Lesson objectives Introduction on To Kill a Mockingbird

Lesson objectives Introduction on To Kill a Mockingbird Understand the historical context of the novel To be able identify the main themes eg, racism, white supremacy and prejudice Recognise and identify with the characters in the novel

Unit 3: Writing The Writing requirements will include a piece of 1 st person and a piece of 3 rd person narrative writing task Examples of tasks: 1 st person: Often in life things do not turn out as we expect them. Recount an experience that you have had where you have been surprised about an outcome. 3 rd person: Write a story in the third person about a situation where a person is put into danger or a difficult circumstance.

As part of your GCSE English Course you have four pieces of controlled assessment to complete. The first two pieces must be completed by the end of January 2015. You can attend the English Workshop at the following times to receive support on your first and /or third person narrative drafts: Tuesday / Wednesday/ Thursday / Friday 9. 30 -12. 30 pm Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday 1. 00 -4. 00 pm Monday 6. 00 -8. 30 pm Once you are confident with your draft you should then attend at one of the following times to complete the controlled assessment. Monday 12 th January Room 4 F-19 10. 30 am Wednesday 14 th January Room 4 F-19 11. 00 am Tuesday 20 th January Room 4 F-25 2. 00 pm Thursday 22 nd January Room 3 F-12 4. 00 pm Friday 23 rd January Room 4 F-19 1. 30 pm Please be aware that you must complete the assessments by the end of

To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee

Discuss this quote for 10 mins in groups of 3 -4 Individually write your understanding of in full structured sentences. Use some parts of the quote as example in your writing “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb in his skin and walk around in it. ”

Assignment question How does Harper Lee show the treatment of Tom Robinson is cruel and unfair in to kill a Mockingbird? We will focus more on this question next lesson, but pay close attention to the historical context and time of the novel Language is very important

“ I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. " Dr. Martin Luther King

Harper Lee (1926 -) To add to the complexity of the story, Harper Lee wrote it during a time of even greater social turbulence in the United States. In the 1950 s the winds of change began to blow and Black Americans were no longer willing to be treated as lesser human beings.

Setting Maycomb, Alabama (fictional city) 1933 -1935 Although slavery has long been abolished, the Southerners in Maycomb continue to believe in white supremacy. ‘‘…nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself’’ (p 6) Why the Paradox?

To Kill a Mockingbird In the Fall of 1960, in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement, To Kill a Mockingbird was published. It shot to the top of the New York Times best seller list. A country was finally ready to listen to the story of segregation and open their minds to the possibility of an America where Whites and Blacks could live together as equals.

To kill a Mockingbird It is in this setting that the novel To Kill a Mockingbird takes place. In a small town, in the deep South, in the early 1930 s

“Jim Crow” Laws From the 1880 s to the 1960 s most states enforced segregation through the “Jim Crow” laws named after a black-faced character in minstrel shows. Through these laws legal punishments could be imposed on people for having contact with members of another race.

Jim Crow Guide · · Blacks were not allowed to show public affection toward one another in public, especially kissing, because it offended Whites. · Blacks were introduced to Whites, never Whites to Blacks. · Whites did not use courtesy titles of respect when referring to Blacks, for example, Mrs. , Miss. , Sir, or Ma'am. Instead, Blacks were called by their first names or by “boy” or “girl” (regardless of age). Blacks had to use courtesy titles when referring to Whites, and were not allowed to call them by their first names. · If a Black person rode in a car driven by a White person, the Black person sat in the back seat, or the back of a truck. · White motorists had the right-of-way at all intersections.

‘‘A Negro would not pass the Radley Place at night, he would cut across to the sidewalk opposite…’’ (p 9)

After the Civil War, The Ku Klux Klan was formed as a secret society that promoted white supremacy using violence and terrorism to undo the gains that former slaves had made. However, after the 1920 s the KKK was no longer secretive about their work and public violence against Blacks, including lynching, became common occurrences.

ln Texas, in Alabama. . . they used to lynch Negroes. These pictures show black men strung up by their neck and later set on fire. The second picture is that of a lynch mob, can you ‘climb into their skin’ and see the fear in their eyes. . . and worse. . . the shame. What was this Negro's crime that he should be hung, without trial, in a dark forest filled with fog? Was he a thief? Was he a killer? Or just a Negro? Were his children waiting up for him? And who are we to just lie there and do nothing? No matter what he did, the mob was the criminal. But the law did nothing, this should leave you wondering why? . . .

