To Kill A Mockingbird Notes

About the Author Harper Lee – April 23, 1926 youngest of 3 children born in Monroeville, Alabama related to General Robert E. Lee TKAM was her 1st published work. It began as short stories in Was rewritten and revised over the next 2 ½ years. Published July 1960 Won Pulitzer Prize in 1960 On best seller list 85 weeks 1962 became Oscar winning movie. Nominated for 8 Oscars won 4. Movie filmed in black and white by artistic choice to emphasize racism. Lee considered her law background a “good thing for a writer” because law demands logical precise thinking and because the cases provide excellent sources for ideas.

Background on the Novel Parallels to Lee’s life: Her father was a lawyer whose middle name was Finch – served as prototype for father in book- Atticus Finch Both Lee and the narrator, Scout, were tomboys, independent, and curious children. During the time the story takes place ( ) Lee would have been the same age as Scout. Setting of Maycomb, Alabama modeled after her native Monroeville. -Schoolyard and neighborhood similar to Lee’s. -Courtroom in TKM an exact replica of Lee’s father’s courtroom. Characters are mostly composites of types of people she knew or saw in her early years. Southern dialect in book is very realistic.

Setting Maycomb Alabama during the Great Depression Finch neighborhood and schoolyard Courtroom downtown

Point of View 1st person narrator – Scout -She is 6-8 years old during the story. -Told from a child’s perspective, but is recounted when she is older.

Tone Mysterious at the beginning Humorous and Tender Observations from Scout are understated, exaggerated, ironic, or very honest – but always funny or tinged with compassion.

Characterization All literature has 4 ways of describing characters: from the narrator’s description (Scout) from the character’s words from the character’s behavior from what others say about the characters

Irony (not what you would expect to happen) Education – Miss Caroline, a supposedly progressive teacher is NOT progressive. She is totally ignorant of a child’s needs, abilities, and lifestyle. Missionary Circle – Concerned with problems and poverty of an African tribe but not with the prejudices happening to the African Americans in Maycomb. Jail Scene – The presence of a child in the midst of a mob shows the influence of innocence on those who would do evil.

Symbolism (when one thing represents something else) Mockingbird – harmless, gentle people who are destroyed for no reason by those who are cruel and insensitive. -“It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” -Mr. Underwood’s editorial -Mockingbird in Radley tree on the way to the pageant. -Mr. Tate’s way of dealing with the truth and Scout’s comment: like killing a mockingbird The Gray Ghost – Boo Mad Dog – a defective creature who, because of a quirk of nature, must be destroyed = same as the crippled Tom

Themes Lack of human compassion for everyone who is different. Need for individual conscience – people with conscience and personal integrity are the ones with compassion toward fellow men. Atticus is a prime example and instills it in his children. Sub themes: -maturation (Jem and the cake) -prejudice -discrimination -tolerance -belonging/loneliness