To Kill A Mockingbird: KO + Context Flashcards
Why is racism important contextually for ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?
Racism was rampant in the 1930s USA despite laws against segregation being in place. Black people were considered second-class citizens and thus had to use separate beaches, restaurants, public toilets, etc. They often had to work long, menial, working-class jobs for a pittance. Lynching was common, regardless of proof or the severity of the crime.
Why are the Jim Crow laws important contextually for ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?
The ‘Jim Crow’ laws are racist laws from the late 19th century that enforced racism in the Deep South. They were names after a popular entertainment at the time called ‘Jumping Jim Crow’ (blackface + ridiculous costumes in order to mock). These laws were overruled by the Civil Rights Act 1964 and the Voting Rights Act 1965.
Why is the American Civil Rights Movement important contextually for ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?
Two key events are thought to have shaped the novel:
— 1955 Montgomery bus boycott: Rosa Parks, a black woman, was arrested after refusing to give up her seat to a white man, so activists (who were mostly black) boycotted buses.
— 1956 riots at the Uni of Alabama.
The novel was written + published during the most significant + conflict-ridden time period in the Deep South since the American Civil War.
Why are gender roles important contextually for ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?
Women were also marginalised in a number of ways:
— No vote until 1920.
— Birth control information was illegal (‘obscene’) until 1936.
— Women serving on state juries was ‘ridiculous’; thus, they couldn’t until 1966 in Alabama.
Why is the Great Depression important contextually for ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 caused mass unemployment and had a huge impact on the poorest member in society in terms of housing, food, etc. The novel is set during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Why were the Scottsboro Boys important contextually for ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?
Their unfair trial may have influenced Tom Robinson’s.
Why was the American Civil War important contextually for ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?
It would have influenced the conservative attitudes in the Deep South as some veterans were still alive in the 1930s.
Why were the Ku Klux Klan important contextually for ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?
They were cœrcive racists who played a part in influencing conservative attitudes at the time through torturing and murdering black people.
Who is Jean Louise Finch?
She is nicknamed ‘Scout’ for unknown reasons. Scout is the intelligent tomboy narrator and protagonist. She is naïve and believes in other’s inherent goodness. The novel is told from her teenage perspective as she recounts childhood experiences living with Atticus, Jem and Calpurnia.
Who is Atticus Finch?
Scout and Jem’s father. He is a widower (his wife died when Scout was 2 and Jem was 6) descended from an old, local family. He is a respected lawyer in Maycomb, who has a clear moral compass and tries to instil justice and morality.
Who is Bob Ewell?
Bob Ewell is the patriarch of Maycomb’s poorest family who ‘live like animals’. He is frequently drunk, is jobless and has a dead wife. Ewell is ignorant and hatred-filled. He blames his problems on others, which can be seen during the court case.
Who is Jeremy Atticus Finch?
He is nicknamed ‘Jem’. Jem is the older brother of Scout and her regular playmate in Part I. He is daring, courageous and protective of Scout at crucial moments. His ideas about the goodness of the world are shaken by evils and injustice e.g. Robinson (1930).
Who is Tom Robinson?
A black man who lives in Maycomb with his family. He is morally upright and compassionate. He is the victim of racial prejudice and is symbolic of a mockingbird (does no harm + is ignored by most people + shooting).
Who is Arthur Radley?
Nicknamed ‘Boo’. He is a recluse who is virtually never shown stepping out of his house during the novel. Jem, Scout and Dill are originally simultaneously terrified and fascinated. He leaves children presents in the tree-hole to show inherent goodness and is symbolic of
Who are some secondary characters in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’?
Miss Maudie Atkinson (kind neighbour of Finch family)
Charles Baker ‘Dill’ Harris (friend of Scout and Jem during the summer)
Calpurnia (black cook for the Finches)
Mayella Violet Ewell (‘victim’ of Tom Robinson)
