To Kill a Mockingbird TEST REVIEW

SETTING Maycomb, Alabama (small southern town) mid 1930’s

SETTING Economy – Great Depression; poverty Social Culture – racism and prejudice citizens believed white people over the word of an African- American

NARRATOR Jean Louise Finch (adult version of Scout)

CHARACTERS

Atticus Finch  lawyer  father of Jem and Scout

ATTICUS FINCH an independent man with his own beliefs and convictions (who was willing to act in accordance with his beliefs)

ATTICUS  was called a “n…..- lover” because he defended an African- American man who was accused of raping a young white woman

ATTICUS  explained that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they don’t do anything but make music for people to enjoy.

ATTICUS  “best shot in Maycomb County”  when Atticus shot a rabid dog, his kids were very impressed

ATTICUS  proves in court that Tom Robinson could not have raped Mayella because he had a crippled left arm from a boyhood accident

JEM FINCH  ten year-old son of Atticus Finch  brother of Scout  disappointed that Atticus won’t let him have a rifle

JEM FINCH  can be adventuresome  loses his pants escaping from the Radley backyard

SCOUT FINCH  six year-old daughter of Atticus  real name is Jean Louise Finch  sister of Jem Finch

SCOUT FINCH  can be feisty (gets into a fight with Walter Cunningham at school; goes on adventures with Jem and Dill)

DILL  real name is Charles Baker Harris  going on seven years-old  liked to tell stories

DILL  hometown: Meridian, Mississippi (lives there during school)  visiting his aunt – Miss Stephanie

BOO RADLEY  real name: Arthur  son of Mr. Radley  mysterious  not seen in public for the last 12 years

BOO RADLEY  Boo stabbed his dad with scissors  legend has it he was locked up in the damp basement of the courthouse and then kept in the Radley home GOSSIP and Hearsay

BOO RADLEY  the children are very curious about Boo – What does he look like? Is he a crazy man?

BOO RADLEY  mends Jem’s pants secretly  rescues Jem and Scout from the vicious attack by Bob Ewell (Boo kills Mr. Ewell)

BOO RADLEY  the children discover that Boo is a kind man who cares about them  Boo leaves “gifts” in the oak tree for the children to find

Cunningham Family  Walter, Sr, and his son Walter, Jr.  proud, poor farmers  hard-working

Ewell Family  Bob Ewell and his daughter, Mayella  poor, but not hard- working  Bob is an alcoholic and abusive

Ewell Family  Mayella lies in court to support her father and protect herself  Her testimony influences the jury to find Tom Robinson guilty of rape

Mrs. Dubose  neighborhood woman in a wheel- chair  nasty disposition  hateful, spiteful  Atticus speaks nicely to her

Miss Maudie  nice woman who lives across from the Finch family  she speaks highly of Atticus  she loves working in her yard and garden

Tom Robinson  African-American man  unjustly accused of raping Mayella Ewell  wrongly convicted of this crime

Tom Robinson Tom is shot and killed by the authorities who claimed Tom was trying to escape prison after his conviction

Citizens of Maycomb  had racist tendencies  many were poor farmers struggling during the Great Depression

FOCUS QUESTIONS What does Atticus mean when he tells Scout that she will never understand someone until she walks around in that person’s skin?

FOCUS QUESTIONS Scout and Jem are dynamic characters. How have they changed and matured in their thoughts, values, and actions?

FOCUS QUESTIONS The mockingbird is a symbol for whatever brings beauty and love to life. One theme of this story is that it is a sin to destroy innocent creatures.

FOCUS QUESTIONS Identify some characters that are examples of “mockingbirds” in this screenplay and in life. Describe reasons from the story that may explain why people destroy “mockingbirds”