To Kill a Mockingbird
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Written by: Harper Lee
Background Information
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TKAM- semi-autobiographical of author Harper Lee
Pre-Civil Rights Era
 Jim
Crow Laws (1876-1965)
 Segregation
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Separate “but equal” facilities for blacks & whites
Racial Tension
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(esp. in the South)
Lynching illegal execution of accused by a mob
Blacks & whites competing for same jobs
About the Novel…
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A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, this Depression-era
story is set in a small town in Alabama, where a
black man is accused of raping a white woman.
The story takes place over two summers, and is seen
and told through the eyes of a child.
The characters learn valuable lessons about
principles, honor, pride, and prejudice. Even their
views of the local bogeyman, change after time.
Importance of the Title:

“It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”
Comes
from an old proverb
The mockingbird is harmless and does its
best to please those that listen to its
songs and is defenseless against hunters.
 The wrongness of killing the mockingbird
becomes a metaphor for the injustice of two
characters who are harmless and helpless.
Important Facts
The story describes the
lifestyle of Southern America
during the post-Depression era
of the 1930’s
It also describes the judicial system
of Alabama and the country before
the Civil Rights Movement
The main characters are good people that
witness prejudice in various forms
What to Expect
Language
includes slang
and derogatory
words .
The “N” word
The causes &
dangers of
prejudice
The qualities of a
hero
The causes &
dangers of
gender
stereo-typing
The power of the
spoken word and
the use of
symbols
Some Prejudice Described in the Book
Racial Prejudice
White vs. Black
Black vs. White
Socio-Economical Prejudice
Poor vs. Rich
Rich vs. Poor
Gender Prejudice
Male vs. Female
Female vs. Male
Female vs. Female
Genre- Realistic Fiction
• Stories with real life situations
• Story takes place in a
Features recognizable setting.
• Places, events and characters are
vividly described.
Realistic Fiction
Beginning
Middle
End
• Introduces:
Characters, Setting,
Conflict/Problem, & Goal
• Plot Develops
• Story events and reaction to
the events
• Resolution to conflict or
problem
Realistic Fiction
• The main character’s problem makes
Plot
up the plot and is the source of the
conflict
Conflict
• Tension exists between forces in the
character’s life
3 Forms
of
Conflict
• Person vs. Self
• Person vs. Person
• Person vs. Society
TKAM Key Facts
TensePast – use of flashbacks
 SettingTime- 1933-1935
Place- Maycomb, Alabama (Fictional town)
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Tone Starts off humorous; childlike
 Ends dark & critical of society
More TKAM Key Facts
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ThemeRepeated
or recurring idea/s
TKAM Themes:
 Prejudice
& Racism
* Inter-racial marriage
 Good vs. Evil (Morals)
 Family
 Social Class
 Education
Even More TKAM Key Facts
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P.O.V. – Point of View
 1st person narrator
 Scout
Protagonist/s (main “good” character)
 Scout
 Atticus
Antagonist- (main “bad” character)
 Bob Ewell
Allusion- reference to another piece of literature, a
famous person, place or event
Characters
Scout- Jean Louise Finch
Narrator of the story
 Age during story 6-9 yrs. Old
 Rebellious tomboy
 Intelligent for her age
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Jem- Jeremy Atticus Finch
Scout’s older brother
 Age during story 10-13 yrs. old
 Scout’s best friend and protector
 Deals with difficult issues throughout the
story
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Atticus
Scout & Jem’s father (single parent)
 Extremely moral
 Attorney for Maycomb
Tom Robinson’s assigned lawyer
 State Legislative Representative

Dill- Charles Baker Harris
Scout & Jem’s friend
 Active imagination/ adventurous
 Lives in Meridan, Mississippi
 Stays with Aunt Rachel during the summer
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Aunt Alexandra
Atticus’ sister
 Money and social Status are VERY
important to her
 Critical of Atticus’ parenting
 Lives at Finch’s Landing
 Stays with Atticus and children during trial
 Wants to feminize Scout
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Arthur “Boo” Radley
Mysterious neighbor of the Finch’s
 Was a troubled young man
 Town “Monster”
 Lives with his controlling brother
 Has been locked up in his house for 15 or
so years.
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Calpurnia
Finch’s black housekeeper
 Motherly figure to Scout
 Lives in the “white world” as well as the
“black world”
 Takes Jem & Scout to church
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Mrs. Dubose
Mean, elderly, sick neighbor of the Finchs
 Teaches Jem & Scout a valuable lesson in
bravery
 Addicted to Morphine
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Miss Maudie Atkinson
Lives across the street from the Finchs
 Loves gardening
 Friend to the Finchs especially to Scout
 High morals
 Open-minded citizen in Maycomb
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Mrs. Stephanie Crawford
Town Gossip
 Takes a small part of the truth and
exaggerates it until it barely resembles
truth at all.
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Tom Robinson
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A black man accused of raping and
beating Mayella Ewell
Mayella Ewell
Oldest Ewell child 19 yrs. old
 Lives a miserable and lonely life in a run
down house by the town dump
 Victim of abuse
 Has 7 brothers & sisters
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Bob Ewell
Mean and ignorant
 Has 8 children who are unsupervised most of the
time
 His son Burris has “cooties”
 Belongs to the lowest social class in Maycomb
(below the black citizens)
Spends welfare checks on alcohol
 Hates Atticus and all that Atticus stands for
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Mr. Underwood
Owner of the town paper
The Maycomb Tribune
 Openly dislikes blacks, however defends
Tom Robinson
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Dolphus Raymond
A white man with mixed children
 Lives on the outskirts of Maycomb
 Pretends to be drunk because people do
not understand his life choices
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Mr. Cunningham
Poor farmer
 Proud man-doesn’t like to considered a
“charity” case
 Client of Atticus
 Pays Atticus in vegetables & nuts
 One of the men in lynch mob
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Sheriff Heck Tate
Maycomb’s sheriff
 An honest and upstanding man
 Helps diffuse a serious situation
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