To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee

Harper Lee  In 1957 she sent the manuscript of her novel to a publisher but she was told that it consisted of a series of short stories strung together, and she was urged to rewrite it.  For the next two and a half years she reworked the manuscript and in 1960 To Kill a Mockingbird was published.  The novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in  Despite the success of the novel Lee never published any more books.

The Great Depression In 1931, 238 people were admitted to hospital suffering from starvation. International trade slumped from $10bn in 1929 to only $3 billion in banks went bankrupt , including the Bank of America. In 1932 a quarter of a million Americans had their homes repossessed, and a fifth of all farmers lost their farms. In 1932, 20,000 companies went out of business. By 1933: - Industrial production had fallen by 40% - Prices had fallen 50% - Wages had fallen by 60% - Share prices had fallen by 80% more banks went bankrupt. - 25% of Americans were unemployed.

Alabama

Alabama in the 1930s  By the early 20 th century, every southern state had passed laws that created two separate societies; one black, the other white.  Blacks and whites could not use the same waiting rooms and blacks were barred from many hospitals.

Slavery and Racism  Nearly two decades after slavery was abolished in America, men were dying as slaves in a prison work scheme that benefited southern states and businesses.  In the early 20th Century tens of thousands of convicts, mostly black men, were caught up in a racist justice system.  Until nearly 1930, Alabama was providing convicts to businesses, who would work in the fields and mines.

Civil Rights Movement  To Kill a Mockingbird was written in 1960 at the beginning of the black Civil Rights Movement.  Although it was almost 100 years since slavery was abolished in America black people were still being treated as second class citizens.  Blacks, who had fought for their country during the Second World War, were starting to demand more civil rights, such as their right to vote. The black Civil Rights Movement took on new strength and Alabama was an important centre in this movement.

Themes  Prejudice  Racism  Loneliness  Courage  Innocence  Growing Up  Coexistence of Good and Evil  Gaining Understanding  Importance of Moral Education

Characters – The Family Tree Atticus Finch – Father, lawyer, widower Jean Louise “Scout” Finch - The narrator of the story “Jem” Finch Arthur “Boo” Radley A recluse who never sets foot outside his house, Boo dominates the imaginations of Jem, Scout, and Dill Bob Ewell - A drunken, mostly unemployed member of Maycomb’s poorest family “Dill” Harris - Jem and Scout’s summer neighbour and friend Miss Maudie Atkinson - The Finches’ neighbour, a sharp-tongued widow, and an old friend of the family Calpurnia - The Finches’ black cook Aunt Alexandra - Atticus’s sister, a strong-willed woman with a fierce devotion to her family Mayella Ewell - Bob Ewell’s abused, lonely, unhappy daughter Tom Robinson - The black field hand accused of rape Heck Tate - The sheriff of Maycomb and a major witness at Tom Robinson’s trial

Summary – Part 1 Told through the eyes of "Scout Finch," a feisty six-year-old tomboy, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD carries us on a journey through the fires of prejudice and injustice in 1932 Alabama. Scout Finch lives with her brother Jem and their father Atticus in the small town of Maycomb in Alabama. Atticus Finch is a lawyer in the town and is well off. He is an upstanding citizen and an honourable man. Presenting her tale first as a series of memories from her childhood, Scout draws us in with stories of daring neighbourhood exploits by her, her brother "Jem," and their friend "Dill." Boo Radley becomes a fascination for the children as they are left presents by the strange man in a tree in his garden. Peopled with a cast of eccentrics, Maycomb ("a tired and sleepy town") finds itself the venue of the trial of Tom Robinson, a young black man falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finch, Scout and Jem's widowed father and a deeply principled man, is appointed to defend Tom for whom a guilty verdict from an all- white jury is a foregone conclusion. Maycomb is largely racist and because of Atticus’ role Jem and Scout both suffer abuse from other children. In the summer Aunt Alexandra (Atticus’ sister) comes to live with Jem and Scout. Dill is supposedly living with his ‘new father’ in a different town runs away to join Scout and Jem in Maycomb.