Nothing that erodes the rule of law can be moral. But there was no rule of law in the Jim Crow South, not when Negroes are denied housing. Turned away from schools, hospitals, and not when we are lynched. St. Augustine said, ''An unjust law is no law at all, '' which means l have a right, even a duty, to resist. . . with violence or civil disobedience. …. the great debaters

Anybody know who Willie Lynch was? Anybody? Raise your hand. No one? He was a vicious slave owner in the West lndies. The slave-masters in the colony of Virginia were having trouble controlling their slaves, so they sent for Mr. Lynch to teach them his methods. The word ''lynching'' came from his last name. His methods were very simple, but they were diabolical. Keep the slave physically strong but psychologically weak and dependent on the slave master. Keep the body, take the mind.

Nigger The history of the word nigger is often traced to the Latin word niger, meaning Black. This word became the noun, Negro (Black person) in English, and simply the color Black in Spanish and Portuguese. It is probable that nigger is a phonetic spelling of the White Southern mispronunciation of Negro. Denigrate. There's a word for you. From the Latin word ''niger, '' to defame, to blacken. lt's always there, isn't it? Even in the dictionary.

Legal Issues of the 1930’s which impact the story Women given the vote in 1920 Juries were MALE and WHITE “Fair trial” did not include acceptance of a black man’s word against a white man’s

After WW 1 Even though Blacks had fought bravely for the US in WW 1, they returned home from Europe to find the same, if not worse, discrimination and segregation. The economic struggles of the 1930 s seemed only to worsen the situation.

The Great Depression (1930 s) The Depression hit the South especially hard Everyone, seemed to be living in poverty Americans turned away from the rest of the world and away from each other During these years of turmoil, discontent started to grow in the minds of Whites and Blacks alike.

The Winds of Change Soon, average Black citizens across the country began speaking out against oppression and demanding equal rights. This was the beginning of America’s Civil Rights Movement.

Dr. Martin Luther King (1929 -1968) Black Hero-Leaders began to rally together Black Americans in order to fight oppression and for a country where all men were truly treated as equals.

Desegregation A national and international call for desegregation of the South rang out and Blacks and Whites all over the country started putting pressure on governments to amend the segregation laws. Those individuals, both Black and White, who fought for Civil Rights were under constant attack from White Supremacists who were unwilling to accept Black Americans as equals Many freedom-fighters died for their efforts

Themes Racial Prejudice Social Snobbery Morality Tolerance Patience Equality The Need for Compassion The Need for Conscience

Symbolism The Mockingbird: Symbolizes Everything That is Good and Harmless in This World The mockingbird only sings to please others and therefore it is considered a sin to shoot a mockingbird. They are considered harmless creatures who give joy with their song. The mockingbird image or symbol appears four times in the novel. Two characters in the novel symbolize the mockingbird: Tom Robinson & Boo Radley.

Language Sometimes the language of Scout will be that of her as a child; other times, she will be speaking in the voice of an adult Atticus uses formal speech Calpurnia uses “white language” in the Finch house and switches to “black jargon” when amidst blacks The Ewells use foul words and obscenities Jem, Scout, and Dill will use slang words, typical of their age Tom Robinson uses language typical of the southern black such as “suh” for “sir” and “chillun” for “children” Various derogatory terms for blacks will be used such as “nigger, ” “darky, ” “Negroes, ” and “colored folk” – Lee uses such language to keep her novel naturally in sync with common language of the times

Family History ‘Being Southerners, it was a source of shame to some members of the family that we had no recorded ancestors on either side of the Battle of Hastings. ’ (p 3) Why the shame? The Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and an English army under the Anglo-Saxon King Harold II, during the Norman conquest of England. Think: Could this breed misguided sense on ones superiority/Pride in relation to family history or background Why is Family history important?

‘All we had was Simon Finch, a fur-trapping apothecary from Cornwall…Simon called himself a Methodist…’(p 3 -4) Apothecary- A person who prepared and sold medicine ‘‘So Simon, having forgotten his teacher’s dictum on the possession of human chattels, brought three slaves and with their aid established a homestead on the banks of Alabama…’(p 4) Understand the language and the historical meaning it carries. Chattels Consider the narrator’s family history? Is it a proud history? …. Can you see some irony/contradictions Why?

Jean Louis Finch – “Scout” The story’s narrator Although now an adult, Scout looks back at her childhood and tells of the momentous events and influential people of those years. Scout is six when the story begins. She is naturally curious about life.

