To Kill A Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
No, it is not a “how to” book
How is the South different than the
rest of the country?
► Language
► Food
► Customs
► Religion
► History
► Climate
► Race
Relations
The Author
► Background
info on
Harper Lee:
► Born in 1926.
► Raised in Monroeville,
AL.
► Her father was a
lawyer.
► His name was Francis
Finch.
Lee and Capote
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Capote and Lee:
Grew up with Truman
Capote.
Based character Dill on
Capote.
Capote dedicated his
most famous book, In
Cold Blood to Harper Lee.
The Author
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Lee Later in life:
The novel won Pulitzer
Prize in 1961
Awarded honorary
degrees.
Only published essays
following TKAM.
Currently splits her time
between New York City
and Monroeville.
Where did she get the idea?
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Where did Harper Lee
get the idea for her
novel?
A case in Scottsboro, AL
2 white women accused
an African American man
of raping them.
Only received lawyer the
day of the trial.
Scottsboro Case Cont…
► No
physical evidence
of a rape.
► Medical testimony
said no rape.
► All white jury still
convicted them.
Setting
► Setting:
In Maycomb,
AL
► In 1930s
► During the Great
Depression
► Novel is set during
the time of complete
segregation.
Class System
► Class
System:
► Land class
► Educated class
► The townspeople
► The farmers
► The poor white trash
► The African
Americans
Southern Society
► African
American
Nannies:
► Took care of children
► Cleaned
► Cooked
► Handled most of the
discipline.
Southern Society
► Southern
Ladies: look
pretty,
► Participate in ladies
groups,
► Supervise the running
of the household.
Southern Society
► Small
Towns:
everyone knows you,
► church is the center
of the social scene,
► not much
entertainment,
► everybody knows
everybody’s business,
► You are judged by
your family.
Literary Terms
► Sub
Plot: A small plot
within a novel/play
that helps to support
or build the main plot.
► Main plot: The trial
of Tom Robinson
► Sub Plot: Mrs.
Dubose, the fire, the
kids and Boo, etc…
Main Characters
Jean Louise “Scout”
Finch: six years old,
tomboy
► Jeremy Atticus “Jem”
Finch: 10 years old
► Atticus Finch: Dad,
widower, Lawyer
► Dill: Friend who visit in
the summer
► Arthur “Boo” Radley:
Scary guy who lives next
door
►
Essay
► Character
Development Paper:
How does Jem/Scout
mature throughout the
novel?
► Immature-----mature
Essay
► Body1:
immature
beginning of the book
► Body 2: beginning to
mature-middle
► Body 3: mature-end
Chapter 1
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POV: First Person-Scout
tells the story
Main Characters:
 Jem: Ten years old at the
start of the novel
 Scout: Six years old at
the start of the novel
 Atticus: Lawyer, widower,
nearly fifty
Chapter 1
► Main
Characters
cont…:
 Calpurnia: The
children’s nanny, African
American, worked for
the family for years
 Dill: Staying w/ his
Aunt Stephanie for the
summer, single parent
home
Chapter 1
► Main
characters cont…
 Boo Radley (according
to Jem):
► Seven
feet tall
► Eats raw squirrels and
cats
► Has fangs
► Is a peeping Tom
► Drools
Chapter 1
► Boo
Radley, the real
story:
 Got in w/ the wrong
crowd
 Got arrested for being
wild
 Family would not send
him to the reform
school
Chapter 1
► Boo’s
story cont…
 Put in the courthouse
basement
 Almost died from the
mildew
 Went and was homenever seen again
 Stabbed his father in
the leg w/ scissors
Chapter 1
► Dill
gets the idea of
trying to get Boo to
come out
► To prove his bravery,
Jem runs up and slaps
the house—not very
mature!
CHAPTER 2
► 1st
grade: filled with
kids of all ages,
► Town kids go straight
through school.
► Farming kids keep
working at home and
are never able to
advance
Chapter 2
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It is Scout’s and Miss
Caroline’s first day of school
Miss Caroline’s Mistakes:
Was mad at Scout for being
able to read and write.