Summary- Part 2 The Tom Robinson trial begins. At the trial Jem and Scout sit on the coloured balcony with the town’s black citizens. Atticus provides very clear evidence that Mayella and her father Bob are in fact lying. Mayella to cover her shame says Tom raped her. Despite the impressive evidence which Atticus provides proving Tom’s innocence the all white jury convict Tom. Tom tries to escape from prison but is shot. Jem’s faith in the justice system is shaken and he becomes despondent and doubtful. Bob Ewell believes he has been made a fool of and vows to seek his revenge on Atticus and the judge. Bob Ewell abuses Tom’s widow and attempts to break into the judge’s house. Eventually Bob attacks Jem and Scout on their way home from a Halloween party. Boo Radley interferes and saves the children. Boo attacks Ewell in his attempt to save the children and stabs him during the struggle. Bob Ewell is killed. Boo carries a wounded Jem back into the house where the sheriff in a plea to save Boo insists that Bob Ewell tripped over the tree and caused his own injury by falling on his knife. Boo once more disappears to live his solitary life. Later on Scout feels as though she finally understands Boo. He has become human to her no longer a shadow of danger or something to be feared. Scout finally embraces her father’s attitude to show sympathy and understanding to all.

Scout Finch Scout is an unusual young lady. She learns to read before she even starts school, she fights boys without fear and an ever confident attitude. She is a bit of a tom boy in a very prim and proper town where ladies are expected to behave like ladies. Scout is definitely her father’s daughter, he has nurtured her mind conscience and identity. Whilst girls Scout’s age are wearing dresses and playing with dolls Scout wears overalls, climbs trees with Jem and fights. Thanks to Atticus’s wise attitude Scout learns that she must face every situation with sympathy and understanding. Scout is not always tactful, she tells her teacher that one student is too poor to pay for lunch. Scout finds it hard to believe that her teacher openly criticises Hitler’s treatment of the Jews whilst being racist herself towards the black community. Scout’s grows into a person capable of understanding and conscience but she is not cynical or jaded.

Atticus Finch Atticus is a man of intelligence, wisdom, calm and a model citizen in the town. He is respected by everyone. He functions in this novel as a moral backbone holding the Maycomb society together. Atticus is consistent throughout the novel. He stands for justice. He does not evolve during the novel but retains his qualities and maintains the role as moral guide and voice of conscience throughout the novel. A wise and good parent. Atticus is a well respected man however neither Jem nor Scout idolise him at the beginning of the novel. Both children are embarrassed that he is older than the other fathers and that he does not hunt or fish. Atticus knows that people are different good and bad, he shows admiration of the good and understanding to the bad. Atticus’s actions make him the object of abuse and scorn in Maycomb. However he is clearly valued and after the trial his status in the town is restored. Atticus practises the sympathy and understanding and he never holds anything against the people of Maycomb, despite their racist attitudes.

Jem Finch Jem is older than Scout and finds his life shattered during his experience with the Tom Robinson trial. This experience comes as Jem is entering puberty and leaves him feeling confused and disillusioned. Jem becomes downhearted and depressed when he discovers that justice does not prevail. He feels vulnerable and confused. He tries to uphold the commitment to justice that Atticus taught he and this remains throughout the novel. Towards the end of the novel Jem begins to show that he has learnt a positive lesson from the trial.

Dill He is Scout and Jem’s friend and neighbour, he is a confident boy with an active imagination. He becomes obsessed with Boo. He represents innocence and childhood in the novel. Boo Radley Boo is a loner who never sets foot outside the house. He dominates the imagination of Scout, Jem and Dill and appears to be an evil and beast of a man. He is a powerful symbol of goodness who is surrounded by evil. He shows his goodness when he leaves presents for Jem and Scout and then saves them from the evil Bob Ewell. Boo was damaged by his cruel father. He is one of the novel’s ‘Mockingbirds’, a good person injured by the evil of mankind.

