"The Help" (Movie)

To get in context with the book To Kill a Mockingbird, we saw "The Help". "The Help" is one of the most thought-provoking and touching portraits of African-American maids working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s. During that time, the Jim Craw laws took place, making people have many racist tendencies. Some examples of Jim Crow laws are the segregation of public schools, public places, and public transportation, and the segregation of restrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains for whites and blacks. The U.S. military was also segregated. Because of these, people on the movie spoke of separate but equal.

As we saw on the movie, The maids in The Help took a risk by telling their stories. Even though they knew they could be shot to death in their front yards, they went ahead with the project. If people are not willing to take risks, it's very difficult to accomplish any massive project, like writing a book in the 1960's that involves racial issues. People that do not take risks, in most of the time live with regrets for the rest of their lives, because they keep thinking that they could have done it better.

To Kill a Mockingbird Part 2 Analysis (Chapter 15-17)

Ch. 15

1. What is the Ku Klux Klan? What do you think of Atticus' comment about it?

2. How does Jem react when Atticus tells him to go home, and why?

3. What persuades the lynching-party to give up their attempt on Tom's life?

Ch. 16

4. What sort of person is Dolphus Raymond and what is your opinion of him?

5. How does Reverend Sykes help the children see and hear the trial? Is he correct in doing so?

Ch. 17

6. Choose three quotes from chapter 17. Explain the context of each, the characters involved, and their relevance for the story, themes and overall message of the novel.

Answers:

1.-The KKK is an organization of white people who harass those of different cultures and races. Atticus says that the KKK no longer exists, but that is false.

2.-Jem refuses to go home because he thinks his dad will get hurt if he leaves.

3.-Scout connects with Walter Cunningham, Sr. She talks to him about Walter Cunningham, Jr.

4.-He is considered the town drunk and doesn’t have a good reputation because of his association with the black community.

5.-He allows the children to come to the colored balcony to see the trial because there are no seats in the white section. Answers will vary for the second question.

6.-

a) "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" (Chapter 3).

In this quote Atticus is giving Scout a moral advice that changes her development for the rest the novel.

b) “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird (Chapter 10).”

These lines from are the source of the novel’s title and introduce one of the key metaphors of the book: the idea of “mockingbirds” as good, innocent people who are destroyed by evil. 

c) "'Thank who?' I asked.

'Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn't know it when he put the blanket around you.'

My stomach turned to water and I nearly threw up when Jem held out the blanket and crept toward me. 'He sneaked out of the house-turn 'round-sneaked up, an' went like this!'" Page 72

Even though Scout appears frightened to hear that Boo Radley was only inches from her, she is beginning to realize that the mysterious man is trying to protect and befriend her. Boo gains the sympathy of Scout and the reader in this passage.

To Kill a Mockingbird Part 2 Analysis (Chapter 12-14)

Ch. 12

1. Comment on Jem's and Scout's visit to First Purchase Church. What does Scout learn about how black people live?

2. Explain why Calpurnia speaks differently in the Finch household, and among her neighbours at church.

Ch. 13

3. Aunt Alexandra thinks Scout is "dull" (not clever). Why does she think this, and is she right? 

4. How does Aunt Alexandra involve herself in Macomb's social life?

5. Comment on Aunt Alexandra's ideas about breeding and family, in contrast to Atticus' visions. Who's right, do you think? Why?

Ch. 14. 

6. Comment on Atticus' definition of rape. How suitable is this definition as an answer to Scout?

Answers:

1.-This is a different experience to the kids. They see that racism goes both ways when they are accosted by Lula, who hates them because they are white. They learn that the church members take care of each other when they see how the preacher won’t let them leave until they gather enough money for the Robinson family. The black community is also different because only four members of the church who can read.

2.-She is well-educated but doesn’t want to seem like she is bragging to her people about it.

3.-She thinks Scout isn’t clever because Scout doesn’t talk to Aunt Alexandra. Her answers are succinct and monosyllables.

4.-She joins every club possible and invites the women over to the house.

5.-Aunt Alexandra bases her opinions of family on one person in the family. For example, if one person drinks, the whole family is full of drunks. The only family this doesn’t apply to is her own. She believes that her family is perfect. Atticus sees how upset Scout is at trying to obtain this perfection, so he tells her to forget about it.

6.-Yes because in Atticus's opinion of parenting styles, if a child asks a question, you have to tell them the truth.

Essay Writing

For our Part 1 test of To Kill a Mockingbird, we had to do an essay, this was the first essay of the english year 10 class. The information for the essay wasn't very difficult to get, because of how we have been working in class with different activities and help from Miss Carla Chavez to get into context.

To Kill a Mockingbird Part 1 Analysis

1. What is the reason for the author's choice of a young narrator?

2. How does Jem and Scout's views of Boo Radley change during  part 1 of the book?

3. Atticus tells the children several times that they need to walk in someone else's shoes before judging the person. Describe times when Atticus, Scout or Jem walk in someone else's shoes. How does this change how they view the situations? What role does this advice play in sympathy and compassion? 

