To Kill a Mockingbird Themes By Harper Lee

Preview of the Novel The setting The characters Conflicts Prejudice The Great Depression The characters Conflicts Prejudice Social Hierarchy

The Great Depression

1930’s - Great Depression began when the stock market crashed in October, 1929 Businesses failed, factories closed People were out of work Even people with money suffered because nothing was being produced for sale. Poor people lost their homes, were forced to “live off the land.”

Bank Failures

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

“You never really know a man until you crawl into his skin and walk around for awhile.”--Atticus Finch Atticus Finch Jeremy (Jem) Finch Jean Louise (Scout) Charles Baker Harris (Dill) Aunt Alexandra Boo Radley Tom Robinson Robert E. Lee Ewell Mayella Ewell Calpurnia

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

“Scout, yer starting to act like a girl!” Gender bias Racial prejudice Economic prejudice Social Hierarchy Religious Prejudice

Social Hierarchy in Maycomb 1933 Aristocrats - White upper class White middle class White lower class White trash Negroes

Aristocrats -White upper class Educated Legitimate claim to “Old South” plantation families. Wealth Aunt Alexandra

White middle Class White Lower Class White Some education Property owners Miss Maudie White Lower Class White Little or no education Sharecroppers/ Farmers Walter Cunningham

Poor White Trash Refuse education Often alcoholic Few or no work skills No work ethic Same opportunities as other white classes

Negroes Lowest on the social hierarchy Education prohibited Placed here only because of race

Race Gender Handicaps Rich/Poor Age Religion Prejudice in the novel Race Gender Handicaps Rich/Poor Age Religion

Courage -It’s not a man with a gun in his hand. “It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through, no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.” -Atticus Finch

Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose “She was the meanest lady I ever met.” Jem Supposedly holds a Confederate pistol under her shawl. Yells insults and false accusations at the children walking by her house. Ignites Jem’s slow-burning fuse by insulting his dead mother.

Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose “She was the bravest person I ever knew Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose “She was the bravest person I ever knew.” Atticus She was sick for a long time…probably cancer. Pain-ridden -Took morphine for years prescribed by a doctor, acceptable use. Morphine affected her disposition, made her more “contrary”(mean) than normal. Wanted to rid herself of her addiction before dying. The reading time prolonged her “fits.” Died with pain, but overcame morphine addiction

“If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you crawl into his skin and walk around in it.”