To Kill a Mockingbird, a story, an author and an historical reality

Résumé du document

- I'm going to talk to you about a novel : To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee and published in
1960.
- This novel is a real masterpiece : it received the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and became very famous.
- The story is narrated by a smart little girl whose character and feelings about the world around her change
little by little. Thanks to her descriptions of the things she lives every day, we learn more about an
interesting period of the American history.
- In a first part I will tell you about the story in general.
- In a second part I will analyse the story and the events that happened into it, by making a parallel with the
author's life and with the real historical context of the book.
- After that I will finish by telling you about my impressions concerning the book and the story.

Extraits

[...] - I found Harper Lee's allegory of innocence in a mockingbird very interesting, and I think it is part of the success of her book. THE TRIAL AND THE EVOLUTION OF SCOUT'S MIND THROUGHOUT THE STORY - There's also another very important scene in the book, in chapter 20, when Atticus delivers his last speech to convince the jury that Tom Robinson is innocent. - This scene represents a real change into the children's life and their perception of the world. [...]

[...] - Nearly all Maycomb inhabitants, including Scout, Jem and Dill, assist to the trial. - After a long time, Atticus succeeds : he shows to the jury that Tom Robinson is innocent, and that Mr Bob Ewell, Mayella's father, is guilty. He finds too many evidences to be contested by the jury. - Jem is, at that moment, sure that Tom Robinson will win. Scout and Dill hope so ; Atticus had just delivered a very convincing speech to the jury . [...]

[...] - Tom Robinson is not guilty. Atticus proved it. Mayella is guilty of having lied to the Court and of having tempted a Negro. - I think that Atticus's speech represent the beginning of a long resistance against racial segregation. The jury eventually condemns Tom Robinson, but all the black community present in the courtroom stand up to honour Atticus, because is the only black man who defended a black man like, whereas his neighbourhood wouldn't have dared to do that. [...]

[...] Above all, she doesn't like her teacher Miss Caroline, who is narrow-minded and who doesn't let her learn how to read. FIRST PART OF THE PLOT : BOO RADLEY - I will now talk about the first part of the book and the plot around the mysterious Boo Radley. - Dill, who is a scrawny and cheeky boy, is fascinated by a 27 year old man who lives like a recluse and never goes outside his house. Nobody ever saw him, so Dill imagines many plans to make him go out. [...]

[...] - They finally realise that, after all, Boo could be a really nice and good person, and that they shouldn't judge him about the fact he lives like a recluse. SECOND PART OF THE PLOT : TOM ROBINSON - In the second part of the book, time has passed. Jem is 12, Scout is 8 and Dill is 9. They still really like playing together like they always did, but there is an event in Maycomb in what they will be implied. [...]