To Kill a Mockingbird Context and Introduction

English 11

Miss Tyczynski

Nelle Harper Lee

• Born April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama.

• Her first and only novel To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960.

• In 1960 she won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

• Lee continued to receive awards after the book’s publication.

• In November of 2007 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the nation’s highest civilian award) for her contribution to American literature.

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Historical Significance

• Maycomb, AL bears a striking resemblance to Monroeville, AL.

• Lee was six years old at the start of the Scottsboro trial and Scout is six years old at the beginning of the Robinson trial.

• Similarities exist between the Robinson trial in the text and the Scottsboro trial of the 1930’s.

• Both trials involve black men wrongfully charged with raping white women.

• In both trials all white juries ignored evidence that would have exonerated the defendants.

Setting: Depression-eraMaycomb, Alabama

• 1930’s – allusion to FDR in 1932:

• “[Maycomb County] had recently been told it had nothing to fear but fear itself” (6).

• To Kill a Mockingbird is framed by Scout as the larger story of how Jem broke his arm.

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Characters

• Simon Finch-• Atticus Finch-• Jem Finch-• Scout Finch-• Alexandra Finch-• Uncle Jack-• Calpurnia-• Miss Rachel-• Charles Baker Harris (Dill)-• Miss Stephanie Crawford-

The Radley Family History

• Mr. & Mrs. Radley• Nathan Radley• Arthur/Boo Radley• The Radley family was very reclusive

– did not attend church (a social activity).

– Mr. Radley (later Nathan) seen walking.

– Mrs. Radley came out to the porch to water her plants.

– Boo stays in the house.

(Arthur) Boo Radley

• At 18- Arthur gets into trouble with friends. The judge turns him over to his father who promises “no further trouble.”

• Arthur/ Boo retreats into the house for 15 years.

• At 33-

Chapter One Vocabulary

• assuaged-• apothecary-• strictures-• dictum-• chattel-• taciturn-• repertoire-• vapid-• malevolent-• morbid-• predilection-• domiciled-

• eased• makes/sells medicine• rules, limits• rule• property• shy, not talkative• collection of songs or performances• dull, lacking taste• wishing to do harm, ill-will• relating to death or disease• personal preference regardless of the facts• established a residence

Reading Questions

• Explain each literary term using details given in the first chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird as evidence:

• ex: setting- where and when a story takes place. Maycomb, AL in the 1930’s.

– characterization

– tone

– protagonist

– allusion

– metaphor and simile

– imagery