Bob Ewell and Mayella Ewell Father and daughter of Maycomb’s poorest family. Bob knows that Tom is innocent and still accuses him of rape. Bob represents the dark side of the south; ignorance, poverty and racial prejudice. Mayella is an abused, lonely, unhappy daughter. Although we can pity Mayella because of her father, we cannot pardon her for her shameful condemnation of Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson A black man who works in the fields. He is accused of raping Mayella Ewell Tom is another one of the novel’s ‘mockingbirds’ a very important symbol of an innocent man who is destroyed by an evil racist. Miss Maudie Atkinson A neighbour of Atticus. She is a sharp tongued widow and a friend of the family. She has a passion for justice along with Atticus and is a friend to Scout and Jem

Themes Good and Evil The main theme in the novel is the exploration of moral nature of humans. It is a exploration of whether people are essentially good or essentially evil. The novel explores this idea through using Scout and Jem movement from childhood innocence to mature understanding adults. As a result of this transition from innocence to experience, one of the important themes involves threat, hatred, prejudice, racism and ignorance. These themes show how innocent people can be betrayed by ignorance. Even Jem is victimized to an extent by his discovery of the evil of racism during and after the trial. Scout is able to sustain her faith in human nature. The moral voice in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is embodied by Atticus Finch is unique in the novel because he understands people without loosing faith when evil occurs. Atticus accepts people for what they are good and bad qualities included. Atticus accepts these points and tries to see life through other people’s eyes. Atticus can admire Mrs Dubose’ s courage whilst in deplores her racism. Scout learns from her father and at last sees Boo Radley in this way and accept him for good and bad points

Themes Moral Importance The education of children forms a large part of the novel. In a sense the novel plots the development of Scout and Jem from childhood innocence to maturity. The theme of education and moral importance is best shown between Atticus and Scout, as Atticus devotes himself to instilling a social conscience. The scenes at school provide a direct comparison to Atticus’s effective education of his children, Scout is frequently confronted with teachers who are frustrated by her attitude and fail to meet her needs. The novel’s most important message is that the lessons of sympathy and understanding are the most vital. Atticus’s ability to put himself in his children’s shoes and see their perspective makes him an understanding and valuable teacher.

Themes Social Inequality The social inequality in the novel is explored using the town of Maycomb and its complicated hierarchy. The Finch family are well off within the town largely due to Atticus’s employment. As a result most of the town’s people are beneath them. The country farmers the Cunningham's lie below the town’s people due to their ignorance whilst the Ewells are below the Cunningham's because of their immoral behaviour. The black community in Maycomb lie even further below the Ewells in spite of their admirable qualities and good will. It is this social hierarchy which allows the innocent Tom Robinson to be punished by the evil Bob Ewell. These social divisions make up a large part of the adult world which Jem and Scout see, and these divisions appear to be irrational and destructive. Social division ultimately epitomises the prejudice and ignorance of human nature.

Themes Small Town life Lee focuses closely on the old fashioned small town values of Maycomb. In order to contrast with the themes of ignorance and prejudice and the suspense and tension of the novel. Lee emphasises the slow paced and good natured ambiance of small town Maycomb. Lee juxtaposes small town values with images of evil, to show the forces of good and evil within the town. For example: The terror of the fire is contrasted with people of Maycomb coming together to save Miss Maudie’s valued possessions. Mockingbirds The title carries great symbolic weight in the novel, as it represents good being destroyed by evil. The mockingbird represents the idea of good- thus to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Throughout the novel Jem, Tom, Dill and Boo are all symbolised as mockingbirds – ie innocents who have been destroyed through contact with evil. This connection is explicit after Tom’s death Mr. Underwood compares his death to “the senseless slaughter of songbirds,” Whilst Miss Maudie epitomises the concept of the novel when she declares “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but... sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” The fact that Jem and Scout’s last name is Finch (a small bird) suggests that they are vulnerable and innocent within this racist world.

Summary Scout is the main female narrator – 5 years old at the start of the novel. The novel focuses on her movement from innocent child to understanding adult. The novel focuses on prejudice, racism, social class and the battle between good and evil. The novel is set in Maycomb, Alabama during 1930s America – the time of the great depression. Scout has an older brother Jem, her father is Atticus, they make up the Finch family. Scout and Jem are friends with Dill – during their friendship they become obsessed with Boo Radley and he is portrayed as an evil character. Scout and Jem are saved by Boo Radley at the end of the novel and they change their opinion of him. The main event of the novel is the trial of Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is a black man accused of rape by Mayella Ewell. Atticus defends Tom and proves him innocent, however the all white jury find him guilty. The trial of Tom has a huge impact on Jem and Scout. Jem becomes despondent and depressed that justice fails, whilst Scout has to learn to accept people for who they are. The relationship Atticus has with his children is pivotal in the novel as he teaches them the most valuable lesson of all: To truly understand someone else's point of view, accept people for who they are and accept their good and bad points.