To Kill A Mockingbird

Part One Notes

Chapter One• Narrative voice fluctuates

between the child’s point of view, chronicling the events as they happen, and the adult voice, looking back on her childhood many years later.

• One of the central themes is the process of growing up. These types of novels are called Bildungsroman stories.

• The story gradually comes to mirror a loss of innocence, as the carefree childhood of this first chapter is slowly replaced by a darker and more cynical adult story.

• Narrative voice fluctuates between the child’s point of view, chronicling the events as they happen, and the adult voice, looking back on her childhood many years later.

• One of the central themes is the process of growing up. These types of novels are called Bildungsroman stories.

• The story gradually comes to mirror a loss of innocence, as the carefree childhood of this first chapter is slowly replaced by a darker and more cynical adult story.

•Scout, is six years old, and her brother Jem is about to enter the fifth grade. •Meet seven-year-old Dill, who has come from Mississippi to spend the summer with his Aunt Rachel. •Dill is fascinated by "Boo" Radley, a man in his thirties who has not been seen outside of his home in years. Egged on by Dill, Jem and Scout try to think up ways to lure Boo Radley out of his house. •Their favorite part of the game is acting out an incident in which Boo Radley supposedly stabbed his father with a pair of scissors.

•Scout, is six years old, and her brother Jem is about to enter the fifth grade. •Meet seven-year-old Dill, who has come from Mississippi to spend the summer with his Aunt Rachel. •Dill is fascinated by "Boo" Radley, a man in his thirties who has not been seen outside of his home in years. Egged on by Dill, Jem and Scout try to think up ways to lure Boo Radley out of his house. •Their favorite part of the game is acting out an incident in which Boo Radley supposedly stabbed his father with a pair of scissors.

Chapter Two & Three• When fall comes,

Scout enters the first grade and finds school a disappointment.

• Fights with Walter Cunningham

• “Don’t know someone until you walk around in their skin.”

• When fall comes, Scout enters the first grade and finds school a disappointment.

• Fights with Walter Cunningham

• “Don’t know someone until you walk around in their skin.”

• Scout’s first day of school has 3 purposes: it locates the reader’s sympathies with the narrator; it offers an introduction to Maycomb’s social ladder; and it provides sharp social commentary on the theme of children and education.

• First steps in dealing with adult world

• Social status: Finches- Cunninghams-Ewells

• Scout’s first day of school has 3 purposes: it locates the reader’s sympathies with the narrator; it offers an introduction to Maycomb’s social ladder; and it provides sharp social commentary on the theme of children and education.

• First steps in dealing with adult world

• Social status: Finches- Cunninghams-Ewells

Chapter Four & Five•Both she and Jem are intrigued by the discovery that someone has been leaving small gifts in a knothole in one of the large oak trees on the corner of the Radley property. •Soon it is summer again, and Dill returns for another visit. Boys bond, Scout gets left out.

•Both she and Jem are intrigued by the discovery that someone has been leaving small gifts in a knothole in one of the large oak trees on the corner of the Radley property. •Soon it is summer again, and Dill returns for another visit. Boys bond, Scout gets left out.

• Boo becomes more human, less monster.

• He is one of many victims in To Kill a Mockingbird, whose title suggests the destruction of an innocent being.

• Boo becomes more human, less monster.

• He is one of many victims in To Kill a Mockingbird, whose title suggests the destruction of an innocent being.

Chapter Six•On Dill's last night in town they decide to sneak up onto the Radley porch and spy on Boo through the window. •Jem goes first, but Nathan Radley, Boo's brother, frightens them off with a blast from his shotgun. •Jem is in such a hurry to get away that he leaves his trousers behind when they catch on the fence. •That night Jem goes back to retrieve his pants and finds them mended and left neatly folded over the fence.•By now Jem realizes that Boo Radley is not a monster after all, but has been playing along with the children's games.

•On Dill's last night in town they decide to sneak up onto the Radley porch and spy on Boo through the window. •Jem goes first, but Nathan Radley, Boo's brother, frightens them off with a blast from his shotgun. •Jem is in such a hurry to get away that he leaves his trousers behind when they catch on the fence. •That night Jem goes back to retrieve his pants and finds them mended and left neatly folded over the fence.•By now Jem realizes that Boo Radley is not a monster after all, but has been playing along with the children's games.

