To Kill a Mockingbird Notes Author: Harper Lee Setting: Story begins in the year 1933 in Maycomb County, Alabama. The U.S. was in the midst of the Great Depression. Many people were unemployed and had little money. Race relations were strained. African Americans and women did not have the same social standing as whites and men. The novel is written using dialect: a regional variety of language; language used by a particular group or class of people

Characters Scout (Jean Louise Finch): Atticus’s young daughter who is the narrator of the story. Jem Finch: Scout’s brother, 4 years older than she is. Atticus Finch: Scout and Jem’s father, a lawyer in a small southern town. Calpurnia: The Negro cook who has been responsible for raising the Finch children. Dill (Charles Baker Harris): Scout and Jem’s friend who lives in Mississippi but comes every summer to Maycomb; he’s 1 year older than Scout.

Boo Radley (Arthur): The mysterious neighbor who the children have never seen. Miss Rachel: Dill’s aunt who lives next door to the Finches Mr. Nathan Radley: Stern, distant brother of Boo who seldom speaks even though he is seen every day. Miss Stephanie Crawford: a gossipy neighbor who knows the family histories of the entire neighborhood.

Social Hierarchy In Maycomb during 1930’s Wealthy landowners Working class Farming class unemployed Blacks Whites educated uneducated

Mrs. Dubose: An old lady who lives down the street and screams at the children as they pass her house. Miss Maudie Atkinson: a neighbor lady who is very open-minded and well liked by Jem and Scout. Mr. Walter Cunningham: an upright farmer who refused to accept charity and trades crops to pay debts. Walter Cunningham: Son of above who doesn’t have money to buy his lunch. Heck Tate: The sheriff who is a good friend of the Finches. Dolphus Raymond: kind, wealthy white man who lives with, and has children with, a black woman

Literary Devices to consider as you read. Complete the information below as you come across it in the novel. Symbols in the novel: Mad dog: Mockingbird: Extended metaphor: “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird because… “It’s a sin to … because…