Quote Bank – To kill a mockingbird

1. Quote Bank – To kill a mockingbird

2. 1. Civil Rights Movement To Kill a Mockingbird was written in 1960 at the beginning of the black Civil Rights Movement. Although it was almost 100 years since slavery was abolished in America black people were still being treated as second class citizens. Blacks, who had fought for their country during the Second World War, were starting to demand more civil rights, such as their right to vote. The black Civil Rights Movement took on new strength and Alabama was an important centre in this movement. 4. Segregation and Injustice In the 1930s, although 50% of the population of Southern towns were black, they had no vote and could not marry whites. The policy of segregation meant that blacks had to have their own schools, their own churches, their own football teams, even their own cemeteries. In the novel, Scout and Jem get into trouble with Aunt Alexandra for attending the blacks' church. The blacks file into the courthouse after the whites and have to sit up in the balcony, away from the whites. Ku Klux Klan vigilantes Some whites formed vigilante groups to intimidate and even murder blacks; and right up until the 1950s it was common for black men to be accused of assaulting white women on the basis of little or no evidence. Harper Lee may have based her novel in part on a case in Scottsboro, Alabama. 2. American Slavery Black people were originally brought from Africa to America during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They were forcibly transported across the Atlantic in slave ships (in which many died) and sold as slaves to work on sugar and cotton plantations in the Caribbean and the southern states of north America. They had no rights and were seen by their white owners as little more than animals or machines. Even after the abolition of slavery in 1865, the blacks were still almost powerless. The whites had too much to lose to allow blacks any rights. Nothing was equal: blacks had the worst of everything while whites had the best. Such was the hatred of blacks by the whites - especially during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when money was tight for everyone - that it was common for blacks to be lynched or hanged by a mob well into the 20th century - so there was good reason for Atticus to sit outside the jail to protect Tom Robinson before his trial. 5. The Great Depression The 29 October 1929 was known as ‘Black Tuesday’ in America. The huge crash of the stock market brought and end to the prosperity that had characterized the United States throughout the 1920s, and signalled the start of the Great Depression. Unemployment rose from around 3% in 1929 to over 26% by 1934. Many of the poorest members of US society suffered badly, and at one point it was estimated that 34 million men, women and children had no income at all. Many people were evicted from their homes and ended up living in shanty towns. 3. Harper Lee The story of To Kill a Mockingbird takes place during the 1930s in a small town in Alabama in the southern United States - much like the town where the author Harper Lee herself grew up. To understand what the book is saying about racism, you need to know something of the history of race relations in the southern USA. “People are people anywhere you put them,” she declared in a 1961 interview. She completed the novel in 1957 and published it, with revisions, in 1960, just before the peak of the American civil rights movement. 6. The Scottsboro Case In 1931 when Harper Lee was 5, nine young black men were accused of raping two white women on a train. After a series of bitter trials, four of the men were sentenced to long prison sentences - even though prominent lawyers argued that the accusations were false. It was later discovered that the women were lying. TKAM Context

3. «««««««««« TKAM Themes in the Novel Prejudice: Violence: Knowledge/understanding: Family: Good vs. Evil: Morality: Courage: Fear: Innocence: Childhood: Law and Justice: • Others (name them)

4. Prejudice: “The one place a man…right into the jury box.” Ch.33 “Inside the house live a malevolent phantom.” P.14 “An’ they chased him…he was real nice.” P287 “I want to know why…to a nigger church.” p125 “What you doin’?...your dinner.” p29 • Violence: “floundering to escape my…scraping dirt and roots.” p268 “this morning Mr Bob…the rest of his life.” p223 “it do’ another deep voice…man get jumped.” p157 “Francis looked at me…on his front teeth.” p96 “He got me…me agin an’ agin-” p.186 • Knowledge/understanding: “At the dinner table…tablecloth you klet him you hear.” • Family: “Atticus was feeble…abilities and manliness.” p95 “Shoot all the blue jays…to kill a mockingbird.” p96 • Good vs.Evil: “At that moment, Aunt Alexandra came to the door…too the rest of his life.” Ch. 23 p.236 “’You know what we want,’ another man said…’The hell he is,’ said another man.” Ch.15 p.171-2 “I got somethin’ to say…stinkin’ cowards the whole bunch of ya.” Page 194 “Still but for a man…a sobbing, bone shaking cough.” Ch. 28 P.268 • Morality: “if you learn…and walk around in it.” p31 “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing…to kill a mockingbird.” p98 “sometimes I think I’m a total failure…they’re all ive got.” p299

5. Themes • Fear: “Something crushing…Jem’s up.” p268 “Every move he made was uncertain…with the things he touched.” p283 “ Wordlessly, he held…hear him stir.” p63 Innocence: • Childhood: “It was still summertime…of their own invention. Fall.” ch.31 “ The street lights were fuzzy…from falling…” ch. 31 “Atticus had said…to make him feel ay home.” ch 15 “Jem’s shoulders…stab between them.” Ch 21 • Law/Justice: “But there is one way…That institution, gentlemen, is a court.” P.211 “What happened after that…was a separate stab between them” p.217 “The one place…resentments right inside a jury box.” p227

6. «««««««««« TKAM Characters in the Novel Scout Tom Robinson Jem Bob Ewell Atticus Mayella Ewell Boo Radley Dill Calpurnia • Other (name them)

7. Structuring your response A key moment for the theme/character of ___________is when_________________ this is significant because_______________________. An example is; “_________________________.” Analysis – 2/3 interpretations – re quote key words, language features, symbolism, literary devices etc. What does the reader learn about the topic? How does this reader react? Context – This moment reflects_____________ because________________________.

8. Planning Significance? What the reader learns? Create mind maps for your theme and character. Focus on finding relevant, quality quotes. Repeat this process 4 times. Tell Miss Angell / Mrs Goddard the quotes you find so they can create a quote bank for the class. You will turn your work this morning into an essay under timed conditions this afternoon. Analysis: 2/3 interpretations Prejudice Context Quote (pg +Chp) Significance Key moment

9. Revision • Timelines • Essay plans • Exam practise • Chapter summaries • Quote banks • Context, character, theme cue cards • Revision posters • Model responses