To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird

By Harper LeeBy Harper Lee

Author’s NotesAuthor’s Notes

Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926 in Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926 in Monroe Alabama. Monroe Alabama.

She was the youngest of four childrenShe was the youngest of four children Father was Amasa Coleman Lee, a lawyer. Father was Amasa Coleman Lee, a lawyer.

Mother was Frances (Finch) LeeMother was Frances (Finch) Lee One of her childhood friends was Truman One of her childhood friends was Truman

Capote. She lived next door to him from 1928-Capote. She lived next door to him from 1928-1933.1933.

Truman Capote is said to be the fictitious Truman Capote is said to be the fictitious character, Dill in her novel.character, Dill in her novel.

Essential QuestionEssential Question

Throughout history, how has the concept Throughout history, how has the concept of justice changed in the eyes of of justice changed in the eyes of Americans?Americans?

Gallery WalkGallery Walk

JusticeJustice Family Family PrejudicePrejudice On a sheet of paper, write down one On a sheet of paper, write down one

powerful quote & describe one powerful powerful quote & describe one powerful image for each themeimage for each theme

Will share with your groupWill share with your group Which area was the most thought-Which area was the most thought-

provoking And why?provoking And why?

Author’s Notes ContinuedAuthor’s Notes Continued

Harper Lee graduated high school and Harper Lee graduated high school and attended Huntingdon College, a private attended Huntingdon College, a private school for women in Montgomery, for a school for women in Montgomery, for a year (1944-45) prior to transferring to the year (1944-45) prior to transferring to the University of Alabama.University of Alabama.

In 1947 she enrolled in the university’s law In 1947 she enrolled in the university’s law school, later spending a year as an school, later spending a year as an exchange student at Oxford University.exchange student at Oxford University.

Author’s Notes ContinuedAuthor’s Notes Continued

She withdrew in 1949, six months before She withdrew in 1949, six months before she would have received her law degree she would have received her law degree and moved to New York City to pursue a and moved to New York City to pursue a writing career.writing career.

Author’s Notes ContinuedAuthor’s Notes Continued

In New York, Lee worked for the airlines. During In New York, Lee worked for the airlines. During this time she wrote several essays and short this time she wrote several essays and short stories, none that were ever published.stories, none that were ever published.

An agent encouraged her to expand one of her An agent encouraged her to expand one of her short stories. Receiving financial support from short stories. Receiving financial support from her friends, she quit the airlines and spent her her friends, she quit the airlines and spent her time writing time writing To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird, the only book , the only book that Lee ever published.that Lee ever published.

Her father was ill during the time she wrote the Her father was ill during the time she wrote the book, spending most of her energies traveling book, spending most of her energies traveling from NY to Monroeville.from NY to Monroeville.

Author’s Notes ContinuedAuthor’s Notes Continued

Although the novel is not a strictly Although the novel is not a strictly autobiographical account of her childhood, autobiographical account of her childhood, Lee certainly has drawn from those Lee certainly has drawn from those experiences as a basis of setting, plot, experiences as a basis of setting, plot, characters, and themes of her workcharacters, and themes of her work

Scottsboro Influence Scottsboro Influence

In 1931 the Scottsboro incident occurred in which In 1931 the Scottsboro incident occurred in which nine black youths were arrested on the charge of nine black youths were arrested on the charge of raping two white women while riding on a freight raping two white women while riding on a freight train near the town in Scottsboro, Alabama.train near the town in Scottsboro, Alabama.

After several sets of trials from 1931 to 1936, in After several sets of trials from 1931 to 1936, in which some youths were sentenced to death, the which some youths were sentenced to death, the case finally ended with several defendants given case finally ended with several defendants given long prison terms and others being released.long prison terms and others being released.

Only much later was it discovered that the women Only much later was it discovered that the women fabricated the whole story.fabricated the whole story.

TKAM BackgroundTKAM Background

Set in a fictional town in Maycomb, Set in a fictional town in Maycomb, Alabama during 1930’s (Great Alabama during 1930’s (Great Depression)Depression)

Plot occurs over 3-year periodPlot occurs over 3-year period Jean Louise Finch (Scout) = narratorJean Louise Finch (Scout) = narrator

Writing as an adult and describing an event Writing as an adult and describing an event that had a profound effect on her and her that had a profound effect on her and her familyfamily

TKAM Background Cont.TKAM Background Cont.

Main charactersMain characters Jean Louise Finch (Scout): sister Jean Louise Finch (Scout): sister

Jeremy Finch (Jem): brotherJeremy Finch (Jem): brother

Atticus Finch: dadAtticus Finch: dad

Charles Baker Harris (Dill): childhood friendCharles Baker Harris (Dill): childhood friend

Little Rock CrisisLittle Rock Crisis

On September 4, 1957 Arkansas governor, On September 4, 1957 Arkansas governor, Orval Faubus ordered the National Guard to Orval Faubus ordered the National Guard to prevent nine Negro students from enrolling in prevent nine Negro students from enrolling in previously all Central High School previously all Central High School

After trying for eighteen days to persuade Orval Faubus to obey the ruling of the Supreme Court, Eisenhower decided to order paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division, to protect black children going to Little Rock Central High School. The white population of Little Rock were furious that they were being forced to integrate their school and Faubus described the federal troops as an army of occupation.

