The importance of the setting in To Kill a Mockingbird is that it represents the financial hardships and racial tensions that have long plagued small towns in the southern US.
What is the setting and theme of to kill a Mockingbird?
Setting and Theme. Setting. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a small town called Maycomb, Alabama. In the beginning of the book Scout describes the town as being a tired little town and really hot back then.This story takes place in the early 20th century, which affects pretty much every aspect of the story (Lee).
What year does to kill a Mockingbird take place?
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb, Alabama during 1933–1935. These years place the events of the novel squarely within two important periods of American history: the Great Depression and the Jim Crow era.
How does the setting of the story affect the characters?
The setting sets the stage for the reader. When and where a story takes place influences the ways characters act and behave. It also gives readers valuable insight into character actions and key events in the story. For Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, setting is a key element that truly influences the entire story.
Where do the characters live in to kill a Mockingbird?
Like many other rural towns located in the Deep South, Maycomb has a very distinct social hierarchy. This is reflected by where and how the characters live. Established families like the Finches, Crawfords, Haverfords, and Atkinsons live in a nice residential neighborhood close to downtown Maycomb.
What is an example of setting in To Kill a Mockingbird?
Maycomb, Alabama; the 1930s Welcome to small town Alabama, circa 1930s. It's a friendly town, with lots of old ladies baking cakes and small-town sheriffs saying folksy things.
How does Maycomb as the setting influence the attitude of characters?
Maycomb is a 'tired old town' where there is little to do. The Depression has left the people with 'nothing to buy and no money to buy it with'. The people in the town know each other well, and they know everyone's family history. This small-town attitude shapes the characters and the plot.
What is the setting and point of view of To Kill a Mockingbird?
To Kill a Mockingbird is written in the first person, with Jean “Scout” Finch acting as both the narrator and the protagonist of the novel. Because Scout is only six years old when the novel begins, and eight years old when it ends, she has an unusual perspective that plays an important role in the work's meaning.
What is the historical context behind the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird?
Life in 1930s America Although Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960 she actually set her novel in the mid-1930s. This was a time when many white people, particularly in the southern states of America were racist towards black people.
What kind of society is Maycomb?
Maycomb is identified as a small town where everyone is acquainted with one another, where life goes on slowly, and where there is not much to do.
What does the mockingbird symbolize?
In this story of innocence destroyed by evil, the 'mockingbird' comes to represent the idea of innocence. Thus, to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence." The longest quotation about the book's title appears in Chapter 10, when Scout explains: "'Remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.
What do we learn about the setting of this novel in this initial chapter To Kill a Mockingbird?
We learn that Maycomb is a mall Southern town in Alabama. There are few secrets in this old small town, "Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it". The town is segregated by both color and, to an extent, socio-economic class. The people with more money live in the town.
What are the 3 main themes of To Kill a Mockingbird?
Three main themes include:prejudice.family life.courage.
Is Boo Radley black?
Boo Radley is a white individual who never left his house because of the ways society viewed him. Tom Robinson was a black man who got framed of a crime that he did not do.
What is the town of Maycomb like in To Kill a Mockingbird?
"To Kill A Mockingbird" takes place in the small fictional town of Maycomb, in Alabama, during the three years of the Great Depression. Scout describes it as a 'tired old town. ' later descriptions indicate that Maycomb was a slow, boring town with nothing to do.
What time was To Kill a Mockingbird set in?
1933–1935This activity teaches students about the setting of Harper Lee's famous novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which takes place during 3 years (1933–1935) of the Great Depression.
What state is To Kill a Mockingbird set in?
Maycomb, AlabamaTo Kill a Mockingbird is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression (1929–39). The story centres on Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch, an unusually intelligent girl who ages from six to nine years old during the novel.
What are some examples of people walking in someone else's shoes in TKAM?
One example of of when the character putting yourself in someone's shoes is when Jem goes to Mrs. Dubose house and read to her. Jem didn't know why atticus made him go to Mrs. Dubose house and read to her.
What it means to try and walk around in the skin of another character or person?
Atticus says “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). The word really implies that one may think one understands, but still does not.
What does scout tell us about the Cunninghams?
As Scout explains, "The Cunninghams never took anything they can't pay back—no church baskets and no scrip stamps...they get along on what they have. They don't have much, but they get along on it."
What is the setting of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird?
To Kill a Mockingbird takes places from 1933 to 1935. It takes places in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama.
How does the time period affect To Kill a Mockingbird?
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place during the Great Depression and Jim Crow Era. The economic effects of the Great Depression are felt throughout th...
Is Maycomb a real town in Alabama?
To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Maycomb, Alabama. However, Maycomb is not a real town. Even though it is a fictitious town, the interactions betwee...
What kind of town is Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird?
The narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird describes Maycomb as being a quiet, sleepy town with very little interest on what is going on outside the cit...
Why is the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird important?