Points out student w/ no lunch,
Pat with ruler
Sticks children in corner
Chapter 2
► She
Doesn’t
understand her kids:
 most of them are farm
kids
 they just don’t get the
cat story
 the Cunningham's
don’t take charity
Chapter 3
► Scout
takes her
frustration out on
Walter Cunningham
► Jem invites him over
for supper
► Scout, again, gets in
trouble because of
her big mouth
Chapter 3
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Miss Caroline does not
understand Burris!
The Ewells:
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
Mother is dead
Dad is a drunk
Kids are filthy
They live in the dump
The kids don’t go to school
The town looks the other
way
Chapter 4
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Who is leaving things in
the knothole? Why?
Jem gets Scout back for
making fun of him
(mature?)
What does Scout hear in
the house?
Playing Boo Radley in the
front yard (mature?).
Chapter 5
► Miss
Maudie:
 Treats the kids with
respect
 Loves her garden
 Widow
 Rents a room to Mr.
Avery
 Lives across the
street from the
Finches
Chapter 5
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Scout is having problems
with her fiancé. How
does she try to solve
them? (mature?)
Miss Maudie explains a
bit more about the
Radley’s
Atticus catches the kids
playing “Boo Radley”
Jem’s response was very
mature!
Chapter 6
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What do the kids wait to
see Mr. Avery do?
The kids decide to look in
Boo’s window
Mr. Nathan fires a gun at
the kids
Jem gets stuck in the
fence
Dill is able to think on his
feet
Jem goes back at night
to get his pants
Chapter 7
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More things found in the
tree
The kids decide to write
a thank you note
What happened the night
Jem went back to get his
pants?
Mr. Nathan fills up the
knothole
Why is Jem so upset?
Chapter 8
► It
snows!
► Jem builds a
snowman. What does
show about Jem?
► What is an absolute
morphodite?
Chapter 8
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Miss Maudie’s house
catches fire
What does Atticus think
to save?
Scout gets a blanket
from who?
Why doesn’t Jem want to
return it?
How does this show
maturity?
Chapter 9
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Why is the town so mad
at Atticus?
Scout is told to stop
fighting and she has
some success
Uncle Jack comes for
Christmas
Scout is still trying to
get out of going to school
(mature?)
What is the rule about
the air rifles?
Chapter 9
► Aunt
Alexandra:
 Atticus’ older sister
 Believes Scout should
behave like a “proper
lady”
 Not a “kid“ person
 She is a cold person
Chapter 9
► Uncle
Jimmy:
 Married to Aunt
Alexandra
 “Buys cotton” (does
nothing)
 Has spoken to Scout
once in her whole life
Chapter 9
► Francis:
 Aunt Alexandra’s
grandson
 Prissy
 Tattletale
 Mean
Chapter 9
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Francis calls Atticus a
hateful name
Scout responds by calling
Francis a whorelady and
beating him up
Uncle Jack sides with
Francis until he hears the
whole story.
Chapter 9
► Uncle
Jack and
Atticus have a talk at
the end of the
chapter:
 Why does Atticus
want Scout to hear
the whole thing?
 What is in store for
the kids?
Chapter 10
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The kids think Atticus is
just too old
There is a mad dog
What do the kids learn
about Atticus?
Why doesn’t Jem want
tell everyone?
How does this show
maturity?
Chapter 11
► Mrs.
Dubose:
 Really old
 Really mean
 Supposedly has a
confederate pistol in
her lap
 Hates Atticus for
defending Tom
Robinson
Chapter 11
► Jem
Snaps. What
does he do?
► How does he have to
make amends?
► Atticus tells Jem
that Mrs. Dubose
teaches an important
lesson: The meaning
of courage.
Chapter 11
► “I
wanted you to see something about her-I
wanted you to see what real courage is, instead
of getting the idea that courage is a man with a
gun in his hand.”
Chapter 11
► “It’s
when you know you’re licked before
you begin, but you begin anyway and you
see it through no matter what. You
rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs.
Dubose won, all ninety eight pounds of
her” (Lee 112)
Chapter 12
► Calpurnia’s
Church:
Scout learns:
► Calpurnia has another
life,
► Most African
Americans in
Maycomb can’t read.