Little Rock CrisisLittle Rock Crisis Elizabeth Eckford and the other eight African

American students that entered the school (Carlotta Walls, Jefferson Thomas, Thelma Mothershed, Melba Pattillo, Ernest Green, Terrance Roberts, Gloria Ray and Minnijean Brown) suffered physical violence and constant racial abuse. Parents of four of the children lost their jobs because they had insisted in sending them to a white school. Woodrow Mann and his family received death threats and Klu Klux Klan crosses were burnt on his front lawn.

The federal troops left at the end of November and the first black student graduated from Central High School in May 1958.

Important Dates Important Dates

1866 - 14th amendment grants African 1866 - 14th amendment grants African Americans citizenship. Civil Rights act passed Americans citizenship. Civil Rights act passed by government.by government.

1879 - Edison invents the light bulb (or was it 1879 - Edison invents the light bulb (or was it Equality?)Equality?)

1886 - Statue of Liberty unveiled1886 - Statue of Liberty unveiled 1914 - National average wage is $2.40 per day1914 - National average wage is $2.40 per day 1915 - Ford produces its one millionth car1915 - Ford produces its one millionth car 1917 - US enters World War I1917 - US enters World War I 1918 - World War ends1918 - World War ends

More Important DatesMore Important Dates

1929 - Wall street crash marks start of the Great 1929 - Wall street crash marks start of the Great DepressionDepression

1938 - Ten Million Americans are unemployed1938 - Ten Million Americans are unemployed 1940 - Color television is presented to the American 1940 - Color television is presented to the American

publicpublic 1941 - US enters World War II1941 - US enters World War II 1954 - United States Supreme Court rules in Brown vs. 1954 - United States Supreme Court rules in Brown vs.

Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, that racial Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, that racial segregation in the public schools is inherently unequal segregation in the public schools is inherently unequal and, therefore, illegal.and, therefore, illegal.

1955 - Rosa Parks refuses to sit in the back of the bus1955 - Rosa Parks refuses to sit in the back of the bus 1964 - Civil Rights Act 1964 - Civil Rights Act outlawed segregation in the US schools and public

places

Racial SegregationRacial Segregation

Racial segregation characterized by separation of different races in daily life, such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a rest room, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home. Segregation may be mandated by law or exist through social norms. Segregation may be maintained by means ranging from discrimination in hiring and in the rental and sale of housing to certain races to vigilante violence such as lynching; a situation that arises when members of different races mutually prefer to associate and do business with members of their own race would usually be described as separation or de facto separation of the races rather than segregation. Legal segregation in both South Africa and the U.S. was required and came with "anti-miscegenation laws" (prohibitions against interracial marriage) and laws against hiring people of the race that is the object of discrimination in any but menial positions.

Racial SegregationRacial Segregation

Segregation in hiring practices contributes to economic imbalance between the races. Segregation, however, often allowed close contact in hierarchical situations, such as allowing a person of one race to work as a servant for a member of another race. Segregation can involve spatial separation of the races, and/or mandatory use of different institutions, such as schools and hospitals by people of different races.

To Kill A MockingbirdTo Kill A Mockingbird

1960 - 1960 - Publication of To Kill A Mockingbird in the Fall Publication of To Kill A Mockingbird in the Fall (Shoots to top of NY Times Best Seller list)(Shoots to top of NY Times Best Seller list)

Lee's book was published in a time of tumultuous events and racial strife as the struggle in the Civil Rights movement grew violent and spread into cities across the nation, and into the American consciousness on TV screens and the nightly news.

1961 - To1961 - To Kill A Mockingbird, is released; the screen Kill A Mockingbird, is released; the screen adaptation by Horton Foote receives 5 Academy Award adaptation by Horton Foote receives 5 Academy Award nominations.nominations.

ParallelsParallels

Harper Lee's Childhood

Grew up in 1930s - rural southern Alabama town

Father - Amasa Lee - attorney who served in state legislature in Alabama

Older brother and young neighbor (Truman Capote) are playmates

Harper Lee - an avid reader

Six years old when Scottsboro trials were meticulously covered in state and local newspapers

Scout Finch's Childhood

Grew up in 1930s - rural southern Alabama town

Father - Atticus Finch - attorney who served in state legislature in Alabama

Older brother and young neighbor (Dill) are playmates

Scout reads before she enters school; reads Mobile Register newspaper in first grade

Six years old when the trial of Tom Robinson takes place

Trials ParallelTrials ParallelThe Scottsboro Trials

Took place in the 1930s Took place in northern Alabama Began with a charge of rape made by white

women against African American men The poor white status of the accusers was a

critical issue.A central figure was a heroic judge, a member

of the Alabama Bar who overturned a guilty jury verdict against African American men.

This judge went against public sentiment in trying to protect the rights of the African American defendants.

The first juries failed to include any African Americans, a situation which caused the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the guilty verdict.

The jury ignored evidence, for example, that the women suffered no injuries.

Attitudes about Southern women and poor whites complicated the trial.

Tom Robinson's TrialOccurs in the 1930s Takes place in southern AlabamaBegins with a charge of rape made by a white

woman against an African American manThe poor white status of Mayella is a critical

issue. A central figure is Atticus, lawyer, legislator

and member of the Alabama Bar, who defends an African American man.

Atticus arouses anger in the communtiy in trying to defend Tom Robinson.

The verdict is rendered by a jury of poor white residents of Old Sarum.

The jury ignores evidence, for example, that Tom has a useless left arm.