2. To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee

3. About the book Written by Nelle Harper Lee Written by Nelle Harper Lee Started as a short story Started as a short story Published in 1960, after first being submitted in 1957 Published in 1960, after first being submitted in 1957 Won Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1961 Won Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1961

4. About the book (cont’d) Adapted into Academy Award- Winning movie in 1962 Adapted into Academy Award- Winning movie in 1962 Translated into more than 30 languages Translated into more than 30 languages Sold tens of millions of copies Sold tens of millions of copies

5. The Author: Harper Lee Born Nelle Harper Lee on April 28, 1926 Born Nelle Harper Lee on April 28, 1926 Birth place is Monroeville, in southwest Alabama Birth place is Monroeville, in southwest Alabama Daughter of Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Cunningham Finch Lee Daughter of Amasa Coleman Lee and Frances Cunningham Finch Lee

6. Harper Lee (cont’d) Father was lawyer and state legislator Father was lawyer and state legislator Attended public school in Monroeville and then Huntingdon College, a private school for women in Montgomery, and then University of Alabama Attended public school in Monroeville and then Huntingdon College, a private school for women in Montgomery, and then University of Alabama Studied at Oxford University for a summer Studied at Oxford University for a summer Withdrew from law school six months before graduation Withdrew from law school six months before graduation

7. Harper Lee (cont’d) Moved to New York in 1949 Moved to New York in 1949 Worked at a bookstore and then as an airline reservation clerk before she quit to work on writing full time Worked at a bookstore and then as an airline reservation clerk before she quit to work on writing full time

8. Harper Lee Today Divides time between Monroeville and NYC Divides time between Monroeville and NYC Refuses publicity of any kind Refuses publicity of any kind Lives with older sister, a lawyer in her 90s Lives with older sister, a lawyer in her 90s Recently wrote a letter to “O” magazine about the importance of reading for Oprah Recently wrote a letter to “O” magazine about the importance of reading for Oprah

9. Book vs. Life Setting: 1930s in Maycomb, Alabama Setting: 1930s in Maycomb, Alabama Scout is a tomboy who likes to fight Scout is a tomboy who likes to fight Father Atticus is a lawyer and state legislator Father Atticus is a lawyer and state legislator Mother died when Scout was a baby Mother died when Scout was a baby 1920s to 1940s in Monroeville, Alabama 1920s to 1940s in Monroeville, Alabama Nelle is a tomboy and said to be a bully Nelle is a tomboy and said to be a bully Father Amasa is a lawyer and state legislator Father Amasa is a lawyer and state legislator Mother has “nervous disorder,” dies when Nelle is in her 20s Mother has “nervous disorder,” dies when Nelle is in her 20s

10. Book vs. Life (cont’d) Older brother, Jem, and neighbor’s nephew, Dill, are Scout’s playmates Older brother, Jem, and neighbor’s nephew, Dill, are Scout’s playmates Scout knows how to read the newspaper before she starts first grade Scout knows how to read the newspaper before she starts first grade Family owned local newspaper Family owned local newspaper Older brother, Edwin, and neighbor Truman Capote are Nelle’s playmates Older brother, Edwin, and neighbor Truman Capote are Nelle’s playmates Nelle is an avid reader as a child Nelle is an avid reader as a child Local newspaper owner helps Atticus Local newspaper owner helps Atticus

11. Book vs. Life (cont’d) Scout is 6 years old when Tom Robinson goes on trial for rape, and town is obsessed with every aspect of the trial Scout is 6 years old when Tom Robinson goes on trial for rape, and town is obsessed with every aspect of the trial Nelle is 6 years old when the Scottsboro Boys Trails are covered in the news nationwide Nelle is 6 years old when the Scottsboro Boys Trails are covered in the news nationwide

12. Scottsboro Trials On March 25, 1931, a freight train was stopped in Paint Rock, a small town in Alabama. Nine young African-American men from Tennessee who had been on the train were arrested. Two white women, one underage, accused the youths of raping them while on the train.

13. Scottsboro (cont’d) Within a month, one man was found guilty and sentenced to death. A series of sensational trials followed based on the testimony of the older woman, a known prostitute. The prostitute was attempting to avoid prosecution for taking a minor across state lines for immoral prostitution.

14. Scottsboro (cont’d) None of the young men were executed, but a number of them were on death row for several years. The last defendant was released in 1950.

15. Civil Rights Era In Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, the Supreme Court ruled public school segregation illegal, overturning the “separate but equal” doctrine of Plessy vs. Ferguson In Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, the Supreme Court ruled public school segregation illegal, overturning the “separate but equal” doctrine of Plessy vs. Ferguson

16. Civil Rights Era (cont’d) 1955 – Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American from Chicago, is beaten, shot, and lynched by white men after allegedly whistling at a white woman in a store in Mississippi. 1955 – Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American from Chicago, is beaten, shot, and lynched by white men after allegedly whistling at a white woman in a store in Mississippi.

17. Southern Culture Canna – Tropical flowering plant that features large, attractive foliage and is actually one of the world’s best sources of starch Canna – Tropical flowering plant that features large, attractive foliage and is actually one of the world’s best sources of starch

18. Southern Culture Scuppernongs – A green or bronze grape native to the southeastern United States; known for its very sweet flesh and tart skin Scuppernongs – A green or bronze grape native to the southeastern United States; known for its very sweet flesh and tart skin

19. Southern Culture Catawba worms – Also known as catalpa worms, they actually are the larvae of a moth that eats only the leaves of the catawba/catalpa tree; often used for fishing Catawba worms – Also known as catalpa worms, they actually are the larvae of a moth that eats only the leaves of the catawba/catalpa tree; often used for fishing

20. Southern culture Hook worm - Hook worm -