• The first person other than Atticus to display a sympathetic attitude toward Boo is Miss Maudie.

• She shares Atticus’s sense of justice, and is also Scout’s closest friend among the local women.

• She serves as a conscience for the town’s women

• The first person other than Atticus to display a sympathetic attitude toward Boo is Miss Maudie.

• She shares Atticus’s sense of justice, and is also Scout’s closest friend among the local women.

• She serves as a conscience for the town’s women

Chapter Seven• Compared to Scout’s childish

perspective, Jem’s more mature understanding shows up, along with his strong sense of justice.

• When the tree is plugged up, Scout is disappointed, seeing it as merely the end of their presents. Jem is brought to tears, because he grasps that Boo’s brother has done something cruel: he has deprived Boo of his connection to the wider world and has broken up his brother’s attempt at friendship.

• Compared to Scout’s childish perspective, Jem’s more mature understanding shows up, along with his strong sense of justice.

• When the tree is plugged up, Scout is disappointed, seeing it as merely the end of their presents. Jem is brought to tears, because he grasps that Boo’s brother has done something cruel: he has deprived Boo of his connection to the wider world and has broken up his brother’s attempt at friendship.

•They a present hidden in the knothole: a ball of gray twine. They leave it there for a few days, but no one takes it, so they claim it for their own.•Scout is as unhappy in second grade as she was in first.•Late that fall, another present appears in the knothole—two figures carved in soap to resemble Scout and Jem. The figures are followed in turn by chewing gum, a spelling bee medal, and an old pocket watch. •The next day, Jem and Scout find that the knothole has been filled with cement. Mr. Radley claims that he plugged the knothole because the tree is dying.

•They a present hidden in the knothole: a ball of gray twine. They leave it there for a few days, but no one takes it, so they claim it for their own.•Scout is as unhappy in second grade as she was in first.•Late that fall, another present appears in the knothole—two figures carved in soap to resemble Scout and Jem. The figures are followed in turn by chewing gum, a spelling bee medal, and an old pocket watch. •The next day, Jem and Scout find that the knothole has been filled with cement. Mr. Radley claims that he plugged the knothole because the tree is dying.

Chapter Eight• The snow and the later

fire at Miss Maudie’s can be seen as contributing to a sense of supernatural foreboding, a gothic element.

• Small town values- neighbors all help with fire.

• Maudie shows her strength, but kids don’t notice the cuts covering her hands showing her distress.

• The snow and the later fire at Miss Maudie’s can be seen as contributing to a sense of supernatural foreboding, a gothic element.

• Small town values- neighbors all help with fire.

• Maudie shows her strength, but kids don’t notice the cuts covering her hands showing her distress.

•Miss Maudie’s house burns to the ground. While Scout is standing outside in the cold watching the fire, someone sneaks up behind her and places a blanket around her shoulders. •Later, Scout and Jem realize that there was only one person in town who was not already at the fire- Boo Radley. •Now that Jem and Scout realize that Boo Radley is basically a kind person, their interest in the Radley family begins to fade.

•Miss Maudie’s house burns to the ground. While Scout is standing outside in the cold watching the fire, someone sneaks up behind her and places a blanket around her shoulders. •Later, Scout and Jem realize that there was only one person in town who was not already at the fire- Boo Radley. •Now that Jem and Scout realize that Boo Radley is basically a kind person, their interest in the Radley family begins to fade.

Chapter Nine•In the meantime, however, they learn that their father Atticus has become the defense lawyer for Tom Robinson, a black man who is charged with raping Mayella Ewell, a white girl. •The kids are teased at school.•Atticus warns them that they mustn't get drawn into fist fights over these taunts.

•In the meantime, however, they learn that their father Atticus has become the defense lawyer for Tom Robinson, a black man who is charged with raping Mayella Ewell, a white girl. •The kids are teased at school.•Atticus warns them that they mustn't get drawn into fist fights over these taunts.

• Fire was turning point. Story moves from children’s world firmly into adult world.

