Harper LeeHarper Lee

Guiding QuestionGuiding Question

How does How does culture affect culture affect values?values?

Harper LeeHarper LeeBorn in Monroeville, AlabamaBorn in Monroeville, Alabama

Grew up there during theGrew up there during the depressiondepression

school experience influences school experience influences novelnovel

TKM was published in 1960 TKM was published in 1960Law Plot reflects Lee’s own Law Plot reflects Lee’s own

childhood growing up in childhood growing up in AlabamaAlabama

SettingSetting

Time PeriodTime Period1930s1930s

Location Location Maycomb, Maycomb, AlabamaAlabama

HistoryHistory

Historical Context of the Historical Context of the NovelNovel

Set in fictional Maycomb, Set in fictional Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Alabama during the Great Depression of the 1930’sDepression of the 1930’s

Stock-market crash of 1929 Stock-market crash of 1929 paralyzed nation’s economyparalyzed nation’s economy

In 1933, the height of the In 1933, the height of the depression, 13 million Americans depression, 13 million Americans had no jobshad no jobs

depression

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected President in 1932, basing his campaign President in 1932, basing his campaign

on promises to end the depressionon promises to end the depressionA program, the “New Deal”, created A program, the “New Deal”, created the CCC(Civilian Conservation Corps), the CCC(Civilian Conservation Corps), WPA(Works Progress Administration) WPA(Works Progress Administration) and FCA(Farm Credit Administration)and FCA(Farm Credit Administration)New Deal marks a turning point in the New Deal marks a turning point in the

nation’s economynation’s economy

Maycomb’s Community Maycomb’s Community DynamicsDynamics

Divided town: racially, socially, economically, Divided town: racially, socially, economically, religiouslyreligiously

Blacks: Tom RobinsonBlacks: Tom Robinson Working/respected poor: CunninghamsWorking/respected poor: Cunninghams White trash: EwellsWhite trash: Ewells Upper class whites: Aunt AlexandraUpper class whites: Aunt Alexandra ““Down-to-earth folk: Miss MaudieDown-to-earth folk: Miss Maudie Religions: all Baptists—blacks & whites have Religions: all Baptists—blacks & whites have

own churchesown churches ““foot-washers”foot-washers”

Symbolism: Symbolism: “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”“It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”

The The “mockingbirds”“mockingbirds” TomTom BooBoo Mayella?Mayella?

SymbolismSymbolism

The Mad The Mad Dog

Mad DogMad Dog

symbolizes “Maycomb’s usual disease”: symbolizes “Maycomb’s usual disease”: bigotry, hatred, prejudice, racismbigotry, hatred, prejudice, racism

Why Atticus had to shoot?Why Atticus had to shoot?

““deadest shot in Maycomb County”deadest shot in Maycomb County” had to kill with one shot (wounded had to kill with one shot (wounded

dog)dog) symbolizes Atticus taking dead shot symbolizes Atticus taking dead shot

at Maycomb’s Usual Diseaseat Maycomb’s Usual Disease

Don’t judge othersDon’t judge others Until you climb into another’s skin and walk Until you climb into another’s skin and walk

around in it, you don’t know how that person is around in it, you don’t know how that person is or feels.or feels.

Personal courage (Atticus, Mrs. Dubose)Personal courage (Atticus, Mrs. Dubose) Destruction of Innocence: Tom, Boo, Wlater Destruction of Innocence: Tom, Boo, Wlater

CunninghamCunningham Coming of Age: Jem & ScoutComing of Age: Jem & Scout Compassion Compassion understanding & valuing othersunderstanding & valuing others tolerancetolerance

Point of ViewPoint of View

First person, through the eyes of First person, through the eyes of the main character, Scout Finchthe main character, Scout Finch

As an adult, Scout recalls and As an adult, Scout recalls and relates some events from her relates some events from her childhood, reflecting upon their childhood, reflecting upon their meanings and implications.meanings and implications.

PlotPlot Action covers three years in the Action covers three years in the

childhood of Scout and her older childhood of Scout and her older brother Jembrother Jem

Scout recall events which occur Scout recall events which occur over this time periodover this time period

Two major plot strands: the Two major plot strands: the mysterious Boo Radley and the mysterious Boo Radley and the trial of Tom Robinsontrial of Tom Robinson

Created by Chadrenne BlouinCreated by Chadrenne Blouin

The Great Depression The Great Depression & &

The Dust BowlThe Dust Bowl

The Great DepressionThe Great Depression

““The Great Depression (also known as the Great The Great Depression (also known as the Great Slump) was a dramatic, worldwide economic Slump) was a dramatic, worldwide economic downturn beginning in some countries as early downturn beginning in some countries as early as 1928.as 1928.””

““The beginning of the Great Depression in the The beginning of the Great Depression in the United States is associated with the stock United States is associated with the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as market crash on October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday…Black Tuesday…””

““……the end is associated with the onset of the the end is associated with the onset of the war economy of World War II, beginning around war economy of World War II, beginning around 1939.1939.””