Chapter 12
► Church
is strong and
caring,
► No white people will
hire Helen Robinson,
► Atticus is well
respected w/in the
African American
community
Chapter 13
Aunt Alexandra’s
definition of a proper
Lady and Gentleman:
► Dress nicely
► Come from a land owning
family,
► Hire people to work your
land,
► Own land on the river
► Have good manners,
► It’s about how you look
not who you are
►
Chapter 13
► What
do you think
Atticus’ definition
would be?
► Why does Atticus tell
Scout that it is not
time to worry yet?
Chapter 14
► How
has Jem
separated himself
from the younger
kids?
► What is under
Scout’s bed?
► Why doesn’t Boo run
away?
Chapter 14
► Atticus
as a parent:
 Gives his children
attention.
 Makes them feel
needed and important.
Chapter 15
► Mob
Scene:
 Violent tradition of
lynching African Amer.
Without a trial.
 Who is in the mob?
 Why does a mob
operate differently
from individuals?
 How does Scout stop
them?
Chapter 15
► Is
Jem mature in this
chapter?
 Goes to protect his
father
 Refuses to leave when
told to
Why does Atticus muss
Jem’s hair at the end
of the chapter?
Chapter 16
► Maycomb
county
values conformity: be
like everyone else,
follow the social
norms.
► Dolphus Raymond
 His white fiancé killed
herself
 Lives with African
Americans
Chapter 16
Drinks out of a paper sack
Has “mixed children”
Is wealthy
Why does Jem think the
Raymond kids are sad?
• Where do the Jem, Scout
and Dill sit to watch the
trial?
• What does this tell us
about them and Atticus?
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•
Chapter 17
►
Important Testimony
from Heck Tate (the
sheriff)
 No doctor was called
 Mayella was beaten on the
right side of her face
 She had hand marks all the
way around her neck
 There were no other
witnesses besides Mayella,
her father and Tom
Chapter 17
► Bob’s
Testimony:
 He starts by insulting
his dead wife.
 He refers to his
daughter as a farm
animal.
 He is disrespectful to
the judge and to
Atticus
Chapter 17
► Who
plants the
flowers at the Ewell
House? Who does
this remind you of?
► Why did Atticus have
Bob sign his name?
► Why does Bob get so
mad?
Chapter 18
►
Mayella’s testimony:
 Tom raped her.
 Asked Tom to fix door
 Tom beat her with both
hands
 Dad said Tom ran out door
 Claims Tom has been over 1
or 2 times
Chapter 18
►
What Atticus shows us
about Mayella
 She doesn’t even know
what a friend is
 She doesn’t even
understand how a child
could love her parent
 Her father beats her
 No one has ever addressed
and “Miss”
Chapter 18
► Mayella
Cont…
 Only two of the family
members can read
 Mayella refuses to
change her story
 Why does she yell at
the end?
Chapter 19
► What
Tom:
we know about
 He is a family man
 He is a religious man
 His left hand does not
work
 He had helped Mayella
before
Chapter 19
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Tom’s testimony:
 Mayella kissed him
 Tom said nothing was
wrong with the door
 Tom can only use his right
hand
 Said he jumped out the
window
 Says he helps Mayella
often
Chapter 19
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Tom’s story cont…
 The kids went to get ice
cream-Mayella saved the
money
 Mayella wanted to kiss a
man because what her
father does to her doesn’t
count
Who do you believe?
Why would Mayella lie?
Chapter 20
► Why
does Dill become
so upset?
► Dolphus Raymond
offers him a drink
► Dolphus really drinks
Coca Cola, not alcohol.
► Why does Dolphus
pretend?
Chapter 20
► What
mistake does
Tom make?
► Atticus’ final
statement forces the
town to look at itself
► Calpurnia comes to
court
Chapter 21
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The kids are in trouble
Why does Atticus let
them go back?
Jem believes Atticus will
win
The jury finds Tom guilty
Why do all the African
Americans Stand when
Atticus passes?
Chapter 22
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Jem is crushed by the
verdict
He learns that life isn’t
fair
How does the African
American Community
thank Atticus?
What did Bob Ewell do to
Atticus?
Chapter 23
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How does Atticus
respond to Bob Ewell’s
action?
Miss Maudie tries to
comfort Jem—he gets a
piece of the big cake
Jem tries to understand
why the jury did what it
did.
Chapter 23
► Who
was the holdout
on the jury?
► Why can’t Scout
invite Walter
Cunningham over?
