The Author The Novel Historical

Content-Great Depression

Social Content Time Line

The Author The Novel Historical

Content-Great Depression

Social Content Time Line

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - HARPER LEE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - HARPER LEE

Related to Robert E. Lee Born in Monroeville, Alabama, on April 28, 1926

Related to Robert E. Lee Born in Monroeville, Alabama, on April 28, 1926

HARPER LEE HARPER LEE continuedcontinued Grew up during the Great Grew up during the Great

DepressionDepression Began writing at the age of Began writing at the age of

sevenseven Attended Huntington College Attended Huntington College

then was an exchange then was an exchange student at Oxford Universitystudent at Oxford University

Studied law at the University Studied law at the University of Alabama but never of Alabama but never finished her degreefinished her degree

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR - HARPER LEE

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR - HARPER LEE

Moved to New York where she worked as an airlines reservations clerk

She then began writing full time for publication purposes

Wrote To Kill a Mockingbird in 1957 Her cousin Truman Capote

encouraged her to expand one of her many short stories in order to create her only novel

It won a Pulitzer Prize in Literature in 1961

Moved to New York where she worked as an airlines reservations clerk

She then began writing full time for publication purposes

Wrote To Kill a Mockingbird in 1957 Her cousin Truman Capote

encouraged her to expand one of her many short stories in order to create her only novel

It won a Pulitzer Prize in Literature in 1961

ABOUT THE NOVELABOUT THE NOVEL The story is about

two children growing up in the South during the Great Depression and a Southern lawyer, in face of murderous threats and impossible odds, who stands up for what he believes is right and tries to show those around him a better way

The story is about two children growing up in the South during the Great Depression and a Southern lawyer, in face of murderous threats and impossible odds, who stands up for what he believes is right and tries to show those around him a better way

THE NOVEL continuedTHE NOVEL continued

It focuses on the people, attitudes, It focuses on the people, attitudes, and laws of the South during this and laws of the South during this time period.time period.

The plot of The plot of To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird reflected Ms. Lee’s own childhood in reflected Ms. Lee’s own childhood in Alabama and was greatly influenced Alabama and was greatly influenced by the training she received in law by the training she received in law schoolschool

MORE ABOUTTHE NOVEL

MORE ABOUTTHE NOVEL

Lee’s life parallels Lee’s life parallels the two children in the two children in the novel. She lived the novel. She lived in a small Southern in a small Southern town, had a lawyer town, had a lawyer for a father, and even for a father, and even sat in a sat in a courthouse balcony courthouse balcony to watch him defend to watch him defend his clientshis clients

Lee’s life parallels Lee’s life parallels the two children in the two children in the novel. She lived the novel. She lived in a small Southern in a small Southern town, had a lawyer town, had a lawyer for a father, and even for a father, and even sat in a sat in a courthouse balcony courthouse balcony to watch him defend to watch him defend his clientshis clients

ABOUTABOUTTHE NOVELTHE NOVEL

To Kill a To Kill a MockingbirdMockingbird has been has been translated translated into ten into ten languages languages and it has and it has been been adapted adapted into a movieinto a movie

ABOUT THE NOVEL ABOUT THE NOVEL CONT.CONT.

Told in flashback 2 story lines – each with its own climax

First-person point of view

Bildungsroman Covers approx. 3 years

ABOUT THE NOVEL ABOUT THE NOVEL CONT.CONT.

Originally submitted to the publisher in 1957

Took 2 ½ years to revise and edit

Finally published in 1960

MAJOR THEMES OF TO KILL A

MOCKINGBIRD

MAJOR THEMES OF TO KILL A

MOCKINGBIRD Education is not limited to Education is not limited to the classroom but is an the classroom but is an important part of a person’s important part of a person’s everyday life.everyday life.

Prejudice is responsible for Prejudice is responsible for much social injusticemuch social injustice..

People often fear what they People often fear what they do not understanddo not understand..

Education is not limited to Education is not limited to the classroom but is an the classroom but is an important part of a person’s important part of a person’s everyday life.everyday life.

Prejudice is responsible for Prejudice is responsible for much social injusticemuch social injustice..

People often fear what they People often fear what they do not understanddo not understand..

MAJOR THEMES OFMAJOR THEMES OF TO KILL A TO KILL A

MOCKINGBIRDMOCKINGBIRD

MAJOR THEMES OFMAJOR THEMES OF TO KILL A TO KILL A

MOCKINGBIRDMOCKINGBIRD Courage is doing what Courage is doing what you think is right when you think is right when the odds of succeeding the odds of succeeding are against you.are against you.

MaturationMaturation PridePride

THE HISTORICAL CONTENT

The Great Depression

THE HISTORICAL CONTENT

The Great Depression The stock-market crash of 1929

paralyzed the nation’s economy. Banks curtailed their loans to businesses, businessmen cut back on production, and millions lost their jobs. Spending dwindled, factories and stores closed, and consumption of farm products declined.

