Written by: Angelia Greiner

Table of Contents Harper Lee’s early years The 1930s “Deep South” Harper Lee’s adult years Civil Rights movement Writing To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s Early Years Born Nelle Harper Lee, spring 1926 Grew up in Monroeville, Alabama Youngest of four children

Monroeville, Alabama Map

Parents Father: Amasa Coleman Lee Mother: Frances Finch Lee Father: practiced law in Monroeville Father: editor of The Monroe Journal

Childhood Personality Childhood friend Capote

Harper Lee’s Family Position in the community Responsibility for the community Alice Lee

“Alice Lee has been a Rock of Gibraltar for this commission,'' said Armistead Harper, a 21-year member of the commission. "She has guided this board with her wisdom, fairness and intelligence. When we needed proper guidance for Monroeville, we got it from Alice Lee,” Harper said. “Because of her knowledge of the historic background of Monroeville and her legal background, she could recognize problems we would face and find a fair solution.”

Father and Daughter “It was my plan for her to become a member of our law firm – but it just wasn’t meant to be. She went to New York to be a writer.” —Amasa Lee, 1961 Peck Single click speaker to hear audio clip >>>>

Harper Lee’s Adult Years Attended Huntingdon College Attended the University of Alabama to study law

Worked for student publications Editor of Rammer- Jammer Attended Oxford University University Years

Worked for Eastern Airlines in NYC Pursued writing career full time in NYC Wrote and submitted To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird manuscript rejected Research assistant for Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood

The Writer Emerges! Published To Kill A Mockingbird Received Pulitzer Prize for novel

Novel Goes to the Movies Single click speaker to hear audio clip >>>> Did not initially attract producers Gregory Peck starred as Atticus Finch

1930s Statistics Facts about the 1930s: – Population: 123,188,000 in 48 states – Life Expectancy: Male, 58:1; Female, 61:6 – Average annual salary: $1,368 – Unemployment rises to 25% – Car Sales: 2,787,400 – Food Prices: Milk, 14 cents a qt.; Bread, 9 cents a loaf – Round Steak, 42 cents a pound – Lynchings: 21

Social Order Wealthy and educated Working-class whites Nonworking-class whites African Americans

Jim Crow Laws Racial caste system Perpetuated racism

The Deep South Social order Jim Crow laws Southern towns

The Deep South Map

African American Row Houses

Affluent White’s Homes

Median value (Dollars) All owners2,359 Native white owners2,833 Negro owners0 Rented non-farm homes1,278 Rental under $151,052 $15 to $2990 $30 to $4921 $50 to $992 $100 and over2 Not reported111 Monroeville Demographics: 1930

On March 25, 1931, a freight train was stopped in Paint Rock, Alabama Nine young African American men arrested Two white women accused men of raping them on the train Scottsboro Trial

The Scottsboro Trial v. Tom Robinson’s Trial Scottsboro: –1930s event –Northern Alabama –The poor white status of accusers was important Robinson: –1930s event –Southern Alabama –The poor white status of Mayella was important

The Scottsboro Trial v. Tom Robinson’s Trial Scottsboro: –James E. Horton, judge, over- turned the guilty jury verdict –All-white jury –The jury ignored evidence— that the women suffered no injuries, for example Robinson: –Atticus, lawyer, defends the African-American man –All poor, white jury –The jury ignores evidence— that Tom has a useless left arm, for example Horton Atticus and Tom

Civil Rights Movement Influenced Harper Lee

Influence on Harper Lee The Law and Jim Crow Civil Rights Movement Events in Alabama Bus boycott Montgomery, AL Bus boycott Montgomery, AL Martin Luther King’s rise to leadership Martin Luther King’s rise to leadership Autherine Lucy tries to attend graduate school Univ. of Alabama Autherine Lucy tries to attend graduate school Univ. of Alabama

Timeline of Events 1954: Brown v. Topeka, Kansas Board of Education case 1955: Young African American brutally murdered by whites 1955: Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott Parks

Brown v. Board Video Single click screen to view video

Timeline of Events 1956: Autherine Lucy first African American admitted to University of Alabama 1956: Autherine Lucy forced to flee University of Alabama campus University’s Board of Trustees barred her from campus 1957: Federal troops sent to Little Rock, Arkansas to protect nine African American students enter first integrated school

Letter from a Birmingham Jail “An unjust law is a code that a majority inflicts on a minority that is not binding on itself. This is difference made legal. On the other hand, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal.” —Martin Luther King, 1963 Single click speaker to hear audio clip >>>>

Writing To Kill A Mockingbird Themes Viewpoint Characters Major Conflicts

Themes Moral nature of man Innocence to experience How children learn morality Social inequality Vulnerability of innocent

Boo Video Single click screen to view video

Point of View First person narrative through Scout “When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury.” Single click speaker to hear audio clip >>>>

