Introduction
Contents
• Historical
Background
• Characters
• Plot overview
• Major literary
devices
• Summary of
the unit
Introduction to the Novel
Background Information
To Kill A Mockingbird includes
several references to historical
events. Knowing some
information about this events
is important for understanding
the novel.
This is why you are reading
your own historical text!
About the Author
To Kill A Mockingbird is semi-autobiographical for a
number of reasons:
Lee grew up in Alabama
Father was prominent lawyer
Experienced Great Depression,
Scottsboro Trials
“Scout” based on her life; “Dill” based
on life of childhood friend Truman
Capote
SETTING OF THE NOVEL
• Southern United States
• 1930’s
– Great Depression
– Prejudice and legal segregation
– Ignorance
Historical Background
• The setting
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–
–
–
Maycomb, Georgia
1933-1935
Great Depression
Hitler in power in
Germany
1930’s - Great Depression began
when the stock market crashed in
October, 1929
• Businesses failed,
factories closed
– People were out of work
– Even people with money
suffered because nothing
was being produced for
sale.
•
Poor people lost their
homes, were forced to
“live off the land.”
Introduction to the Novel
Background Information
25% of population
had no job
Hundreds of
thousands lost
homes, farms
and possessions
Even those with jobs
were affected
because nothing was
being produced
GREAT
DEPRESSION
A period of extreme drought,
poverty and hardships during
the 1930s.
Average family
income dropped
to 50% by 1935
Stock Market Crash
caused people to lose
billions. Entire banks
were wiped out and
by 1933 over 60% of
population was
considered poor
The novel takes place during the mid-1930s at a time when the government was
attempting to stop the Great Depression. The President at the time, Franklin Roosevelt,
famously said, “the only thing to fear is fear itself” as his government created programs to
create jobs, house the homeless and feed the starving.
Historical Background
• Slavery was abolished
in 1864, but
Southerners still
believe in white
supremacy.
• Segregation exists.
Blacks may not sit in
the same sections as
whites. They have
separate facilities as
well.
Racial prejudice was alive & well.
Although slavery had ended in
1864, old ideas were slow to
change.
Racial Separation (Segregation)
Introduction to the Novel
Background Information
Racism and
Social Classes
Although slavery was abolished in the 1890s
racism and discrimination were alive and well
during the time of the novel.
The novel is based on many historical facts
that help to drive the story, (and allow the
readers to explore a sad time in American
history) including:
Jim Crow Laws (1890s – 1960s)
Scottsboro Trials (1931)
Social Inequality (Forever)
Historical Background
• Gender Bias
– Women were
considered “weak”
– Education not
important for women
and generally not
educated for
occupations outside
the home
– Wealthy women were
expected to supervise
staff and entertain
guests
– Men were not
considered capable of
nurturing children
Legal Issues of the 1930’s which
impact the story
• Women given the vote
in 1920
• Juries were MALE and
WHITE
• “Fair trial” did not
include acceptance of a
black man’s word
against a white man’s
(ex. “Scottsboro Boys”)
Historical Background
•
•
•
•
Poor White
Families
Hard-working
Honest
Proud
Survive on very
little
• Always pay back
their debts – even
if it is with hickory
nuts, turnips, or
holly.
• The Cunninghams
fit this category
Characters from…
Historical Background
“Poor white
trash”
(character perceptions)
•Dirty
•Lazy
•Good-for-nothing
•Never done a day’s
work
•Foul-mouthed
•Dishonest
•Immoral
•The Ewells fit this
category
Historical Background
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Black Community
Simple
Honest
Clean
Hard-working
God fearing
Proud
Would never take anything with
paying it back
Respectful
Had stronger character than most
of the whites
Oppressed
Uneducated
Discriminated against
Talked about badly
Deserve better than what is dished
out to them by society
Introduction to the Novel
Background Information
The Finches
Social Inequality
White folks of Maycomb &
Maycomb County
The Ewell Family
Tom Robinson
Even the law was one-sided: Juries were always all-white and all-male. The word of a
black man meant nothing against the word of a white man.
Prejudice in the novel
Race
Gender
Handicaps
Rich/Poor
Age
Religion
Interpreting the Class Structure
• Why do you think that Harper Lee chose to
divide the “classes of people” during The
Great Depression in this way?