Scout’s Character Traits Tomboy Impulsive Emotional Warm & Friendly Sensitive Adorable Gains in Maturity throughout the Novel

…I couldn’t behave as well as Jem…Our battles were epic and one-sided. Calpurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side’ (p 6) Why the hyperbole? What does this tell us about the character? ‘Scout yonder’s been readin’ ever since she was born, and she ain’t even started to school yet’ (p 7) ‘‘I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches: when I said I could do nothing in a dress’’(p 90) Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough. (p 308)

us F inch Attic Father of Scout and Jem A widower An attorney by profession Highly respected Good citizen Instills good values and morals in his children. His children call him “Atticus” Honest Typical southern gentleman Brave Courteous Soft-spoken

Honest- ‘unsullied Code of Alabama’ ‘‘His first two clients were the last two persons hanged in the Maycomb County jail. ’’ (p 5) ‘‘That was probably the beginning of my father’s profound distaste for the practice of criminal law’’ (p 5) ‘‘He was Maycomb County born and bred; he knew his people, they knew him, and because of Simon Finch’s industry, Atticus was related by blood or marriage to nearly every family in the town. ’’ (p 5) ‘‘Atticus said professional people were poor because the farmers were poor’’ (p 23) ‘‘Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets’’ (p 51) Consider the impact of this…

‘‘Do you know what a compromise is? ’’ ‘‘Bending the law? ’’ ‘‘No, an agreement reached by mutual concession’’ (p 34 -35) Think about this in relation to the court case about Tom Robinson… Where is the compromise? What does that tell us about society? ‘‘Do you defend niggers, Atticus? ’ Of course I do. Don’t say nigger, Scout. That’s common’’ It’s a peculiar case‘‘If you shouldn’t be defendin him, then why are you doin’ it? ’’ ‘‘For a number of reasons’ said Atticus. ‘The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again’’ (p 83)

‘‘Grandma says its bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover’’ (p 92) Consider family and society views …didn’t you know his nickname was OL’One-Shot when he was a boy? (P 108) HOWEVER CONTRAST THIS Jem… ‘Atticus is a gentleman, just like me!’ (p 109) ‘‘It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived’’ (p 111) ‘‘I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand’’ (p 124) ‘‘This case, Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience – Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man’’ (P 116) ‘‘The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience’’ (p 116) What do these quotes tell us about Atticus and other people in this town?

‘Scout’, said Atticus, ‘nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don’t mean anything- like snot-nose. It’s hard to explain- ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favouring Negroes over and themselves’(p 120) Discuss for 10 mins do you agree with Atticuss about ‘not meaning anything’ Can you think about some other racial terms used to label people and justify your reasoning 20 mins

Jem Finc h q. Scout’s older brother q. Looks up to his father Atticus q. Usually looks out for Scout q. Typical older brother at times q. Smart q. Compassionate q. Matures as the story progresses

ia n ur lp a C The Finch’s black housekeeper Has watched the children since their mother’s death Has been a positive influence on the children.

Arthur “Boo” Radley An enigma – puzzling An adult man, whose father has “sentenced” him to a lifetime confinement to their house because of some mischief he got into when he was a teenager. Has a reputation of being a lunatic Basically a harmless, well-meaning person Sometimes childlike in behavior Starving for love and affection Saves Jem and Scout from certain danger

n o s n i b o Tom R A young, harmless, innocent, hardworking black man Has a crippled left hand Married with three children. Works on a farm belonging to Mr. Link Deas, a white man Will be falsely accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell

Dill A close friend of Jem and Scout Usually lives in Maycomb only during the summer (stays with a relative) Tells “big stories” Has been deprived of love and affection

Two Poor White Families: The Cunninghams The Ewells Poor white family Hard-working Honest Proud Survive on very little Always pay back their debts – even if it is with hickory nuts, turnips, or holly. Poor white trash Dirty Lazy Good-for-nothing Never done a day’s work Foul-mouthed Dishonest Immoral

The Black Community Simple Honest Clean Hard-working God fearing Proud Would never take anything with paying it back Respectful Had stronger character than most of the whites Oppressed Uneducated Discriminated against Talked about badly Deserve better than what is dished out to them by society

The South Post-colonial • Nation and identity • Language and identity • Fragmentation • Hybridity • The post-colonial diaspora – displacement

The Cross-Atlantic Triangle Sugar etc. were shipped back to England in the ships, now empty of slaves Slaves were sold to British plantation owners for labour to produce coffee, sugar and spices. Empty ships set sail from England to the West coast of Africa In West Africa, captives from rival tribes sold to slavers by local chiefs Colonisation: extracts profit from the colony for wealth, colonial power, provides international

The Trail of Tom Robinson Controlled Assessment How does Harper Lee show that the treatment of Tom Robinson is cruel and unfair in To Kill a Mockingbird… But think first, what is Tom Robinson trail really about? Nation and identity- Race- Dehumanisation Language and identity Cultural identity (them and us) Hybridity

Recapping from last lesson Every one should have read the court case and made notes for the seminar Every one is allowed 10 mins to discuss their findings…

Some of the key words you may need to refer to when writing the essay Conscience Hypocrisy Contradiction Irony

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