Literature Review To Kill a Mockingbird A novel by Harper Lee

Setting Maycomb, Alabama in the early 1930’s Jim Crow South; a period of segregation Highly racist community Great Depression

Characters Scout (Jean Louise Finch) is characterized as... the novel’s protagonist the narrator; the story is told from the first- person point of view - she is an adult narrator telling the story from her childhood persona, a six to nine year old girl. innocent and naïve a tomboy whose actions add a lot of humor to the novel Jem’s sister and Atticus’s daughter

Characters Atticus Finch is characterized as... Scout and Jem’s father a white southern lawyer assigned to a case where he aims to defend a black man (Tom Robinson) who is falsely accused of raping a white woman (Mayella Ewell). a morally courageous person who does the right thing by wholeheartedly defending Tom in a highly racist community a man who is freely willing to take on and absorb the consequences of his actions; the majority of Maycomb feels Atticus is doing the wrong things by taking a black man’s word over that of a white woman/man.

Characters Bob Ewell is characterized as... the novel’s antagonist a poor, racist man who has falsely accused Tom Robinson of raping his daughter, Mayella. In reality he caught his daughter seducing Tom, and his embarrassment leads him to lie an individual who does not care for black people and feels they are below him the lowest form of human being

Characters Boo Radley is characterized as... a reclusive neighbor of the Finches a rumored malevolent phantom who is evil and misunderstood a character who is later appears to be simply shy and detached from society due to his strict, religious upbringing a hero who kills Bob Ewell in an effort to save Jem and Scout’s life a morally courageous man who is willing to do the right thing regardless of the potential to be celebrated as Maycomb’s town hero

Conflicts Man vs. Man - Atticus against Bob Ewell - Boo against Bob Ewell - Tom Robinson against Bob Ewell Man vs. Self - Boo against himself Man vs. Society - Atticus against Maycomb - Boo against Maycomb - Tom Robinson against Maycomb

Symbolism The Mockingbird - it represents innocence and everything that is good and harmless in the world - The mockingbird only sings to please others and therefore it’s a sin to shoot a mockingbird - Boo, Atticus, and Tom are all ‘mockingbirds’ in the novel; they do only good things for others, yet they are harmed as a result (or attempted to be harmed)

Themes Moral Courage - Atticus must be morally courageous to stand up against Maycomb, his friends, and family to defend Tom Robinson. Bravery and Cowardice Family Influence on Personal Growth Innocence and growing up Education (social/moral/traditional) Prejudice (racial and gender)