The setting, or time and place, of To Kill a Mockingbird is important because it gives the actions of the characters better context.
What is the town of Maycomb?
The fictional town of Maycomb, in the fictional Maycomb County, seems intended not to represent an exact location in the real world, but a kind of small Southern town that existed in the 1930s. Scout describes the town as old, tired, and suffocating. In addition to being literally appropriate, these descriptions also apply to more subtle social aspects of the town. The town is burdened, Atticus might say diseased, by social prejudices in general, and racism in particular. Maycomb is also sharply geographically divided along class lines. While more prosperous families like the Finches live in large houses close to the center of town, the Ewells live in a ramshackle cabin near the dump, out of sight of the rest of the town except at Christmas, when people drive their trees and trash to the dump. The only other dwellings in this area are the cabins where black families live, an indication that the town is both racially and economically segregated. The Ewells lack basic necessities like running water and insulation, and they frequently forage in the dump for food. “Every town the size of the Maycomb had families like the Ewells,” Scout says, implying that the economic inequality is endemic to the region.
What do the Ewells lack?
The Ewells lack basic necessities like running water and insulation, and they frequently forage in the dump for food. “Every town the size of the Maycomb had families like the Ewells,” Scout says, implying that the economic inequality is endemic to the region. Previous section Antagonist Next section Genre.
Where does To Kill a Mockingbird take place?
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb, Alabama during 1933–1935. These years place the events of the novel squarely within two important periods of American history: the Great Depression and the Jim Crow era. The Great Depression is reflected in the poverty that affects all of the residents of Maycomb . Even the Finches, who are objectively better off than many of the other citizens in the area, are ultimately poor and living within the means available to them. The years depicted in the novel also fall within the much longer period of time that modern historians often refer to as the Jim Crow era. This term describes the time from the late 19th century until the mid-1960s when black people in the United States could no longer be held in slavery, but where laws limited the social, political, and economic possibilities available to black citizens. We should remember that when Harper Lee wrote the novel in the late 1950s, the Great Depression was over, but Jim Crow laws were still present in substantial portions of the American South.
What was the Great Depression?
The Great Depression is reflected in the poverty that affects all of the residents of Maycomb. Even the Finches, who are objectively better off than many of the other citizens in the area, are ultimately poor and living within the means available to them.
When did black people stop being slaves?
This term describes the time from the late 19th century until the mid-1960s when black people in the United States could no longer be held in slavery, but where laws limited the social, political, and economic possibilities available to black citizens.
How did Maycomb County affect the Great Depression?
The Great Depression only makes this worse. Children go to school without shoes and don't always have a lunch to eat. Clients pay Atticus for his legal services in the form of firewood or sacks of potatoes, anything they can manage to scrounge up.
What is the social hierarchy in To Kill a Mockingbird?
Maycomb also features a distinct social hierarchy that keeps citizens divided based on social standing, income, and race. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the 1930s during the Great Depression. As a result, characters from all walks of life experience economic hardship.
What time period does To Kill a Mockingbird take place?
The Tale's Time Period. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place during the 1930s, right in the middle of the Great Depression, a period of economic turmoil in the United States. Harper Lee's characters are deeply affected by this fact.
What is the social hierarchy in Maycomb?
Like many other rural towns located in the Deep South, Maycomb has a very distinct social hierarchy. This is reflected by where and how the characters live. Established families like the Finches, Crawfords, Haverfords, and Atkinsons live in a nice residential neighborhood close to downtown Maycomb. Poor families that rely on subsistence farming to survive are scattered across the county in rural communities like 'Old Sarum'. African Americans in Maycomb live in their own separate communities, apart from white citizens. Meanwhile, the Ewells, a white family in their own socioeconomic class, live near the town's dump.
Why did Harper Lee write "To Kill a Mockingbird"?
Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird just as the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum in the United States. Her setting during the 1930s is used to highlight the inequalities experienced by African Americans, especially in the Deep South. This is evidenced by the proceedings and outcome of Tom Robinson's trial.
What does it mean to enroll in a course?
Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams.
Why is setting important in a book?
As a reader, why do you need to know these things? The setting sets the stage for the reader. When and where a story takes place influences the ways characters act and behave. It also gives readers valuable insight into character actions and key events in the story. For Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, setting is a key element that truly influences the entire story.
What does it mean when someone is not referred to with a prefix?
If people were not referred to with a prefix, it generally meant that they did not have respect and lacked position. African Americans were talked to differently than whites as well.
What is the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird?
In To Kill a Mockingbird, the setting is a key element that truly influences the entire story. Maycomb, Alabama, a sleepy town, is described to the reader by Scout. It is the town where she grew up. It is a tired old town and when it rains the streets turn to red slop and grass grows on the sidewalks. It was always very hot in Maycomb.
What does "boo" mean in the book?
Anyone who was ahead of the class, Scout, or anyone that was behind, Boo, would be seen as a problem instead of a person. The way people talked to each was another sign of the time period the novel took place. People were almost always referred to with a prefix like Mr or Mrs.
