Professional Documents
Culture Documents
To Kill a Mockingbird
By Harper Lee
Harper Lee
• Born in Monroeville, Alabama, April 28, 1926,
Nelle Harper Lee was the youngest of three
children.
• Lee’s father and older sister both practiced
law in much the same way that Atticus
practices law
• Her family is related to Confederate General
Robert E. Lee, a man especially noted for his
devotion to honor
• Lee received her early education in the
Monroeville public schools
• She later attended University of Alabama to
study law: she left after a year to go to
England
Why didn’t she write again?
Crockersack-
Originally a crocus sack: a burlap
sack, named because the bulbs of
crocus flowers were shipped in
similar sacks.
All Things Southern
Rabbit Tobacco-
A nickname for
balsamweed, a
plant used as a
tobacco substitute
by children
All Things
Southern
• A Chifforobe is a piece
of furniture that has
drawer on one half
and a hanging closet
on the other half.
Allusions
Everything in the Garden is Lovely
Why does Mrs. Dubose behave so differently to
Atticus than to his children?
Maybe because he is extravagant in his
compliments to her!
He compares her front yard to Bellingrath, one
of the biggest tourist attractions of Alabama.
Located southwest of Mobile, the Bessie Morse
Bellingrath house and gardens include over 60
acres and are specially noted for azaleas and
chrysanthemums.
Allusions
• Bust: Bankrupt
• Economic Depression: a period of
drastic decline in the national economy,
characterized by decreasing business
activity, falling prices and
unemployment
• Spending Spree: overindulgence in
spending money
The Great
Depression
• Stocks: the shares sold by a
corporation that entitle the holder
to benefits of ownership including
dividends
• Play the Market: gamble using
stocks
• Goods and Services: the two
categories of things one can
purchase—these two categories
make up the gross national product
The Great
Depression
• Bank Failure: when a bank goes
bankrupt or becomes unable to meet
its debts or discharge its liabilities
• Stock Market: a stock exchange where
stocks are bought and sold according
to fixed regulations
• Bankrupt: a legal declaration of
inability to pay debts
• Relief: aid or help due to need or
poverty.
Theme
Themes are the Universal Meanings derived from
art. They are usually not stated directly. To
uncover the theme pay attention to a few things:
•Characters and what happens to them in the end
•The title
•Symbols and figurative language
•Tone
•Imagery
•Details
•Phrases that are repeated
Theme
The most important parts of a child's
education may take place in the home and
the community rather than in the school.
Insight, maturity, understanding, and
integrity have no necessary relation to age,
social position, or formal education
Appearances don't always reflect reality