Intro Notes for To Kill a Mockingbird

Nelle Harper Lee 1926 February 2016

To Kill a Mockingbird Published in 1960 Pulitzer Prize Go Set a Watchman published GSAW tells the story of 26 year-old Jean Louise “Scout” Finch GSAW first draft of TKAM Publishers asked for the story of young Scout

Parallels between Lee’s childhood and the novel Grew up in 1930s Rural southern town of Monroeville, AL Father was a lawyer Older brother Childhood friend, Truman Capote—worked together as adults, too Voracious reader and tomboy Mother’s maiden name Finch

Monroeville = Maycomb

Monroeville in the 1930s

Truman Capote = Dill

Amasa Coleman Lee = Atticus

Scottsboro Boys March 25, 1931 Freight train stops in Northern Alabama 9 black teenagers arrested, ages white women accuse the boys of rape Names: Roy Wright, Olen Montgomery, Clarence Norris, Haywood Patterson, Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Charlie Weems, Eugene Williams, and Andy Wright Many of the boys remained on death row for years Case settled in 1976 with pardon of last defendants Jury ignores evidence: no injuries

Scottsboro Boys

Emmett Till year-old boy From Chicago visiting Mississippi Flirts with a white female cashier Days later, 2 white men kidnap, beat, and murder him White men on trial for murder, but acquitted by an all-white, male jury Launched the Civil Rights Movement

Emmett Till