to be innocent, an all white jury would most likely find him guilty.

43. Boo Radley The Finch’s neighbor who never sets foot outside his house. Jem and Scout make up stories about him that he is a criminal or murderer living in his basement. Describe a strange neighbor you have had?

44. Bob and MayellaEwell Poor white farmers. Racist Mayella accuses Tom Robinson, a black man, of raping her. They press charges.

45. Miss Maudie Widow and Finch neighbor. Aside from Atticus, Maudie is the only non-racist in the community and praises Atticus to defending Tom. She is the children's’ best adult friend in the community.

46. Calpurnia The Finch’s maid. Since Atticus is a single father (his wife died giving birth to Scout), a woman is needed to take care of the kids. Calpurnia is treated with the uttermost respect by Atticus. Atticus allows to to discipline his children. She is wise. The children, being raised by her do not regard her as “black” but as one of the family.

47. Dill Childhood friend and neighbor of Jem and Scout. Has wild imagination and makes up stories about Boo Radley. Represents childhood innocence. Based upon Harper Lee’s childhood friend, Truman Capote—also a famous author in the 50s and 60s.

48. Mrs. Dubose Racist neighbor of the Finch’s. Calls Atticus a “nigger lover” to the face of the children. Mrs. Dubose represents a person who has lived her life never looking beyond her paradigm. She thoroughly believed that blacks should be subservient to whites. Atticus taught his children to not blame her for her own ignorance.

49. Themes and Symbolism As we read the book, you must ascertain the meaning of the Mockingbird. The main theme of the novel is the end of innocence. Children are born pure and are corrupted by society. The protagonist of the novel is Scout, who at the start of the book has no idea as to the evil that exists in men’s heart. She is forced to endure abuse by her community because her father has decided to defend a black man. The conflict becomes will Scout retain her faith in humanity after witnessing the evil events that unfold, or will she emerge with a renewed hope in the goodness that is possible in the face of evil?