To Kill a Mockingbird - In Depth Notes

Location: Maycomb, Alabama (fictional city)
Time Period: 1933-1935
Context: Although slavery has been abolished, there is a pervasive belief in white supremacy among the residents.

Racial Prejudice: Examination of racial inequalities and injustices in society.
Social Snobbery: Issues related to class distinction and its social repercussions.
Morality: Exploration of moral dilemmas and ethical integrity.
Tolerance: The necessity of understanding and accepting others.
Patience: Endurance when confronted with injustice.
Equality: The quest for equal treatment and rights for all individuals.
Compassion: Importance of empathy in human relationships.
Conscience: Moral awareness and the impact of personal ethics.

The Mockingbird: Represents goodness and innocence. The act of shooting a mockingbird is seen as a sin, as they exist solely to bring joy through their song.
- Symbolism in the Novel:
- Appears four times throughout the story.
- Characters Representing the Mockingbird:
  - Tom Robinson: An innocent man who becomes a victim of racial injustice.
  - Boo Radley: Misunderstood and reclusive, symbolizes kindness and the desire for acceptance.

Scout Finch (Jean Louise Finch)
- Role: The narrator of the story, reflecting on her childhood as an adult.
- Age: Six at the beginning of the narrative.
- Traits: Curious, tomboyish, impulsive, emotional, gains maturity.
Atticus Finch
- Description: Scout and Jem's father, a widowed attorney.
- Values: Highly respected and instills moral values in his children.
- Traits: Honest, brave, courteous, soft-spoken.
Jem Finch
- Role: Scout’s older brother, protective of her.
- Traits: Smart, compassionate, matures throughout the story.
Calpurnia
- Role: The Finch's housekeeper who serves as a motherly figure.
- Influence: Positive impact on Scout and Jem's upbringing.
Boo Radley (Arthur Radley)
- Description: A reclusive man confined to his home due to past mischief.
- Perception: Viewed as a lunatic but is ultimately harmless and childlike.
Tom Robinson
- Description: A young, hardworking man with a crippled left hand.
- Circumstance: Falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white girl.
Dill
- Role: Close friend of Scout and Jem, who stays in Maycomb during summer.
- Characteristics: Enjoys telling tall tales, deprived of love.

Scout's Narrative Style: Shifts between childlike perspective and adult reflections.
Character Speech:
- Atticus: Uses formal, educated speech.
- Calpurnia: Adjusts her language based on the community's context.
- Ewells: Employ obscenities and low language.
- Children: Use slang typical for their age.
- Authenticity: The novel maintains authentic period language, including derogatory terms reflecting racial attitudes of the time.

Birth: 1926, Monroeville, Alabama (inspiration for Maycomb).
Family: Father was a lawyer whom she admired; her mother's maiden name was Finch.
Novel: "To Kill a Mockingbird" published in 1960; won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961.
Legacy: The novel has remained in print since its release. She was a private individual, rarely in the public eye, and passed away in 2016.

Scottsboro Trials: A significant case involving nine black teenagers falsely accused of raping white women; showcases racial injustice and the flaws in the judicial system.
Great Depression: Following the 1929 Stock Market Crash, many faced severe economic hardships, leading to makeshift towns known as "Hoovervilles."
Living Conditions: Per capita income for families in Alabama ranged from $125 - $250 annually; many African Americans worked in cotton fields.
Political Climate: Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal aimed to address economic despair.

Jim Crow Laws: Enforced legal segregation in Alabama and other southern states, including prohibitions on interracial marriages and segregated facilities (hospitals, schools, waiting rooms, etc.).