To Kill A Mockingbird Background Notes
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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. The main character Scout Finch, who is loosely based on the author Harper Lee, narrates the story as an adult looking back on her childhood. Some key characters like Atticus Finch and Dill are based on people in Lee's life. The book addresses themes of prejudice, courage, and growing up through a coming-of-age story told with Southern Gothic details of the time period.
To Kill A Mockingbird Background Notes
- 1. To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
- 2. Background Information Author: Nelle Harper Lee (She is still alive and lives in Monroeville, AL.) Time: Written in the mid-1950s during the height of the Civil Rights Movement; Published in 1960. Setting: 1933-1935 in the fictional town of Maycomb, AL (based on Monroeville, AL); takes place during the Depression
- 3. Background Information The character of Atticus Finch is based on Harper Lee’s father. The character of Dill is based on famous author Truman Capote, Lee’s childhood friend. The character of Scout is loosely based on Harper Lee herself.
- 4. Background Information To Kill a Mockingbird has been named the #1 most teachable novel. Harper Lee won the Pulitzer Prize for this book. The book was once banned in schools and is often challenged today for its language and themes.
- 5. Literary Terms Genre- a category of literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content. * Coming-of-age drama, Southern drama, courtroom drama Narrator- the character in literature who tells the story from her/his point of view * Scout/1 st person narration Scout is looking back on her childhood.
- 6. Literary Terms Tone- the attitude the author takes toward a subject or character * Child-like and innocent in the beginning; dark and critical of society toward the middle Imagery- descriptive details in writing that create an image in the reader’s mind
- 7. Literary Terms Protagonist- the principal character in a story who brings about change * Scout Finch Antagonist- the character who opposes change as well as the protagonist * Bob Ewell
- 8. Literary Terms Motif- recurring element in a story, usually relates to a theme in the story * Gothic details, small-town life Symbol- an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning * mockingbird, Boo Radley
- 9. Literary Terms Theme- the insight about life that an author wishes to express in a story * prejudice (good vs. evil), courage (morality vs. society), growing up (innocence vs. ignorance ; child vs. adult) Foreshadowing- the use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in the story * the fire, the mad dog, presents in the knothole, Tom’s trial
- 10. Ms. Ratliff as Scout