Ben,+Logan,+Jim,+Zach,+Remi

By: Harper Lee
Author Background:
 * Born in Monroeville, Alabama in 1926
 * People believe the book is based of her own childhood experiences
 * Her father was a small-town lawyer just like Atticus Finch
 * Her mother's maiden name was Finch
 * She witnessed a court case very similar to one in the book.
 * She was childhood friends with Truman Capote, he wrote the award winning novel //In Cold Blood.//
 * She is very reluctant to give interviews and very much lives out of the spotlight.

Harper Lee's Protagonist and Antagonist
 * Protagonist: Scout
 * aggressive tomboy
 * she is bigger than most of the guys in her grade
 * she is 6 years old at the beginning of the story
 * she is curious about school and the Radley family
 * she's an avid reader
 * she is feisty and has a sailor's mouth
 * stands up for her father
 * Antagonist:Radley family
 * Family
 * Never worship outside of the house on Sundays which is very taboo in Maycomb
 * They leave there doors closed which is also very taboo
 * Their pecan trees are rumored to be poisonous
 * Father
 * walks to get groceries for the family during the mid-mourning
 * supposedly got stabbed by son Boo, but didn't die
 * eventually passed away because of old age
 * Mother
 * when her husband got stabbed in the leg, she went running out of the house.
 * she is never seen again, except when she waters her plants
 * Nathan (brother)
 * he is a little more talkative to people in the community than his father was
 * he replaces his father when he passes away as head of the house
 * he patches the whole in the tree that Boo has been giving presents out of
 * Boo
 * rumored to be chained to the bed and walk around mummy like at night
 * thought to have attempted to kill father
 * put the blanket over Scout when the neighbors house was on fire
 * put gifts in the tree for Scout and Jem

Chapter 1-10 Summary At the start of the novel we are introduced to Scout, the narrator of the book. She goes on to talk about the history of the Finch (her) family. Her father ,Atticus Finch, moved away from the family home to become a lawyer in the town of Maycomb. Maycomb is a small town in Alabama which has been hit hard by the depression. Scout starts telling of Dill, a boy her and Jem met in the summer. The three go on to get along very nicely and have many adventures that summer. There attention, however, shift to the Radleys. The Radley family is supposedly a very evil and mysterious family. However as chapter one progresses the three kids realize that Boo, a Radley family member, is a very nice human being. When summer ends Scout heads off to school for the first time. She is very displeased when she gets there and finds her teacher yelling at her because she knows how to read. She struggles mightily with this until her father, Atticus, calms her down. As the school year progresses and Scout starts walking home by herself, she realizes stuff left in a tree whole. First she finds gum but then it matures into pennies and other big gifts. As school ends Dill once again comes to play with Scout and Jem. Dill and Jem begin to grow closer together leaving Scout out. Scout then develops a friendship with Miss Maudie Atkinson. Jem are Dill then plan to sneak over the the Radley's and peek in their window. Scout doesn't think this is a very good idea but decides to go with them. When they get there though someone shoots at them. The kids escape but narrowly escape getting caught by their father. As school resumes Scout is once again unhappy about her experience there. When walking home she finds some more gifts in the tree that Boo must have left for them. One day the kids find that Mr. Nathan Radley must have filled the whole with cement. The first snowfall the kids have ever seen comes and brings very frigid temperatures. With this most of the town has their fire places a blazin'. Miss Maudie's house catches on fire and while Atticus is helping get things out of the house, Jem and Scout stand watching. Wile standing their someone put a blanket on Scout. but she never realized it. They come to the conclusion that is must be Boo, further proving that he is a nice human being. Scout faces some nasty words from her fellow classmates at school about her father defending a negro. Scout then goes to the family landing for christmas where she encounters some problems, however uncle Jack is there to help her along. Scout and Jem start to worry that their father is old and lame. But when a mad dog appears and Atticus puts it down with one shot their fears are reduced.









Symbols Throughout Chapters 1-17

Boo Radley is a symbol because as the children, Scout and Jem, develop into adults, their superstitions toward Boo change.

The title //To Kill A Mockingbird// is a symbol itself because the saying to kill a mockingbird means to destroy innocence. Jem, Scout, Dill, and Tom Robinson are the mockingbirds in the story and are destroyed by evil.

Scout's curiosity and rebellious actions represents the good left in parts of the South.

A symbol of the community crumbling to pieces would be the snowman melting.


 * Conflicts Chapters 1-23 **

__Person vs. Person:__

Atticus and Bob Ewell, because after the trial Bob Ewell came up to Atticus and spit in his face and threatened his life because Atticus ruined what reputation he had at the trial.

Aunt Alexandra and Scout, because the two continually butt heads as to what is acceptable for the Finch family.

__Person vs. Society:__

Tom Robinson and Maycomb, because all of the evidence clearly showed that Tom Robinson was innocent, but the entire jury still voted against him.

__Person vs. Fate:__

Tom Robinson vs a guilty verdict, because he was charged of rape and a white man was speaking against him he had no chance of winning the trial.

__Person vs. Nature:__

Atticus vs. Dog, because he shot him with a gun.

__Person vs. Self:__ Scout vs. Self, because she struggles to find herself and what she should really be.

__**What elements make this a good book?**__

In "To Kill A Mockingbird" there are several very good elements. Some that stand out and are especially fantastic would be humor and dialect.

__**What would make this book better?**__

Although "To Kill A Mockingbird" is a very very wise book it does have it's bloopers. The bloopers could improved by getting to the point and not using as much detail. Also we feel as though Harper Lee uses to many allusions.

__**What's the one most important thing the author wants you to know?**__

We feel as though the theme of the book is family and how you must do the morally right thing.

__**What does the audience need to know to understand and enjoy the book?**__

The audience would benefit from knowing about the history of the united states and the civil rights. They should know what the general attitude towards blacks was.

__**Overall recommendation?**__

We the people of group Jim, Zach, Logan, Ben, and the turd Remi feel as though this is a very good book and would recommend it to any one in all of the nation. It provides a little bit of mystery, history, and and fits into a good category. But for reel it is interesting through out helping keep the reader interested and wanting more.