To Kill a To Kill a MockingbirdMockingbird

By Harper LeeBy Harper Lee

Harper LeeHarper Lee Youngest of three children.Youngest of three children. Born April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Born April 28, 1926 in Monroeville,

Alabama.Alabama. Several parallels between her life and Several parallels between her life and

her novel.her novel. Her father’s middle name was “Finch”Her father’s middle name was “Finch” She was a tomboy like “Scout” in the She was a tomboy like “Scout” in the

novel.novel. The setting, Maybomb, Alabama is The setting, Maybomb, Alabama is

like her native Monroeville.like her native Monroeville. To Kill a Mockingbird was awarded the To Kill a Mockingbird was awarded the

1960 Pulitzer Prize.1960 Pulitzer Prize. First time since 1942 that a woman First time since 1942 that a woman

won that honor.won that honor.

SettingSetting

Maycomb, Alabama Maycomb, Alabama (fictional city)(fictional city)

1933-19351933-1935 Effects of the Effects of the

DepressionDepression Small town valuesSmall town values RacismRacism

PlotPlot

Conflict – Humanity vs. SocietyConflict – Humanity vs. Society

ThemesThemes

Racial PrejudiceRacial Prejudice Social SnobberySocial Snobbery MoralityMorality ToleranceTolerance PatiencePatience EqualityEquality The Need for CompassionThe Need for Compassion The Need for ConscienceThe Need for Conscience

StructureStructure

Part I – The children’s efforts to lure Boo Part I – The children’s efforts to lure Boo Radley, the neighborhood loner, into Radley, the neighborhood loner, into society.society.

Part II – Atticus’s failure to acquit Tom Part II – Atticus’s failure to acquit Tom RobinsonRobinson

SymbolismSymbolism

The mockingbird – at least four times

Symbolizes– harmless, gentle people who are destroyed for no reason.

NarratorNarrator

A grown Scout reflecting back to three A grown Scout reflecting back to three years of her childhood and the effect of years of her childhood and the effect of those events on her family. those events on her family.

11stst person limited person limited

Jean Louis Finch – “Scout”Jean Louis Finch – “Scout” The story’s narratorThe story’s narrator Scout looks back at her Scout looks back at her

childhood as an adult childhood as an adult Tells of the momentous Tells of the momentous

events and influential events and influential people of her people of her childhood.childhood.

Scout is six when the Scout is six when the story begins.story begins.

She is naturally curious She is naturally curious about life.about life.

Scout’s Character TraitsScout’s Character Traits

TomboyTomboy ImpulsiveImpulsive EmotionalEmotional Warm & FriendlyWarm & Friendly SensitiveSensitive AdorableAdorable Gains in Maturity throughout the NovelGains in Maturity throughout the Novel

Atticus FinchAtticus Finch

Father of Scout and Father of Scout and JemJem

A widowerA widower An attorneyAn attorney Highly respectedHighly respected Instills good values Instills good values

and morals in his and morals in his children.children.

His children call him His children call him “Atticus”“Atticus”

HonestHonest Typical southern Typical southern

gentlemangentleman BraveBrave CourteousCourteous Soft-spokenSoft-spoken

Jem FinchJem Finch

Scout’s older brother

Looks up to his father Atticus

Usually looks out for Scout

Typical older brother at times

Smart

Compassionate

Matures as the story progresses

CalpurniaCalpurnia

The Finch’s black The Finch’s black housekeeperhousekeeper

Has watched the children Has watched the children since their mother’s deathsince their mother’s death

Has been a positive Has been a positive influence on the children.influence on the children.

Arthur “Boo” RadleyArthur “Boo” Radley

An adult man, whose father has “sentenced” him An adult man, whose father has “sentenced” him to a lifetime confinement to their house because of to a lifetime confinement to their house because of some mischief he got into when he was a some mischief he got into when he was a teenager.teenager.

Has a reputation of being a lunaticHas a reputation of being a lunatic Basically a harmless, well-meaning personBasically a harmless, well-meaning person Sometimes childlike in behaviorSometimes childlike in behavior Starving for love and affectionStarving for love and affection Saves Jem and Scout from certain dangerSaves Jem and Scout from certain danger

Tom RobinsonTom Robinson

A young, harmless, A young, harmless, innocent, hardworking innocent, hardworking black manblack man

Has a crippled left Has a crippled left handhand

Married with three Married with three children. children.

Works on a farm Works on a farm belonging to Mr. Link belonging to Mr. Link Deas, a white manDeas, a white man

Will be falsely accused Will be falsely accused of raping a white girl, of raping a white girl, Mayella EwellMayella Ewell

DillDill

A close friend of Jem A close friend of Jem and Scoutand Scout

Usually lives in Usually lives in Maycomb only during Maycomb only during the summer (stays the summer (stays with a relative)with a relative)

Tells “big stories”Tells “big stories” Has been deprived of Has been deprived of

love and affectionlove and affection

Two Poor White Families:Two Poor White Families:The Cunninghams The EwellsThe Cunninghams The Ewells

Poor white familyPoor white family Hard-workingHard-working HonestHonest ProudProud Survive on very littleSurvive on very little Always pay back their Always pay back their

debts – even with debts – even with “items” around the “items” around the house.house.

Poor white trashPoor white trash DirtyDirty LazyLazy Never done a day’s Never done a day’s

workwork Foul-mouthedFoul-mouthed DishonestDishonest ImmoralImmoral

The Black CommunityThe Black Community

SimpleSimple HonestHonest CleanClean Hard-workingHard-working God fearingGod fearing ProudProud Would never take Would never take

anything without anything without paying it backpaying it back

UneducatedUneducated Discriminated Discriminated

againstagainst Talked about Talked about

badlybadly Deserve better Deserve better

than what is than what is dished out to them dished out to them by societyby society

RespectfulRespectful

LanguageLanguage Sometimes the language of Scout will be that of her as a Sometimes the language of Scout will be that of her as a

child; other times, she will be speaking in the voice of an child; other times, she will be speaking in the voice of an adultadult

Atticus uses formal speechAtticus uses formal speech Calpurnia uses “white language” in the Finch house and Calpurnia uses “white language” in the Finch house and

switches to “black jargon” when amidst blacksswitches to “black jargon” when amidst blacks The Ewells use foul words and obscenitiesThe Ewells use foul words and obscenities Jem, Scout, and Dill will use slang words, typical of their Jem, Scout, and Dill will use slang words, typical of their

ageage Tom Robinson uses language typical of the southern Tom Robinson uses language typical of the southern

black such as “suh” for “sir” and “chillun” for “children”black such as “suh” for “sir” and “chillun” for “children” Various derogatory terms for blacks – Lee uses such Various derogatory terms for blacks – Lee uses such

language to keep her novel naturally in sync with language to keep her novel naturally in sync with common language of the timescommon language of the times

ToneTone

SomberSomberSeriousSeriousHumorous (at times)Humorous (at times)

Morphine: A Southern Lady’s DrugMorphine: A Southern Lady’s Drug 1930s Typical 1930s Typical

Morphine Addict:Morphine Addict: White femaleWhite female Middle-aged or olderMiddle-aged or older WidowedWidowed HomeboundHomebound Lives in the southLives in the south Property ownerProperty owner Began using morphine Began using morphine

for medical reasons for medical reasons (pain relief)(pain relief)

In “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the In “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the Finch children will become Finch children will become acquainted with a morphine addict acquainted with a morphine addict named Mrs. Dubose. Although named Mrs. Dubose. Although only a fictitious character, she only a fictitious character, she personifies the American personifies the American morphine addict of the late morphine addict of the late nineteenth and early twentieth nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.centuries.