1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em,
but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”.

2. To Kill a Mockingbird – Cultural Context
Next to each statement put a “1” if you strongly agree, a “2” if you somewhat agree, a “3” if you somewhat disagree, and a “4” if you strongly disagree.
1. All men are created equal.
2. Girls should act like girls.
3. It’s okay to be different.
4. Nobody is all good or all bad.
5. Some words are so offensive they should never be stated or written.
6. Under our justice system, all citizens are treated equal by the court system.
7. The old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is true.
8. Using correct grammar when speaking proves that a person is smart.
9. No one is above the law.
10. Education is the great equaliser.
11. When the law should not succeed in punishing criminals, citizens should do so.

3. ‘Strange Fruit’ by Billie Holliday
Southern trees bear strange fruit, Blood on the leaves and blood at the root, Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze, Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees. Pastoral scene of the gallant south, The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth, Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh, Then the sudden smell of burning flesh. Here is fruit for the crows to pluck, For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck, For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop, Here is a strange and bitter crop.

4. ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’
Movie Trailer

5. To Kill a Mockingbird
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32. To Kill a Mockingbird
Born Nelle Harper Lee on 28th April 1926 in Monroeville Alabama.
Her father was a lawyer.
She studied law at the University of Alabama , but left before finishing to pursue a literary career.

33. Harper Lee
In 1957 she submitted the manuscript of her novel but she was told that it consisted of a series of short stories strung together, and she was urged to rewrite it.
For the next two and a half years she reworked the manuscript and in 1960 To Kill a Mockingbird was published.
The novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1961.
Despite the success of the novel Lee never published any more books.

34. The Great Depression
A worldwide economic downturn starting in America with a major stock market crash on 29th October 1929 known as Black Tuesday.
Many shares suddenly became worthless and poverty swept the country.
The public lost confidence in the economy and spending levels decreased.
This resulted in drastically falling production levels and drastically rising unemployment.

35. Alabama in the 1930s
By the early 20th century, every southern state had passed laws that created two separate societies; one black, the other white.
Blacks and whites could not use the same waiting rooms and blacks were barred from many hospitals.

36. Slavery and Racism
In the early 20th Century tens of thousands of convicts, mostly black men, were caught up in a racist justice system.
Until nearly 1930, Alabama was providing convicts to businesses, who would work in the fields and mines.
Nearly two decades after slavery was abolished in America, men were dying as slaves in a prison work scheme that benefited southern states and businesses.

54. Civil Rights Movement
To Kill a Mockingbird was written in 1960 at the beginning of the black Civil Rights Movement.
Although it was almost 100 years since slavery was abolished in America, black people were still being treated as second class citizens.
Blacks, who had fought for their country during the Second World War, were starting to demand more civil rights, such as their right to vote. The black Civil Rights Movement took on new strength and Alabama was an important centre in this movement.

55. To Kill a Mockingbird – NOVEL STUDY
Cultural Context refers to the attitudes, values and beliefs (AVB) of a specific group, a specific community and/or a specific society.
ACTIVITIY: Write down an attitude, a value and a belief specific to:
SPECIFIC GROUP: Your family
SPECIFIC COMMUNITY: St John’s College
SPECIFIC SOCIETY: Australia

56. To Kill a Mockingbird – NOVEL STUDY
Author - Research
Where and when did Harper Lee grow up?
What did her father do for a living?
Who was Truman Capote and how was he influential in Harper Lee’s life?
What was Harper Lee like as a child?

57. To Kill a Mockingbird – NOVEL STUDY
Historical Context refers to the time and the place.
Where and when does the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” take place?
ACTIVITY: You have 20 minutes to create a PPT slide of the historical context to the novel.