Characters
Atticus Finch
Father of Scout and Jem
A widower
An attorney by
profession
Highly respected
Good citizen
Instills good values and
morals in his children
Insight into Atticus
• If women were considered the weaker sex
and education was not important for women
at the time, why do you think that Atticus
chose to educate Scout?
• How does this affect your ideas about
Atticus’ character?
Characters
Jem Finch
 Scout’s older brother
 Looks up to his father Atticus
 Usually looks out for Scout
 Typical older brother at
times
 Smart
 Compassionate
 Matures as the story
progresses
Characters
Jean Louise Finch “Scout”
The story’s narrator
Although now an adult,
Scout looks back at her
childhood and tells of
the momentous events
and influential people
of those years.
Scout is six when the
story begins.
She is naturally curious
about life.
Point of View:
Innocent Narrator
• First person
– The narrator does participate in the action of the story (ex.
“I,” “we”). When reading stories in the first person, we
need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might
not be the objective truth. We should question the
trustworthiness of the accounting.
• Harper Lee is actually a woman; Scout represents the
author as a little girl although the story is not strictly
autobiographical
• Why might Harper Lee have chosen her narrator to
be Scout (instead of Jem)?
Innocent Narrator?
• The main character is Scout. She is a 6 year
old girl in the beginning of the book and the
book spans three years.
• How do you think the fact that Scout is the
protagonist of the novel affects the
perspective of the novel?
Innocent/Naïve Narrator
• The naive narrator is an ingenious character
who reveals the faults and flaws of the world
around him through his inexperience and
innocence.
• The historical events that she experiences,
she does not immediately understand.
– Why do you think the author (Harper Lee) chose
to write the novel in Scout’s perspective? How
does it affect the interpretation of the historical
events?
Characters
Calpurnia
The Finch’s black
housekeeper
Has watched the
children since their
mother’s death
Has been a positive
influence on the
children.
Characters
Dill
A close friend of Jem and
Scout
Usually lives in Maycomb
only during the summer
(stays with a relative)
Tells “big stories”
Has been deprived of
love and affection
Characters
Tom Robinson
A young, harmless,
innocent, hardworking
black man
Has a crippled left hand
Married with three
children.
Works on a farm
belonging to Mr. Link
Deas, a white man
Accused of raping white
girl; he is defended at
trial by Atticus
Characters
Arthur “Boo” Radley
 An enigma
 An adult man, whose father has
“sentenced” him to a lifetime
confinement to their house
because of some mischief he
got into when he was a
teenager.
 Has a reputation of being a
lunatic
 Sometimes childlike in behavior
Characters
Mayella Ewell
The oldest child of Bob
Ewell
Shy
Lonely
Characters
Bob Ewell
Mayella’s “poor white trash”
father
The “town parasite who
lives off the town’s bounty”
Why might he be important
to the story? What does he
represent?
Characters
Miss Maudie Atkinson
Scout’s Neighbor
Loves gardens and
bakes the best cake in
Maycomb
Knows how to treat
children like adults
Why might this be key?
Characters
Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose
 A mean old woman in
the Finch neighborhood
Teaches the children a
lesson in bravery
Characters
Aunt Alexandra
Atticus’s sister
Wants Scout to be a lady
Wants Jem to be a
gentleman
What do you think she
represents in the story?
(Think about the roles of
men/women and the
class/social structure)
Characters
Heck Tate
The town sheriff
Introduction to the Novel
Plot Sequence
The “Boo Radley” Plot
Introduction to the characters including the Finch family
history, “Scout” and Jem, “Dill” Harris and the interesting
history of Arthur “Boo” Radley
Development of the children’s antics in their pursuit of
“Boo” Radley, which includes dares and games to get his
attention. During this part Atticus Finch warns the children
to not judge “Boo” – they need to live life in his shoes.
Children trespass on Radley property and are shot at,
causing Jem to lose his pants. This further develops “Boo’s”
character as we witness his actions.
Introduction to the Novel
Plot Sequence
The “Tom Robinson” Plot
A white woman, Mayella Ewell, is raped. She accuses Tom Robinson, a
black man. Atticus Finch agrees to defend Robinson, which angers and
upsets Maycomb.
Maycomb is furious about trial and collectively wants to lynch Robinson.
Finch faces uphill battle based on black’s position in society.
Trial becomes one-sided despite clear evidence in favour of Robinson.
Robinson was in relationship with Ewell according to factual evidence
but nonetheless, Robinson found guilt and sentenced to death.
