To Kill a Mockingbird

1. To Kill a Mockingbird

2. Harper Lee

3. Wrote To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960 • Based the story on her life growing up in Monroeville, Alabama • TKAM was the only novel she ever wrote

4. In 1962 the novel was turned into a film starring Gregory Peck. • It received a humanitarian award and several Academy Award nominations

5. To Kill a Mockingbird • Focuses on the people, attitudes, and laws of the South during this time period. • The plot of TKAM reflected Lee’s own childhood in Alabama and was greatly influenced by the training she received in law school

6. About the Novel • Told in flashback • 2 story lines – each with itsown climax • First-person point of view • Bildungsroman • Covers approx. 3 years

7. SETTING Maycomb, ALABAMA

8. Point of View • Jean Louise Finch • (Scout) • Narrator switches perspectives from a six year-old girl to one with the wisdom of an adult looking back. The Narrator

9. Social Class in the Novel This is probably similar to how class structure existed during the 1930’s in the South. The wealthy, although fewest in number, were most powerful. The blacks, although great in number, were lowest on the class ladder, and thus, had the least privileges. Examples of each social class: Wealthy - Finches Country Folk - Cunninghams “White Trash” – Ewells Black Community – Tom Robinson

10. Prejudice in Maycomb County, Alabama, 1930’s “Now gentlemen, in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal. I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and of our jury system. That's no ideal to me. That is a living, working reality.” -Atticus to the jury

11. Legal Segregation in Alabama, 1923-1940 • No white female nurses in hospitals that treat black men • Separate passenger cars for whites and blacks • Separate waiting rooms for whites and blacks • Separation of white and black convicts • Separate schools • No interracial marriages • Segregated water fountains • Segregated theatres

12. Language of Scout switches from childhood to adulthood • Atticus always uses formal speech • Calpurnia uses “white language” in the Finch house and switches to “black jargon” when amidst blacks • The Ewell’s use foul words and obscenities • Jem, Scout, and Dill will use slang words, typical of their age • Tom Robinson uses language typical of the southern black such as “suh” for “sir” and “chillun” for “children” • Various derogatory terms for blacks will be used – Lee uses such language to keep her novel naturally in sync with common language of the times Language

13. TONE • Somber • Serious • Humorous (at times)

14. MOTIFS Gothic Details Depictions of a small-town life

15. CHARACTERS

16. Scout • Tomboy • Impulsive • Emotional • Warm & Friendly • Sensitive • Adorable • Gains in Maturity throughout the Novel

17. ATTICUS FINCH • Widower/Father of Scout & Jem • An attorney by profession • Highly respected • Good citizen • Instills good values and morals in his children. • His children call him “Atticus” • Honest, Brave & Courteous • Typical southern gentleman • Soft-spoken

18. “You never really know a man until you crawl into his skin and walk around for awhile.” Atticus Finch

19. JEM FINCH • Scout’s older brother • Looks up to Atticus • Usually looks out for Scout • Typical older brother at times • Smart & Compassionate • Matures as the story progresses

20. Finch’s Housekeeper • Has watched the children since their mother’s death • Has been a positive influence on the children. CALPURNIA

21. Arthur "Boo" Radley • An enigma • An adult man, whose father has “sentenced” him to a lifetime confinement to their house because of some mischief he got into when he was a teenager. • Has a reputation of being a lunatic • Basically a harmless, well-meaning person • Sometimes childlike in behavior • Starving for love and affection • Saves Jem and Scout from certain danger

22. Tom • Young, harmless, innocent, hardworking • Has a crippled left hand • Married with three children. Works on a farm belonging to Mr. Link Deas • Accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell Robinson

23. DILL • A close friend of Jem and Scout • Usually lives in Maycomb only during the summer • Tells “big stories” • Has been deprived of love and affection

24. The character of “Dill,” Scout and Jem’s playmate in the novel was based upon Lee’s actual neighbor, Truman Capote • Capote is famous for amongst other things, In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. • It has been said that he gave Lee Mockingbird as a gift.

25. 1930s Typical Morphine Addict: White female Middle-aged or older Widowed Homebound Lives in the south Property owner Began using morphine for medical reasons (pain relief) In “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the Finch children will become acquainted with a morphine addict. Although only a fictitious character, she personifies the American morphine addict of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Mrs. Henry Dubose

26. Poor white family Hard-working Honest & Proud Survive on very little Always pay back their debts – even if it is with hickory nuts, turnips, or holly. Poor white trash Dirty & Lazy Never done a day’s work Foul-mouthed Dishonest Immoral Two Poor White Families: The Cunningham’s Ewell’s

27. Simple Honest Clean Hard-working God-fearing Proud Would never take anything with paying it back Respectful Had stronger character than most of the whites Oppressed Uneducated Discriminated against Talked about badly Deserve better than what is dished out to them by society The Black Community

28. Major Themes • Education is not limited to the classroom but is an important part of a person’s everyday life. • Prejudice is responsible for much social injustice. • People often fear what they do not understand.

29. Major Themes • Courage is doing what you think is right when the odds of succeeding are against you. • Maturation • Pride

30. The End