Background Notes English 9

 Born in Monroeville, Alabama in 1926, she would have been the same age as Scout when the novel takes place.  Lee’s father was a small-town lawyer just like Atticus Finch, and she spent many hours at the courthouse with her father just like Scout.

 Harper Lee’s close childhood friend was Truman Capote (“A Christmas Memory”), and it has been said that he was the inspiration for Dill’s character.  Finally, Harper Lee’s mother’s maiden name was “Finch.”  It has been said that Harper Lee modeled the character of Scout Finch (the narrator) after herself.

 In April 1931, in Scottsboro, Alabama, nine African-American men were tried for raping two women.  Medical testimony showed that the two women were not actually raped, but the jury still convicted the men and sentenced them to death.  Most of the convictions were eventually overturned and the men were freed from prison.  However, this trial had a significant impact on Lee, and it serves as the basis for the trial in To Kill a Mockingbird.

 The plantation owners and professionals made up the upper class.  Most landowners became prominent businessmen by the early 1900’s due to more commercialized farming.  The middle class consisted of owners of small farms and small-town business owners.  A new lower class emerged that included African-American farmers and unskilled laborers.

 In the 1930’s, the American South was immersed in the Great Depression  Poverty and unemployment were rampant  The average income in 1929 was about $750  All social classes are represented in the novel:  The Finches – upper-middle class  Ewells – poor whites  Calpurnia and The Robinsons – African-American laborers = poorest class

 The upper class consisted of people whose families had lived in the same area for generations (Finch’s Landing).  These people had African-American servants in their homes (Calpurnia).  Southerners tended to use their ancestry as a way to separate the elite from the common folk (Aunt Alexandra).

 The most significant social issue of the South during the 1930’s was segregation.  Laws forbid African-Americans and whites from mixing in public areas, such as schools, restrooms, buses and trains.  Because of segregation, many African- Americans were often convicted of crimes of which they were not actually guilty.

 To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 during a time of turbulent civil protest with Alabama seen as a segregated state.  The novel quickly rose to the top of every bestseller list and stayed there for over a year and a half!  Many critics hailed the novel as an accurate portrayal of the racist discrimination of the South.

 Harper Lee chose to write To Kill a Mockingbird in a first-person narrative.  Scout Finch, who is six-years-old at the beginning of the novel, is the narrator.  This is significant because it allows for a child’s innocence to explain the complex social issues of racial prejudice.  In addition, it is important to note that the novel is told in flashback by a much older Scout.

 Loss of innocence  Deceptive Appearances  Racism/Prejudice  Courage/Bravery