2. To Kill a Mockingbird Notes Author: Harper Lee Setting: Story begins in the year 1933 in Maycomb County, Alabama. The U.S. was in the midst of the Great Depression. Many people were unemployed and had little money. Race relations were strained. African Americans and women did not have the same social standing as whites and men. The novel is written using dialect: a regional variety of language; language used by a particular group or class of people

3. Characters Scout (Jean Louise Finch): Atticuss young daughter who is the narrator of the story. Jem Finch: Scouts brother, 4 years older than she is. Atticus Finch: Scout and Jems father, a lawyer in a small southern town. Calpurnia: The Negro cook who has been responsible for raising the Finch children. Dill (Charles Baker Harris): Scout and Jems friend who lives in Mississippi but comes every summer to Maycomb; hes 1 year older than Scout.

4. Boo Radley (Arthur): The mysterious neighbor whom the children have never seen. Miss Rachel: Dills aunt who lives next door to the Finches Mr. Nathan Radley: Stern, distant brother of Boo who seldom speaks even though he is seen every day. Miss Stephanie Crawford: a gossipy neighbor who knows the family histories of the entire neighborhood.

5. Mrs. Dubose: An old lady who lives down the street and screams at the children as they pass her house. Miss Maudie Atkinson: a neighbor lady who is very open- minded and well liked by Jem and Scout. Mr. Walter Cunningham: an upright farmer who refused to accept charity and trades crops to pay debts. Walter Cunningham: Son of above who doesnt have money to buy his lunch. Heck Tate: The sheriff who is a good friend of the Finchs. Dolphus Raymond: kind wealthy white man who lives with, and has children with, a black woman