How does Harper Lee use personification in To Kill a Mockingbird?
In To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee uses her words to add a depth to the story. She uses types of imagery to add layers to the book which when the reader peals those layers back will reveal a deeper meaning to the story. In this novel Lee uses personification in her writing. She wrote “The house died” (13). This gives the house a human like quality making it more relatable to the reader which in return makes the reader more immersed into the story .…
What is discrimination based on social class?
Discrimination based on social class stops one’s individual progress socially, physically, and economically; which prevents them from realizing their full potential as a human. Discrimination based on social class stops one’s individual progress…. Read More. Words: 1118 - Pages: 4.
How does avoidant personality disorder affect people?
These thoughts and behavior patterns tend to negatively affect individual 's lives. This disorder makes it very difficult to create close relationships. Their feelings of inadequacy and fear of embarrassment often prevent them from speaking up in meetings or class, which could hinder job promotions or advancement. Due to their withdrawn nature, others tend to view those with avoidant personality disorder as stiff and…
Why does Harper Lee use mockingbirds?
Harper Lee uses mockingbirds to represent innocence, the Knothole to show Growth in character. The crazy dog incident helps to foreshadow and help the readers see a visual of what was about to happen. Harper Lee demonstrates this throughout her novel, making her story even more interesting.
Why is Boo Radley a mockingbird?
Boo Radley had never done anything wrong, but he was often the subject of gossip because his father was crazy. He was also a victim of his surroundings when he grew up, which is why he eventually turned into a recluse. Finally, Mayella Ewell is a mockingbird to a certain extent.
What are the themes of To Kill a Mockingbird?
There are several different themes in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” One of those themes was innocence . This applies both ways, to Scout’s loss of innocence because of the trial, and the innocent “mockingbirds” of the story. One of the recurring themes in this story is Scout’s gradual loss of her childhood innocence. In the beginning of the story, the main focus is on Scout, Jem and Dill’s adventures and the curiosity around Boo Radley. After Scout starts school, Jem refuses to play with Scout because they’re too old for that now (Lee). When the kids sneak into the courtroom during Tom Robinson’s trial, Scout is exposed to the ugly side of Maycomb. She sees things that she probably should not have seen at her age. By the end of the story, she has little if any of her childhood innocence left.
What time period is Scout in?
The time of the setting, the early 20 th century, gave us a glimpse into the daily life of Scout, Jem and Dill during this time period. We are told of the adventures and mischief that the three children get into throughout the day. We pretty much get to relive the life of Scout almost 100 years ago.
What dialect is Scout written in?
We pretty much get to relive the life of Scout almost 100 years ago. The story is written with southern dialect, and much of the dialogue is affected by this. In much of the dialogue we get added authenticity because of the old southern English used by Harper Lee.
Is Mayella Ewell a mockingbird?
Finally, Mayella Ewell is a mockingbird to a certain extent. While she did help cause the death of the innocent Tom Robinson, many of the reasons for it were beyond her control. She was a victim of her father’s abuse and could have even been forced by her father to accuse Tom of taking advantage of her (Lee).
Who are the mockingbirds in the book?
There are several “mockingbirds” in this story, or innocent people. Tom Robinson, Scout, Boo Radley and Mayella Ewell can all be considered mockingbirds. Tom is an innocent victim of circumstances. Had Tom Robinson been alive today, he never would have been killed or sentenced to prison.
Where does To Kill a Mockingbird take place?
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a small town called Maycomb, Alabama. In the beginning of the book Scout describes the town as being a tired little town and really hot back then.This story takes place in the early 20 th century, which affects pretty much every aspect of the story (Lee).
Importance Of Respect In To Kill A Mockingbird
Respect Is Key In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee represents that respect is treating others the way one wants to be treated even though someone may be hard to respect. Social justice requires respect because being respectful to someone could help the situation.
The Importance Of Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird
The 1930s were a time of controversy, housing the great depression and after the civil war, it was a breeding ground for racism. Set in the town of Maycomb, Alabama, Jem and Scout, children of Atticus Finch become enthralled by the mysteries and horrors that surround Boo Radley.
Theme Of Conformity In To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird symbol assignment The idea that the characters in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, have a fear of non-conformity show that their prejudice morals affect them in their daily life. My symbol, I have chosen to create a basket of apples, four red and one green.
How To Show Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird
Charlotte from the book Charlotte's Web embraces similar qualities to Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. In Charlotte’s Web, a pig named Wilbur fearfully awaits the day his owner slaughters him. A clever spider named Charlotte notices Wilbur’s angst and feels tremendous empathy toward him.
Social Expectations In To Kill A Mockingbird
The novel To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb, a small town in southern Alabama during the Great Depression. The social expectations are very different now than they were in the 1930s. Social expectations are certain behaviors deemed acceptable or normal by society.