Robinson, clearly innocent, tries to escape the jail and is shot to death
Ewell family attacks the Finch family due to the “shame and humilation”
Atticus Finch subjected them to during the trial..
Introduction to the Novel
Plot Sequence
Connecting the Two Plots
Over the course of the novel, Dill, “Scout” and Jem continue to build a
relationship with “Boo” Radley, trying to get him to come out of the
house during the day
After the trial of Tom Robinson, the actions of Bob Ewell, (father of
“victim” Mayella Ewell, progress from menacing the Finch family to
breaking into the judge’s house until he finally attacks Jem and “Scout”.
“Boo” Radley save Jem and “Scout” and Bob Ewell dies. “Boo” is then
forced to return to hiding in the Radley house
“Scout” finally understands what her father said about not judging a
person and this reinforces her belief in the ultimate goodness of man.
Introduction to the Novel
Ignorance
Exploring Themes
Good vs. Evil
Morals: Right
and Wrong
Social Inequality,
Racism and
Discrimination
• Moral reasoning by Atticus Finch
• Acts of “Boo” Radley
• Loss of innocence
• Acts of the Ewell family: deception,
harassment, lies and violence
• Perspective: Life in someone else’s shoes
• Atticus Finch defending Tom Robinson
• “Boo” Radley and his background
• The treatment of Tom Robinson
• Racial divide between blacks and whites
during time period
• Treatment of whites who defend blacks
Introduction to the Novel
Exploring Symbols
…Be on the lookout for:
SYMBOL:
A word or object that
represents another word
or object
Small-Town Life
“Boo” Radley
Mockingbirds / Birds
What do these symbols
represent!?
Things to Consider While Reading
Important Quotes
“Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything
involving a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to
understand… I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for
their answers instead of listening to the town. I hope they
trust me enough…” -Atticus Finch
Allusions
• A reference to
something
• “Mockingbird”
by Eminem
• The Mockingjay
by Suzanne
Collins
Historical Impact
• How do you think history affects the writing
(by Harper Lee) and/or the reading of this
novel?
• Why is this important in our understanding of
To Kill a Mockingbird?
Contents of Presentation
Goals of Unit
• Understanding plot, setting and character development
• Understanding the development of important themes
• Increasing the use of vocabulary and language
• Develop ability to think critically about what is in a novel or other text
• Learning history of segregation, southern U.S.A., great depression and legal battles
Introduction to Novel
• The Characters
• Plot Sequence
• Themes & Symbols
• Background Issues
• About Author
Things to Consider While Reading
• Important Quotes
• Using Resources
Goals of Unit
There are several topics that we will
be focusing on during our study of To
Kill A Mockingbird.
These topics will help you develop
important skills that you will require
in all subjects throughout high
school, university and your career.
This unit will focus on…
Goals of Unit
Plot, Setting & Character Development
What is
PLOT?
What is
SETTING?
What is
CHARACTER
DEVELOPMENT?
The main events that make up the beginning,
middle and end of a story. Understand WHAT
HAPPENS in a story is crucial to figuring out
WHY things happen.
Essentially the setting is WHERE and WHEN
the story takes place. To Kill A Mockingbird
uses the setting of southern Alabama, the
town of Maycomb and the courtroom to
develop the story
As the characters develop we see changes
that are reflections of the plot. As things
happen they learn things and move on,
hopefully keeping the reader’s interest in the
process.
Goals of Unit
Theme, Vocabulary, Critical Thinking and History
What is
THEME?
Improve
VOCABULARY!
Think
CRITICALLY!
Learn
HISTORY!
Theme refers to the main idea and the purpose of the
work. What is the novel trying to accomplish and/or teach
the reader?
To Kill A Mockingbird makes use of many words that you
may not know. If you do not know the word you will not be
able to understand the plot, setting, characters or theme.
Therefore, this unit will focus on regular vocabulary
improvement.
You will learn how to question why authors make decisions
about the words they use, the decisions of the characters
and the events of the plot and how these things tell the
reader an important message.
This novel makes mention of many historical aspects that
require some knowledge in order for the novel to make
complete sense. Therefore we will discuss some of the
history within the novel before and during our study of To
Kill A Mockingbird.
Things to Consider While Reading
Using Resources
Having difficulty understanding the novel? Try these resources:
Sparknotes – Free Web Resource: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/mocking/
TKM Student Survival Guide
Wikipedia.org: To Kill A Mockingbird
Don’t forget about me! Ask me questions you may have!