1. To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee Published in 1960 Told in the first person by a six-year-old girl (Scout) Set in the fictional Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression of the 1930’s *These notes are from the HRW study guide notes for To Kill a Mockingbird

2. Life and Work of Harper Lee Born April 28, 1926 Grew up during the Depression Father was a lawyer Her novel To Kill a Mockingbird won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 The plot reflects her own childhood in Alabama

3. Historical Context The stock-market crash of 1929 paralyzed the economy. At the height of the Great Depression in 1933, about 13 million Americans had no jobs. More than 750,000 had lost their land. President Franklin Delanor Roosevelt helped to relieve the hardships of so many Americans.

4. Roosevelt promoted a program called “The New Deal” which created government programs like Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration. His New Deal marked a turning point in American history with the government taking a strong and active role in the nation’s economic affairs.

5. Social Context of the novel During the time of the novel, blacks in the South, who had not been slaves in over sixty years, were nonetheless considered “second class” citizens. There was absolute segregation of the whites and blacks. Blacks were regulated to the performance of menial jobs. (housemaids, cooks, etc.)

6. They suffered harsh and often brutal indignities at the hands of the “superior” whites. Lee portrays this social structure in the novel specifically in the case of Tom Robinson, accused by Mayell Ewell of rape. A white man’s (or woman’s) word was never questioned, the assumption being that blacks were shifty, untrustworthy liars.

7. Coming -of -Age Novel Bildungsroman Literally, novel of education A specific type of novel that focuses on the maturation and coming-of-age is its central character Scout, central character and narrator, is almost six when the action of the story begins. She recounts these experiences as an adult. (Flashback)

8. What does Scout learn? To accept people as they are To abandon childish superstitions To understand what real courage is To become aware of the injustices perpetrated by social, sexual, and racial prejudice

9. Themes of To Kill a Mockingbird Striving to reach adulthood Racial, sexual, and social prejudices Education Superstition Religion Courage

10. The Characters Atticus Finch- widower (about 50 yrs old), raising two young children in Maycomb, Alabama, is an attorney appointed to defend a black man accused of raping a white woman Scout (Jean Louise) Finch- Atticus’ daughter, a “tomboy,” almost six years old as the story begins

11. Jem Finch- four years older than Scout and is Atticus’ only son Calpurnia (Cal)- the Finch’s black cook and helps raise Atticus’ children Aunt Alexandra- Atticus’ sister (Scout doesn’t like her) and comes to help care for the children during the trial Uncle Jack- Atticus’ bachelor brother Dill (Charles Baker Harris)- Scout’s “intended” lives in Mississippi but spends his summers in Maycomb

12. Miss Maudie Atkinson- a compassionate neighbor Mrs. Dubose- an elderly neighbor (children’s nemesis) Boo (Mr. Arthur) Radley- the mysterious neighbor whom the children have never seen, is the result of neighborhood gossip. Mr. Nathan Radley- Boo’s “unneighborly” brother Heck Tate- sheriff of Maycomb Judge John Taylor- appoints Atticus to defend Tom Robinson Mr. Gilmer- prosecuting attorney Tom Robinson- young black man accused of raping Mayella Ewell

13. Bob Ewell- head of a large family of “poor white trash” and receives welfare checks and spends it all on alcohol Mayella Violet Ewell- Bob Ewell’s oldest daughter and accuses Tom Robinson of raping her Mr. Walter Cunningham- one of Atticus’ clients and is a farmer who refuses to accept charity

14. The Plot Action covers appx. 3 years in the childhood of Scout and her older brother Jem Two strands of the plot are presented and merge at the end: 1. The focus on Boo Radley 2. The trial of Atticus’ client, Tom Robinson

15. The Setting During the Great Depression Set in Maycomb, Alabama The social context is specific and limited exclusively to the South

16. Point of View Told in first –person point of view Seen through the eyes of the main character, Scout Finch An adult Scout is recounting the thoughts and impressions of her younger self

17. Symbolism Atticus states that to kill a mockingbird is a sin. Miss Maudie explains why it is …. Lee equates this sin with any deliberately performed act of meanness or evil.To fear and torment Boo and to bring to trial someone like Tom=acts as sinful as the killing of a mockingbird

18. Foreshadowing The cause of Jem’s broken arm Existence of the reclusive Boo Radley And now, YOU tell me…. Let’s begin our novel!