To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee
About the author Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28 th, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama. Lee’s father was a lawyer. In 1931, when she was five, the famous Scottsboro trials captured America’s attention. The book was written in the mid-1950’s.
About the novel Genre: coming-of- age story; social drama; courtroom drama; Southern drama Setting: Maycomb, Alabama, Narrator: Scout Finch, a young girl and tomboy- told in the first person. Scout is also the protagonist. Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer.
About the novel Scout’s brother, Jem, is also a main character Symbols: mockingbirds, Boo Radley Themes: the coexistence of good and evil; the importance of moral education; social class
Events of the time period Adolf Hitler begins twelve years as a dictator of Germany (NAZI party) on a rising tide of German nationalism and economic unrest Franklin Delano Roosevelt begins twelve years as President of the USA
Events of the time period Nazi’s open the first German concentration camp March 20, at Dachau near Munich. The facility is for Jewish people, gypsies, and political prisoners. Lynching widespread across the South. Forty- two blacks are killed by lynch mobs. The KKK is a strong and active group in the Southern states.
Events of the time period FDR enters the White House with more than fifteen million Americans out of work and says, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
Important terms DISCRIMINATION- the denial of equality based on personal characteristics STEREOTYPE- a set image PREJUDICE- literally means to “prejudge” based on preconceived ideas about others