• Maycomb, which has been presented in a largely positive light, turns against the Finches, as the ugly, racist underbelly of Southern life exposes itself.

• Even their aunt, Alexandra, condemns Atticus’ decision to defend Tom Robinson

• Fire was turning point. Story moves from children’s world firmly into adult world.

• Maycomb, which has been presented in a largely positive light, turns against the Finches, as the ugly, racist underbelly of Southern life exposes itself.

• Even their aunt, Alexandra, condemns Atticus’ decision to defend Tom Robinson

Chapter Ten•Scout manages to keep out of fights until Christmas day, when her least favorite cousin calls Atticus a "nigger-lover," and she responds by punching him.

•Scout and Jem begin to think that perhaps their father's hatred of violence is just a sign of weakness on his part.

•Although both children have received air rifles for Christmas, their father makes no secret of his disapproval. Then one day a rabid dog wanders into the neighborhood and the sheriff calls on Atticus to put the animal out of its misery.

•The children learn their father was once the best marksman in Maycomb County, and has given up shooting out of choice, not fear.

•Scout manages to keep out of fights until Christmas day, when her least favorite cousin calls Atticus a "nigger-lover," and she responds by punching him.

•Scout and Jem begin to think that perhaps their father's hatred of violence is just a sign of weakness on his part.

•Although both children have received air rifles for Christmas, their father makes no secret of his disapproval. Then one day a rabid dog wanders into the neighborhood and the sheriff calls on Atticus to put the animal out of its misery.

•The children learn their father was once the best marksman in Maycomb County, and has given up shooting out of choice, not fear.

• Atticus as Ghandi- nonviolent resistance. (Civil rights movement)

• It is a sin to kill a mockingbird.

• Mad dog scene shows Atticus’s courage and symbolizes the town’s dependence on his protection, literal and figurative.

• For Atticus, true bravery has nothing to do with weapons- kids don’t get it.

• Atticus as Ghandi- nonviolent resistance. (Civil rights movement)

• It is a sin to kill a mockingbird.

• Mad dog scene shows Atticus’s courage and symbolizes the town’s dependence on his protection, literal and figurative.

• For Atticus, true bravery has nothing to do with weapons- kids don’t get it.

Chapter Eleven• Mrs. Dubose represents much of

what is wrong with Maycomb: she is unforgivably racist.

• Yet this is balanced by her bravery and determination.

• Atticus loves Maycomb despite its flaws, he respects Mrs. Dubose for possessing “real courage,” which he explains as “when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.”

• This attitude describes Atticus’s approach to the Tom Robinson case.

• Atticus puts into practice the moral ideas he tries to teach his kids, which shows his importance in Maycomb and his heroism in the novel.

• Mrs. Dubose represents much of what is wrong with Maycomb: she is unforgivably racist.

• Yet this is balanced by her bravery and determination.

• Atticus loves Maycomb despite its flaws, he respects Mrs. Dubose for possessing “real courage,” which he explains as “when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.”

• This attitude describes Atticus’s approach to the Tom Robinson case.

• Atticus puts into practice the moral ideas he tries to teach his kids, which shows his importance in Maycomb and his heroism in the novel.

•One old lady in the neighborhood, Mrs. Dubose, makes Jem so angry with her insulting remarks about Atticus that he destroys her garden. •Jem has to read to Mrs. Dubose every afternoon for two months. Only after Mrs. Dubose has died do Jem and Scout learn that the old lady was struggling to overcome an addiction to drugs. •Atticus tells the children that Mrs. Dubose, unpleasant as she may have been, was a truly brave woman. •Courage, he says, is not "a man with a gun," it is the willingness to fight back even when the odds are stacked against you.

•One old lady in the neighborhood, Mrs. Dubose, makes Jem so angry with her insulting remarks about Atticus that he destroys her garden. •Jem has to read to Mrs. Dubose every afternoon for two months. Only after Mrs. Dubose has died do Jem and Scout learn that the old lady was struggling to overcome an addiction to drugs. •Atticus tells the children that Mrs. Dubose, unpleasant as she may have been, was a truly brave woman. •Courage, he says, is not "a man with a gun," it is the willingness to fight back even when the odds are stacked against you.