► Why does Jem think
Boo stays inside?
Chapter 24
► Aunt
Alexandra has a
missionary tea:
 Mrs. Merriweather
makes rude comments
about Atticus
 Miss Maudie puts her
in her place
 Scout joins the party
Chapter 24
► It
is ironic that the
woman want to help
Africans in Africa
but are so cruel to
African Americans in
their own town.
► Tom Robinson is
dead—shot 17 times
Chapter 24
► Atticus
asks Cal to go
with him to tell Helen
► Scout gains new
respect for Aunt
Alexandra
Chapter 25
► Why
doesn’t Jem let
Scout kill the roly
poly?
► How does Dill
describe Helen when
she learned of Tom’s
death?
► What is Bob Ewell’s
reaction?
Chapter 26
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►
Scout feels remorse for
how they treated Boo
(mature)
It is ironic that Mrs.
Gates hates Hitler for
how he treats the Jews
but treats the African
Americans in her own
town terribly.
Chapter 26
► What
is Jem so upset
about?
► What is Jem trying
to forget?
Chapter 27
► It’s
Halloween
► Because of the
incident with Miss
Tutti and Miss Frutti,
there will be a
pageant!
► Mrs. Merriweather is
in charge (yuk!)
Chapter 27
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What happened at Judge
Taylor’s house?
What does that say
about Bob Ewell?
What did Bob say about
the loss of his job?
What does Bob do to
Helen Robinson?
Chapter 27
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What part does Scout
play?
How was her costume
constructed?
Who is taking her to the
pageant?
Why does Lee end the
chapter the way she
does?
Chapter 28
► Jem
and Scout take a
short cut to get to
school
► Cecil Jacobs scares
them
► Poor Scout misses
her cue during the
pageant
Chapter 28
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They wait until everyone
is gone to leave.
Scout is still wearing her
costume
They are attacked
Who attacked them?
Who saved them?
What is Jem’s injury?
Chapter 29
► How
was Bob killed?
► Who do we meet for
the first time?
► What saved Scout’s
life?
► What outfit does
Aunt Alexandra give
Scout to wear?
Chapter 30
► Scout
treats Boo like
a proper lady should
treat a visitor in her
home
► Who killed Bob Ewell?
► Why does Heck Tate
say Bob fell on his
knife?
Chapter 30
► Why
would it be like
killing a mockingbird
to tell the town what
happened?
Chapter 31
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What does Scout do
when it is time for Boo to
go home?
What is her mature
realization?
How is the lesson of The
Grey Ghost connected to
the theme of the novel?
Why is the last image of
the novel so powerful?
Major Symbols
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Symbols:
Tom Robinson is the
mockingbird. All he does
is help others and create
“beautiful music”
Then he was killed which
makes it a sin.
The roly-poly =
mockingbird also.
Symbols cont…
► Symbols
Cont’d:
► Boo represents the
mockingbird. He has
done no wrong and
saves the kids from
Bob Ewell.
Symbols
► The
Journey:
 Growing up
 The journey Scout and
Jem took to school
that night
 The journey from
innocence to
experience
Themes
► Themes:
► In
Harper Lee’s novel TKAM, she illustrates
it is a sin to destroy those who seek only to
do good in the world
► … it is a painful and difficult process
growing up in this world.
► …we live in a world which is often unjust.
Essay
► Hook
Examples:
► Immaturity, we’ve all
experienced it.
► When did you start
maturing?
► What in the Same
Hill are you doing?
Essay
►
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Transition: Scout
struggles in her effort to
grow up.
Jem matures
dramatically through one
painful summer.
In her effort to get out
of going to school by
cussing, Scout shows her
immaturity.
My experience mirrors
Scout’s painful
experience to mature.
The Essay
► Thesis:
Scout is a character who painfully
and humorously demonstrates that
maturing is no easy task. Harper Lee
illustrates this in To Kill A Mockingbird.
► Transition: At the beginning of the novel,
Scout is incredibly immature.
The Essay
► Conclusion:
Trans: Scout/Jem has been on an
incredible journey. Thesis: In an unjust and
unfair world, growing up is never an easy
process. Clincher: With her new found maturity,
the dinner table will clearly be a safer and more
appropriate place to be.
► Framing: Connecting the hook and the clincher
together.