Town Intro Video Single click screen to view video

Characters Working-Class Whites Cunningham Family Working-Class Whites Cunningham Family Non-Working Whites The Ewell Family Non-Working Whites The Ewell Family African Americans Tom Robinson, Calpurnia and Others African Americans Tom Robinson, Calpurnia and Others Middle-Class Whites – The Finches

Jean Louise “Scout” Finch--The narrator and protagonist of the story Arthur “Boo” Radley-- A recluse who never sets foot outside his house Atticus Finch -- Scout and Jem’s father, a lawyer in Maycomb Bob Ewell--A drunken, mostly unemployed man Calpurnia--The Finches’ black cook, Calpurnia is a stern disciplinarian Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch--Scout’s brother and constant playmate Charles Baker “Dill” Harris--Jem and Scout’s summer neighbor and friend Aunt Alexandra-- Atticus’ sister, a strong- willed woman with a fierce devotion to her family. Alexandra is the perfect Southern lady Mayella Ewell--Bob Ewell’s abused, lonely, unhappy daughter Tom Robinson--The black field hand accused of rape Major Characters

Link Deas--Tom Robinson’s employer Mr. Dolphus Raymond--A wealthy white man who lives with his black mistress and mulatto children Mr. Underwood--The publisher of Maycomb’s newspaper Mr. Walter Cunningham--A poor farmer Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose--An elderly, ill- tempered, racist woman who lives near the Finches Minor Characters Walter Cunningham-- Son of Mr. Walter Cunningham and classmate of Scout Miss Maudie Atkinson--The Finches’ neighbor, a sharp-tongued widow, and an old friend of the family

Harper Lee v. Scout Finch She grew up in the 1930s in a rural Southern Alabama town. Her father, Amasa Lee, is an attorney who served in the state legislature in Alabama. Her older brother and young neighbor (Truman Capote) are playmates. Harper Lee is an avid reader as a child. She is six years old when the Scottsboro trials are widely covered in national, state and local newspapers. She grew up in the 1930s in a rural Southern Alabama town. Her father, Atticus Finch, is an attorney who served in the state legislature in Alabama. Her older brother (Jem) and young neighbor (Dill) are playmates. Scout reads before she enters school and reads the Mobile Register newspaper in first grade. She is eight years old when the trial of Tom Robinson takes place.

Conflicts Person versus society Person versus person Person versus self “What did your father see in the window, the crime of rape or the best defense to it? Why don’t you tell the truth, child, didn’t Bob Ewell beat you up?” —Atticus Finch questioning Mayella on the witness stand

Mayella Video Single click screen to view video

Harper Lee’s Style Allusions Idioms Colloquial Language Autobiographical Symbolism

Allusions “nothing to fear but fear itself” “nothing to fear but fear itself” Dracula John Wesley Battle of Hastings Indian-head penny Indian-head penny “Let the cup pass from you” “Let the cup pass from you” Stonewall Jackson Stonewall Jackson Rosetta stone Ivanhoe Andrew Jackson Willam Jennings Bryan Willam Jennings Bryan

Idioms “get Miss Maudie’s goat” “get Miss Maudie’s goat” “walked on eggs” “set my teeth permanently on edge” “set my teeth permanently on edge” “break camp” “when the chips are down” “when the chips are down” “he had seen the light” “he had seen the light” “looked daggers” “blue in the face” “into the limelight”

Symbolism The Mockingbird Boo Radley Tom Robinson

Mockingbird Video Single click screen to view video

Colloquial Language “Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty!” —Calpurnia “I scurried to my room and went to bed. Uncle Jack was a prince of a fellow not to let me down. But I never figured out how Atticus knew I was listening, and it was not until many years later that I realized he wanted me to hear every word he said.” —Scout “It ain’t honest but it’s mighty helpful to folks. Secretly, Miss Finch, I’m not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live.” —Mr. Raymond

35 th Anniversary of Novel “Please spare ‘Mockingbird’ an Introduction. As a reader I loathe Introductions. To novels I associate Introductions with long-gone authors and works that are brought back into print after decades of Interment… “Mockingbird” has never been out of print and I am still alive… It still says what it has to say; it has managed to survive the years without preamble.” —Harper Lee Single click speaker to hear audio clip >>>>

Harper Lee: An Enigma “But I think we can learn a lot about her by reading To Kill A Mockingbird. To think it is more autobiographical than we realize… I suspect that she is Scout, that Atticus Finch is her father, and that her dear friend Truman Capote is Dill. That is probably all she wants us to know, and all we need to know.” —Judith Handschuh

In Conclusion: Harper Lee’s Legacy To Kill a Mockingbird Gives us new appreciation for our childhood experiences Shows us how one’s sense of right and wrong is learned Allows us to experience destructiveness of hatred in society

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