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_great_depression

The Dust BowlThe Dust Bowl ““The Dust Bowl, or the "dirty thirties", was a The Dust Bowl, or the "dirty thirties", was a

period of horrible dust storms causing major period of horrible dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936 and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936 (in some areas until 1940)…(in some areas until 1940)…””

““……caused by severe drought coupled with caused by severe drought coupled with decades of extensive farming without crop decades of extensive farming without crop rotation or other techniques to prevent erosion.rotation or other techniques to prevent erosion.””

““It was a mostly man-made disaster caused It was a mostly man-made disaster caused when virgin top soil of the Great Plains was when virgin top soil of the Great Plains was exposed to deep plowing, killing the natural exposed to deep plowing, killing the natural grasses - the grasses normally kept the soil in grasses - the grasses normally kept the soil in place and moisture trapped, even during periods place and moisture trapped, even during periods of drought and high winds.of drought and high winds.””

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_bowl

The Dust BowlThe Dust Bowl ““However, during the drought of the 1930s, with However, during the drought of the 1930s, with

the grasses destroyed, the soil dried, turned to the grasses destroyed, the soil dried, turned to dust, and blew away eastwards and southwards dust, and blew away eastwards and southwards in large dark clouds.in large dark clouds.””

““At times the clouds blackened the sky, reaching At times the clouds blackened the sky, reaching all the way to East Coast cities like New York all the way to East Coast cities like New York and Washington D.C., with much of the soil and Washington D.C., with much of the soil deposited in the Atlantic Ocean.deposited in the Atlantic Ocean.””

““The Dust Bowl consisted of 100 million acres, The Dust Bowl consisted of 100 million acres, centered on the panhandles of Texas, centered on the panhandles of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas.Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas.””

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_bowl

HoovervillesHoovervilles ““A Hooverville was the popular name for a shantytownA Hooverville was the popular name for a shantytown

……”” ““These settlements were often formed in unpleasant These settlements were often formed in unpleasant

neighborhoods or desolate areas and consisted of neighborhoods or desolate areas and consisted of dozens or hundreds of shacks and tents that were dozens or hundreds of shacks and tents that were temporary residences of those left unemployed and temporary residences of those left unemployed and homeless by the Depression.homeless by the Depression.””

““People slept in anything from open piano crates to the People slept in anything from open piano crates to the ground. …Most people, however, resorted to building ground. …Most people, however, resorted to building their residences out of boxwood, cardboard, and any their residences out of boxwood, cardboard, and any scraps of metal they could find. Some individuals even scraps of metal they could find. Some individuals even lived in water mains.lived in water mains.””

““Most of these unemployed residents of the Hoovervilles Most of these unemployed residents of the Hoovervilles begged for food from those who had housing during this begged for food from those who had housing during this era.era.””

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression_in_the_United_States

Hooverville in Seattle Original caption: 7/16/1934-Hooverville, a section of Seattle.

Image:  © Bettmann/CORBISDate Photographed:  July 16, 1934 Location Information:  Seattle, Washington,

USA

Depression Homeless Stand in Line

The homeless and unemployed of the

Great Depression wait in line seeking shelter in

New York.

Image:  © Bettmann/CORBISDate Photographed:  1930 Location Information:  New York, New York, USA

Family of Coal Miner

Family of an unemployed coal miner.

Pursglove, on Scott's Run, West Virginia, September 1938.

Image:  © CORBISPhotographer:  Marion Post Wolcott Date Photographed:  September 1938 Location Information:  Pursglove, on Scott's run, West Virginia, USA

Man in Chicago Shantytown A man reads a newspaper in front of his shack at Chicago shantytown during the Great Depression. The shantytown's site became the grounds for the 1933 World's Fair. Illinois, USA.

Image:  © CORBISDate Photographed:  May 1, 1930

Location Information:  

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Dust Storm A farm about to be enveloped by a dust storm during the great Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

Image:  © CORBISDate Photographed:  ca. 1930s

Boy in Dust Bowl

A young boy covers his nose and mouth against brown sand in the Dust Bowl.

Image:  © Bettmann/CORBISDate Photographed:  ca. 1930s

Location Information:  USA

Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange

A poverty-stricken migrant mother with three young children gazes off into the distance. This photograph, commissioned by the FSA, came to symbolize the Great Depression for many Americans.

Image:  © Bettmann/CORBISPhotographer:  Dorothea Lange Date Photographed:  1936 Location Information:  Nipomo, California, USA

Dust Storm in Texas Panhandle

Image:  © CORBIS

Date Photographed:  1935 Location Information:  Texas, USA

Farmer in the Dust Bowl A farmer in Kansas during the Great Dust Bowl of the 1930s attempts to work formerly fertile land buried in dust.

Image:  © CORBISDate Photographed:  September 1939

Location Information:  Kansas, USA