To Kill a Mockingbird Author’s Style, Setting, Point-of-View, Characters, Themes, Symbolism, and Terms

Author’s Style

Nelle Harper Lee Born April 28,1926 in Monroeville, Alabama Maycomb, Alabama--modeled on author’s hometown. Her father was a lawyer. He and her ancestor, Robert E. Lee, the Civil War General, are used to create the character, Atticus. The Finch name came from her mother’s maiden name Frances Finch.

Harper Lee cont. Wrote To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960 to… –call attention to race issues –teach the need to refrain from judging others Witnessed –prejudice in her childhood –the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s

Lee’s Style Highly descriptive –*** Imagery helps to create MOOD –*** MOOD helps to build THEME Uses Southern dialect, including colloquialisms/vernacular –(Southern slang and figures of speech)

Setting

Setting Southern United States 1930s –Great Depression and poverty, which affected… –the book’s KEY ISSUE: prejudice and legal racial segregation –Ignorance

Stock market crashed Oct Businesses failed, factories closed –People were out of work –Even people with money suffered because nothing was being produced for sale. Poor people lost their homes, were forced to “live off the land” The Great Depression

Legal Issues Affect the Novel Women given the right to vote in 1920 Juries were MALE and WHITE “Fair trial” based on social strata –Wealthy Whites –Normal Whites –Poorer Whites –Any other race –Women considered based on race (White) and social status

The Scottsboro Trials 9 Black males arrested & accused of raping a White woman (March 1931) 8 sentenced to death (9 th too young) Repeated appeals 4 finally released with all charges dropped in 1937 Other 4 held in prison—last released in 1976

Point-of-View

Point-of-View First person –Story is told by a grown woman looking back on her childhood at age 10 Real name: Jean Louise Finch Nickname: Scout, a 10-year-old girl –Author Harper Lee is actually a woman; Scout represents the author as a little girl, although the story is not strictly autobiographical

Characters in the Novel

Characters of To Kill a Mockingbird Jean Louise “Scout” Finch - FEMALE. The narrator and protagonist of the story. Atticus Finch - Scout and Jem’s father, a lawyer in Maycomb who is descended from an old local (respected) family. He is considered honest and fair. Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch - Scout’s brother and constant playmate at the beginning of the story. Charles Baker “Dill” Harris - Jem and Scout’s summer neighbor and friend. He has a wild imagination to “escape” his experiences.

Characters, cont. 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. Miss Maudie Atkinson - The Finches’ neighbor, and an old friend of the family. Calpurnia - The Finches’ black cook.

Characters, cont. Aunt Alexandra - Atticus’s sister, a strong- willed woman with a fierce devotion to her family. She is adamant about “proper” behavior. Mayella Ewell - Bob Ewell’s abused, lonely, unhappy daughter. She accuses Tom Robinson of raping her. Tom Robinson - The black field hand accused of rape.

Link Deas - Tom Robinson’s boss. Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose - An elderly, ill-tempered, racist woman who lives near the Finches. Nathan Radley - Boo Radley’s older brother. Heck Tate - The sheriff of Maycomb and a major witness at Tom Robinson’s trial. Characters, cont.

Mr. Underwood - The publisher of Maycomb’s newspaper. Mr. Dolphus Raymond - A wealthy white man who lives with his black mistress and mulatto children. Mr. Walter Cunningham - A poor farmer and part of the mob that seeks to lynch Tom Robinson at the jail. Walter Cunningham - Son of Mr. Walter Cunningham and classmate of Scout. Characters, cont.

Uncle Jack Finch- Scout and Jem’s bachelor uncle -- they visit every Christmas Miss Rachael-Dill’s aunt who lives next to the Finches Reverend Sykes—a Negro minister who takes care of Scout and Jem during the trial Judge John Taylor—The presiding judge at the trial Mr. Gilmer—The prosecuting attorney at the trial

Characters, cont. Miss Stephanie Crawford—A gossipy neighbor who knows the family histories of the entire neighborhood. Miss Caroline Fisher—One of Scout’s teachers Mrs. Merriweather—A local lady who writes the Halloween pageant

Themes of the Novel

(1) The Coexistence of Good and Evil Most important theme Exploration of the moral nature of human beings (whether people are essentially good or essentially evil) Transition: naïve Jem and Scout to children confronted by true evil

(2) The Importance of Moral Education How Jem and Scout move from innocence to adulthood The children learn directly and indirectly Lessons on sympathy and understanding Compare/contrast Atticus’ approach with Miss Caroline’s approach

(3)The Existence of Social Inequality (A) Racial Prejudice (B) Social Class (Economic) Prejudice (C) Gender Prejudice

Subthemes of The Existence of Social Inequality

(A) Racial Prejudice Slavery ended in the 1860s Prejudice still strong in the 1930s (setting) –Jim Crow Laws against cohabitation, residence, education, and services

(B) Social Class (Economic) Prejudice: The “White Trash” Idea Great Depression Era “Need to Oppress” –Finches near the top –Most townspeople –Cunninghams and poor whites –White trash (Ewells)

(C) Gender Bias (Prejudice): The “White Goddess” Concept Women –considered “weak” & delicate –usually only taught to be housewives/mothers –expected to oversee servants & entertain guests

Literary Terms

New Terms Bildungsroman—a “coming of age” story where characters mature and learn vital, sometimes disturbing, lessons about life –Whoever “comes of age” is a changing, or _____, character. Style (author’s style)—based on word choice; helps to create mood and build themes

Details of the term... Symbolism

Symbolism is the use of a person, a place, an object, or an activity that stands for something beyond itself. A symbol means something more than its literal meaning. The mockingbird in the novel is a symbol of innocence. Throughout the book, a number of characters (Jem, Tom Robinson, Dill, Boo Radley, Mr. Raymond) can be identified as mockingbirds— innocents who have been injured or destroyed through contact with evil.

Foreshadowing The Gothic elements of the novel (fire, mad dog) build tension that subtly foreshadows Tom Robinson’s trial. Burris Ewell’s appearance in school foreshadows the nastiness of Bob Ewell. The presents that Jem and Scout find in the oak tree foreshadows the eventual discovery of Boo Radley’s good-heartedness.

Motifs Gothic Details In literature, the term Gothic refers to a style of fiction first popularized in eighteenth century England. * supernatural occurrences * gloomy and haunted settings * full moons Gothic details in To Kill a Mockingbird * unnatural snowfall * fire that destroys Miss Maudie’s house * The children’s superstitions about Boo Radley * The mad dog that Atticus shoots * Small Town Life