Jake,+Ashley,+Alison,+Alyssa,+Ashley

Harper Lee ** Author Background:
 * //To Kill A Mockingbird//
 * Story relates to her childhood
 * Born in Alabama, 1926
 * Twelve men in her life were accused of rape during her childhood
 * After publishing //To Kill a Mockingbird// and a few short non-fiction pieces in national magazines, she disappeared, shocked by the success of the book.

Character Summary:
 * Protagonist
 * Scout
 * Six-year-old girl
 * Very curious
 * Does not want to act like a lady, prefers jeans and overalls to dresses
 * Loves to read
 * Gets frustrated with others that are not as advanced
 * Antagonist
 * Boo Radley
 * Not much known about him other than through stories created by neighbors
 * It is known that, as a boy, he broke the law and struck his father with scissors
 * Does not leave the house, which makes him more of a mystery and causes the children of the neighborhood to become curious

Chapters 1-10 Summary:
 * Atticus, Jem, and Scout live in Maycomb, Alabama
 * Jem and Scout meet a boy by the name of Dill who they partake in a variety of mischievous activities
 * Scout's first experience at school was frustrating because she can read and write while the other children cannot
 * Scout begins to feel left out by Jem and Dill when they do activities involving the creepy Radley house
 * At the Radley's house, Scout and Jem mysteriously begin finding random objects in the knot of a tree
 * Jem, Dill, and Scout attempt to give Boo Radley a letter but they caught resulting in the loss of Jem's pants
 * Jem finds his pants neatly folded and stitched up at the Radley's place
 * Jem and Scout expierience their first snowfall and build a snowman
 * Miss Maudie's house burns down
 * Scout finds herself covered in a blanket who she later finds out was an act of kindness from Boo Radley
 * Miss Maudie is happy that her house is gone because now she can plant more flowers
 * Uncle Jack comes to visit at Christmas
 * Scout beats Francis up because he talked bad about Atticus
 * Scout finds out that Atticus is defending an African American in court
 * Uncle Jack whips Scout and she swears not to ever speak to him again
 * Scout tells Uncle Jack that he needs to listen to both sides of the story











Symbolism:


 * The concept of "to kill a mockingbird" symbolizes the conviction of an innocent man.
 * Boo Radley symbolizes childhood adventure and imagination.
 * The burning down of Miss Maudie's house symbolizes new life and opportunity.
 * Scout's style and attitude represent rebellion in a time where girls were expected to be girly.
 * The people that tracked Atticus down to the courtroom symbolize the deep-rooted prejudice of the south.

Conflicts:
 * Person vs. Person
 * Atticus doesn't always agree with the way Alexandra handles the children.
 * Jem's and Scout's personalities begin to clash as they get older.
 * Bob Ewell gets upset with Atticus because of what happened in the courtroom.-
 * Person vs. Nature
 * Scout doesn't agree with the fact that all girls are supposed to wear dresses and act feminine all the time.
 * Person vs. Society
 * Jem is upset with the decision the people in Maycomb made about Tom Robinson.
 * Person vs. Self
 * Atticus must deal with the mental consequences he put on himself when he lost Tom's case.
 * Person vs. Fate
 * Tom is an African American who's fate in the trial is decided based on the color of his skin.

Evaluation Questions:
 * What elements make this a good book?
 * The element of suspense during the trials as to the verdict keep the reader interested and wanting to find out out whether or not Tom Robinson is guilty of rape. Figurative language in the book, such as the metaphorical title, //To Kill A Mockingbird//, relating to the conviction of an innocent man like Tom Robinson, contribute to the comparing aspects of the plot. Also, the plot is like an emotional roller coaster because it has points of every emotion on the spectrum.
 * What would make this book better?
 * The ending of the story left me wishing that there had been more to it.
 * What is the one most important thing that the author wants you to know?
 * As the title suggests, the theme of wrongful conviction is prominent throughout the book.
 * What does the audience need to know to understand and enjoy the book?
 * The audience should know about the concept of racial segregation during this time period before reading this book, so as to understand the reaction of the townspeople toward blacks.
 * What is your overall recommendation?
 * I would recommend this book to any high school student because it teaches moral values as well as the strength of love.