To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee

Born April 28, 1926 Monroeville, AL Great Depression era Reclusive lifestyle

Harper Lee Only published one book Still lives in Monroeville w/ her sister Never married Known to be pleasant and witty Fought fiercely to stay out of the public eye

Education Attended Huntington College for one year Exchange student at Oxford University in England Law student at the University of Alabama ( ) Worked in New York City as an airline reservation clerk

To Kill a Mockingbird Won Pulitzer Prize in 1961 Submitted in 1957; published in 1960 Only novel Harper Lee ever wrote

Historical Context of the Setting Maycomb, AL (fictional) Great Depression (1930’s) Stock-market crash of million Americans had no jobs 750,000 farmers had lost their land

Social Context Although in1863, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and the South lost the Civil War… African Americans were still considered “second class citizens” years later

Point of View 1 st person Told in retrospect

Novel of Maturation Focuses on the maturation and coming- of-age of its central character Scout, the six year old main character, learns from her experiences

Themes: central ideas Striving to reach adulthood Overcoming/dealing with Prejudices: racial, social, and sexual

Characters…in the family Atticus Finch Widower around 50 years old An attorney appointed to defend Tom Scout (Jean Louise) Finch Atticus’ daughter “tomboy” Jem Finch Atticus’ son 4 years older than Scout

…friends and foes Calpurnia Finch’s African American cook Helps raise Jem and Scout Aunt Alexandra Atticus’ sister Scout’s “foe” Dill (Charles Baker Harris) Scout’s “intended” 7 years old

…in the neighborhood Boo (Mr. Arthur) Radley Mysterious neighbor Mr. Nathan Radley Boo’s “unneighborly” brother Miss Maudie Atkinson Children’s mentor Compassionate neighbor Mrs. Dubose Elderly neighbor of Finch's Contrast of Miss Maudie

…some of Maycomb’s finest Mr. Walter Cunningham One of Atticus’ clients (refuses to accept charity) Heck Tate Sherriff of Maycomb Tom Robinson Young African-American accused of raping Mayella Ewell

…Maycomb’s not so finest Bob Ewell Head of a large family of “poor white trash” Mayella Ewell Bob’s eldest daughter Accuses Tom of raping her

Harper Lee vs. Scout Tomboy, feisty, and a creative girl Daughter of a lawyer Childhood spent in Monroeville, AL during Great Depression Mother died due to illness

Amosa Coleman Lee vs. Atticus Finch Respected attorney and state legislature Has genuine humility which lends him a natural humility

Frances Cunningham Finch vs. Scout’s mother Often ill; died in 1951 Harper Lee used every part of her mother’s name in the novel

Truman Capote vs. Dill Harper Lee’s childhood friend Visited Monroeville during the summer

Scottsboro Trial vs. Tom Robinson Trial Scottsboro boys were accused of raping two white women Everyone in Scottsboro came to view the trial out of curiosity Lawyer was appointed to represent the boys

…continued Ruby Bates, one of the white women came from a poor family “the lowest of the low” with a lifestyle of drunkenness and filth Ruby Bates followed Victoria’s lead for how to act in court

Scottsboro Boys

Outside the Court House

To Kill a Mockingbird Made into a major motion picture starring Gregory Peck in 1962 Peck won an Oscar for his performance Book was banned by Virginia’s county school system b/c it deals w/ the subject of rape Lee defended her book as an example of honorable code of conduct and questioned whether the members were illiterate

To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee

A Mockingbird is: long-tailed grey-and-white songbird of the southern United States able to mimic songs of other birds

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER 1. What was America like during the time of this book? 2. What is the significance of the title with regard to the plot and symbolism? 3. What experiences and people did Harper Lee rely on in order to develop her plot and characters? 4. Is there still prejudice in America today?