Notes
By Harper Lee
Harper Lee
Born in 1926 in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama Father: Lawyer Mother: Maiden name Finch Based Scout on herself Published one novel: TKAM in 1960 Received Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1961 Since 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird has never been out of print At age 86, she is alive and resides in New York She rarely makes public appearances or gives interviews
Setting
Maycomb, Alabama (fictional) 1933-1935 Although slavery has long been abolished, the Southerners in Maycomb continue to believe in white supremacy. Gothic mood (motif):
o o o o o Boo Radley house Mad dog Fire that destroys Miss Maudies house Unnatural snow fall Halloween night
Lee uses childrens confusion of segregation and hostility to criticize human prejudices
o Scout doesnt understand why she cant play with the Cunningham boy o Scout needs Atticus to explain what a nigger lover means
o Being subjected to bullying and torments about Atticuss trial forces the children to make their own decisions (building empathy) o "Naw, Jem, I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks. Scout begins to realize that adults arent always right o Scout teaches Uncle Jack how to handle children fairly.
Themes: Empathy
Scout is prejudice against Boo Radley
o Atticus explains that you never know a person until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it o Boo reveals himself to be misunderstood and ends up saving the children in the end
Symbol: Mockingbird
o Never kill a mockingbird because they dont hurt anyone; they just sing to us o Boo Radley: helps children but is widly feared. o Tom Robinson: helped Mayella out of kindness and was persecuted by townsfolk o Prejudiced people lack empathy
Themes: Courage
Atticus and the trial
o Despite the social consequences (name called, Ewell spits in face), Atticus takes the case seriously and does all he can for Tom. Mrs. Dubose
o "This case, Tom Robinson's case, is something that goes to the essence of a man's conscience-Scout, I couldn't go to church and worship God if I didn't try to help that man. -- Atticus
o "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. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. Atticus o Mrs. Dubose had the courage to withstand the intense pain of being off morphine, so she could die sober
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. His children call him Atticus Honest Typical southern gentleman Brave Courteous Soft-spoken
Jem Finch
Scouts older brother
Calpurnia
The Finchs black housekeeper Has watched the children since their mothers death Has been a positive influence on the children. Has a child and lives in the black neighborhood. Educated; but uses black neighbourhood dialect when home.
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 Will be falsely accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell
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
The Ewells
Poor white family Hard-working Honest Proud Survive on very little Always pay back their debts even if it is with hickory nuts, turnips, or holly.
Language
Sometimes the language of Scout will be that of her as a child; other times, she will be speaking in the voice of an adult Atticus uses formal speech Calpurnia uses white language in the Finch house and switches to black jargon when amidst blacks The Ewells use foul words and obscenities Jem, Scout, and Dill will use slang words, typical of their age Tom Robinson uses language typical of the southern black such as suh for sir and chillun for children Various derogatory terms for blacks will be used such as nigger, darky, Negroes, and colored folk Lee uses such language to keep her novel naturally in sync with common language of the times