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

Harper Lees 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: tomboy, fought, talked back to teachers Bored with school but loved to read Childhood friend: Truman Capote Dill Capote

Father and Daughter It was my plan for her to become a member of our law firm – but it just wasnt meant to be. She went to New York to be a writer. Amasa Lee, 1961 Peck Single click speaker to hear audio clip >>>>

Harper Lees Adult Years Attended Huntingdon College-all female school Attended the University of Alabama to study law but she loathed it

Worked for student publications Editor of Rammer- Jammer-humor magazine Attended Oxford University Moved to New York to be a writer 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 Capotes 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 Peck won an Academy Award

Additional Writing Wrote essay Love…In Other Words for Vogue Wrote essay Christmas To Me for McCalls Wrote essay When Children Discover America for McCalls

National Council of Arts Named to the National Council on the Arts in 1966 Johnson

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 Rigid anti-black laws Racial caste system Perpetuated racism

The Deep South Map

African American Row Houses

Affluent Whites Homes

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

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 Kings rise to leadership Martin Luther Kings rise to leadership Autherine Lucy tries to attend graduate school Univ. of Alabama Autherine Lucy tries to attend graduate school Univ. of Alabama

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

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 Jems 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 >>>>

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 Jems 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--Scouts brother and constant playmate Charles Baker Dill Harris--Jem and Scouts 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 Ewells abused, lonely, unhappy daughter Tom Robinson--The black field hand accused of rape Major Characters

Link Deas--Tom Robinsons employer Mr. Dolphus Raymond--A wealthy white man who lives with his black mistress and mulatto children Mr. Underwood--The publisher of Maycombs 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

35 th Anniversary of Novel Single click speaker to hear audio clip >>>>

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