To Kill A Mockingbird Part I

“Write what you know” —Mark Twain About the Author: Born Nelle Harper Lee Grew up during the Great Depression Raised in Monroeville, Alabama Father was a lawyer Mother’s maiden name was Finch

Setting: the time and place in which the plot events occur

The Great Depression How did it impact different parts of the country? How did it impact blacks differently than whites?

Southern Society Class was based on three primary factors: Family Breeding Race

The Southern Gentleman

The Southern Lady

Racial Stereotypes

Jim Crow The term Jim Crow comes from the minstrel show song “Jump Jim Crow” written in 1828 and performed by Thomas Dartmouth “Daddy” Rice known for his blackface performances. A caricature of a shabbily dressed rural black named “Jim Crow” became a standard character in minstrel shows.

Jim Crow Lyrics Come, listen, all you girls and boys, I'm just from Tuckahoe… I went down to the river, I didn't mean to stay, But there I saw so many girls, I couldn't get away… I met Miss Dub one day, I give her such a buss [kiss]; And then she turn and slap my face, and make a mighty fuss. The other girls they begin to fight, I told them wait a bit; I'd have them all, just one by one, as I thought fit…I eat the alligator; I put more water in my mouth, then boil ten loads of potatoes…

Buck –or— Mandingo Sambo

Mammy Jezebel

Scout Finch Jean Louise Finch 1 st person narrator Speaks of as an adult reflecting back on her childhood as a tomboy Intelligent, proud, and hot-headed

Jem Finch Jeremy Atticus Finch Scout’s older brother and companion Athletic, brave, creative, and idealistic

Atticus Finch Jem and Scout’s father Protagonist A widower, lawyer and state legislative representative Honorable, courageous, dignified, and kind

Dill Harris Charles Baker Harris Jem and Scout’s neighborhood friend Spends every summer with his aunt, Miss Rachel Haverford Imaginative, sensitive, and mischievous

Boo Radley A neighbor who lives down the street from the Finches Fascinating and mysterious figure to Scout, Jem, and Dill who devise various games based on neighborhood rumors about his life.

Tom Robinson An innocent man who is put on trial for raping a white woman. Atticus defends him in Part 2 of the novel.

The Cunningham Family Minor characters “Poor white” Poor, uneducated family -Walter Sr. works hard and refuses to accept charity of any kind. -His son, Walter Jr., attends school with Scout.

The Ewell Family Minor chacters “White trash” Poor, uneducated family Bob Ewell is the no- good, useless father who spends his welfare checks on alcohol. His children do not attend school. His oldest daughter, Mayella Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of rape.

More Characters Calpurnia The Finch’s housekeeper Cares for Jem and Scout like a mother Treated like a member of the Finch family One of the few African Americans in town who knows how to read and write Miss Maudie Atkinson The Finch’s neighbor across the street One of the most open- minded citizens of Maycomb Befriends Jem and Scout and helps them better understand their father Atticus

What part of the social hierarchy would the characters from the novel belong? Atticus, Jem, Scout, Aunt Alexandra, Dill, Miss Maudie, Mrs. Dubose Dolphus Raymond, Link Deas, Judge Taylor Walter Cunningham, Sr. Walter Cunningham, Jr. Bob, Mayella, and Burris Ewell Calpurnia, Zeebo, Helen and Tom Robinson

THEME ATTICUS: "First of all,” he said, “If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-” SCOUT: “Sir?” ATTICUS: “-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

To Kill A Mockingbird Part II

Racial Segregation and Jim Crow

Plessy vs. Ferguson

“Separate but equal…”

Racial Etiquette Blacks were expected to refer to whites with titles of superiority like BOSS, SIR, CAPTIAN, MISS, or MRS. Whites referred to blacks using derogatory terms like BOY, GIRL, APE, COON, and the N-WORD. Blacks were expected to let whites walk of the sidewalk and common business signs read “Negroes and Dogs Not Allowed.”

Lynching

The Scottsboro Trials In 1931, a fight between white and black teen boys occurred on a train between Tennessee and Alabama. Two girls on a train, one well- known prostitute and one minor, were accused of violating the Mann Act (crossing state lines for prostitution). They immediately accused all nine black men of rape.

The Scottsboro Boys Haywood Patterson, 18 Charles Weems, 19 Clarence Norris, 19 Andy Wright, 19 Ozzie Powell, 16 Olen Montgomery, 17 Eugene Williams, 13 Willie Roberson, 17 Roy Wright, 12-13

Final Outcome Eight of the nine boys were sentenced to death despite the fact that they were not even all in the same rail car. Appeals continued for years and only two were acquitted.

Emmett Till

THEMES Education: Consider the importance of a child’s education inside and outside of the classroom. Morality: Consider the message that is conveyed through Atticus’ character. Poverty: Consider how poverty affects different characters in the novel. Prejudice: Consider how different characters in the novel are prejudiced. Race: Consider how race is inter-related to education, morality, poverty, and prejudice in Maycomb.