The stock-market crash of 1929 paralyzed the nation’s economy. Banks curtailed their loans to businesses, businessmen cut back on production, and millions lost their jobs. Spending dwindled, factories and stores closed, and consumption of farm products declined.

Migrant MotherMigrant Mother At the height of At the height of

the Great the Great Depression in Depression in 1933, about 13 1933, about 13 million Americans million Americans had no jobs, had no jobs, many had only many had only part-time jobs, part-time jobs, and more than and more than 750,000 farmers 750,000 farmers had lost their had lost their landland

At the height of At the height of the Great the Great Depression in Depression in 1933, about 13 1933, about 13 million Americans million Americans had no jobs, had no jobs, many had only many had only part-time jobs, part-time jobs, and more than and more than 750,000 farmers 750,000 farmers had lost their had lost their landland

Elderly Couple during Elderly Couple during the Great Depressionthe Great Depression

Soup Kitchen during Soup Kitchen during Great DepressionGreat Depression

Family during Family during DepressionDepression

THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF THE NOVEL TIME

LINE

THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF THE NOVEL TIME

LINE 1861 Civil War Begins 1863 President Lincoln

signed the

Emancipation Proclamation freeing

the black slaves

1861 Civil War Begins 1863 President Lincoln

signed the

Emancipation Proclamation freeing

the black slaves

18651865 Civil War EndsCivil War Ends 1865 1865 The The 13th 13th

AmendmentAmendment to the to the Constitution was the first Constitution was the first

of three amendments of three amendments that were a consequence that were a consequence of the of the Civil War. It states Civil War. It states that that slavery must end in slavery must end in the United States and all the United States and all of its of its territories.territories.

1868 In the In the 14th 14th

AmendmentAmendment the the black Americans black Americans

were were granted granted citizenship and citizenship and

guaranteed their guaranteed their Civil RightsCivil Rights

1870 The The 15th 15th AmendmentAmendment dealt dealt with Black Voting with Black Voting Rights. It sought to Rights. It sought to protect the rights of protect the rights of citizens, particularly citizens, particularly former slaves, to former slaves, to vote in federal and vote in federal and state electionsstate elections

1870 The The 15th 15th AmendmentAmendment dealt dealt with Black Voting with Black Voting Rights. It sought to Rights. It sought to protect the rights of protect the rights of citizens, particularly citizens, particularly former slaves, to former slaves, to vote in federal and vote in federal and state electionsstate elections

THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF THE NOVEL TIME

LINE

THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF THE NOVEL TIME

LINE 1880’s1880’s Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws

– Although African Americans Although African Americans now supposedly had the same now supposedly had the same rights as white society, they rights as white society, they were still segregated. were still segregated. Jim Crow Jim Crow laws segregated blacks laws segregated blacks politically by making it difficult politically by making it difficult for them to vote. for them to vote. For instance, For instance, they required voters to pay a they required voters to pay a poll tax as well as prove that poll tax as well as prove that they could read.they could read.

1880’s1880’s Jim Crow LawsJim Crow Laws– Although African Americans Although African Americans now supposedly had the same now supposedly had the same rights as white society, they rights as white society, they were still segregated. were still segregated. Jim Crow Jim Crow laws segregated blacks laws segregated blacks politically by making it difficult politically by making it difficult for them to vote. for them to vote. For instance, For instance, they required voters to pay a they required voters to pay a poll tax as well as prove that poll tax as well as prove that they could read.they could read.

1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson

1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson

The Supreme Court went even further to legalize racism by ruling that segregation was lawful as long as blacks and whites had access to equal facilities. (EX. Separate Water Fountains)

The Supreme Court went even further to legalize racism by ruling that segregation was lawful as long as blacks and whites had access to equal facilities. (EX. Separate Water Fountains)

Realize that not all Realize that not all of the Justices of the Justices supported this view, supported this view, many felt that themany felt that the “Constitution is “Constitution is ccoolloorrbblliinndd and and neither knows or neither knows or tolerates classes tolerates classes among citizensamong citizens.”

1929 Beginning of the Great Depression

1929 Beginning of the Great Depression It’s been almost sixty It’s been almost sixty years since blacks had years since blacks had been held in slavery, been held in slavery, and unfortunately at and unfortunately at this time they were this time they were still considered “still considered “2nd 2nd classclass” citizens” citizens.

It’s been almost sixty It’s been almost sixty years since blacks had years since blacks had been held in slavery, been held in slavery, and unfortunately at and unfortunately at this time they were this time they were still considered “still considered “2nd 2nd classclass” citizens” citizens.

Realize that it took Realize that it took almost 100 years almost 100 years from the time the from the time the Civil War ended for Civil War ended for the nation’s blacks the nation’s blacks to finally obtain to finally obtain equal civil rights as equal civil rights as their white their white counterpartscounterparts

Realize that it took Realize that it took almost 100 years almost 100 years from the time the from the time the Civil War ended for Civil War ended for the nation’s blacks the nation’s blacks to finally obtain to finally obtain equal civil rights as equal civil rights as their white their white counterpartscounterparts

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