4. How do you think Atticus managed his role as a single parent? 

5. Discuss race issues in part 1 of the book.

6. From your reading of part 1, What does To Kill a Mockingbird teach us about how people cope with issues of race and class? Do you classify people in your world as different "folks?" Do you see those sort of distinctions today? 

7. Who is your favorite character from part 1 and why? 

Answers:

1.-To show innocence. That is a big part of the book because if you read it in a grown ups view you would wonder why is this grown person making these mistakes. but from a kids point of view everything is new. When reading the book you understand that scout doesnt understand manners and how to be ladylike, because when you read a book from a kids point of view it is mostly going to be about them still growing up and learning, because they dont know any better. When a person is innocent you have more of a feeling for them and we can almost all relate to the innocence of a child because at some point we all were.

2.-To say that the entire town of Maycomb, Alabama feared the Radley place is to overgeneralize the situation. Initially, Scout, Dill, and Jem fear the Radley place because of its occupants and decor. Furthermore, the neighborhood gossip, Miss Stephanie Crawford, propagates the rumors surrounding Boo Radley, namely that he stares in peoples' windows at night and that he stabbed his father. The children create fantasies about Boo in their minds and even believe at one point that he is dead and stuffed up the chimney. Jem describes Boo early in the novel as six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch. He is also described as a "malevolent phantom". The Radley's house is also described in this way: "The shutters and doors...were closed on Sundays, another thing alien to Maycomb's ways". Many more descriptions are provided at the beginning of the novel, but as the children grow and mature, their views shift with them, and the Radley's become less of a source for superstitious radicalism. 

3.-I think Scout has been in Boo’s shoes because she understands why boo wants to be inside, because he wants too. Also when Scout went to Calpurnia’s church. She got to know what it felt like to go to a colored church. When the men were going to beat up Atticus at the jail before the trial. Scout put herself in Walter cunningham’s shoes, of why he was their. So I thinks throughout the book you see Scout and Jem thinking in someone else’s shoes.

4.-I believe Atticus manages his role as a single parent very well. For a man that lost his wife, he did a very good job being a father to Scout and Jem. Scout and Jen look up to Atticus. Scout expressed how important Atticus is to her in the novel. Jem expresses how important Atticus is to him by trying to be a good man like he is. However, I feel like the kids were raised on more than just Atticus alone. Calpurnia was the one to teach them and take care of them when Atticus couldn't.

5.-In the Part 1 of the book, there are many racial and social inequalities. At the top is the Finch family, due to Atticus’ position as a lawyer. Beneath them are the white townspeople who have jobs such as the Cunningham’s, who are farmers, and Ms. Maudie who babysits for Scout. Next are the white trash families like the Ewells. Despite being treated like trash, all of these white people still have a higher status than any of the black people.

6.-In the book, white people put theme selves above colored people, which is different from today, cause all people is trying to avoid racial conflicts. I generally treat all people the same, doesn't matter they skin color.

 7.- I like Atticus simply because of how honorable he is. He treats every person he meets, no matter how they treat him, he treat them with respect and dignity. He is also willing to risk himself for what he 
believes in, he stands up for what's right, no matter the cost or trouble.

Chapter 1 Analysis

1. What do you learn in this chapter about Maycomb, Atticus Finch and his family?

2. Describe Calpurnia as Scout depicts her in Chapter 1.

3. What does Dill dare Jem to do?

4. The townspeople of Maycomb have some fears and superstitions about the Radley place. Describe these fears and superstitions.

5. How important is bravery to Jem?

6. What do you notice about the narrative voice and viewpoint of the story?

Answers:

1.-The Finch family has been in the area since a fur trapper named Simon Finch moved there and made a lot of money which was lost after the Civil War. Atticus Finch was the first Finch not to stay on the family land. He became a lawyer, his brother a doctor and their sister stayed at Finch Landing. Maycomb is a very small, dusty, slow town with nothing much to do or buy. The time is during the Depression so no one has any money. Atticus married when he was in his 40’s; his wife died when their son, Jem, was 6 and their daughter, Scout 2. When the book begins the children are 6 and 10.

2.-Calpurnia is a colored lady who helps out in the Finch household. Scout like Calpurnia because she always seems to have time for Scout and listen to her.

3.-In Chapter 1, Dill dares Jem to go up and touch Boo Radley's house. Jem pretends not to be afraid, but he is still scared as he runs away. Later, Atticus scolds them for trying to provoke Boo.

4.-Initially, Scout, Dill, and Jem fear the Radley place because of its occupants and decor. Furthermore, the neighborhood gossip, Miss Stephanie Crawford, propagates the rumors surrounding Boo Radley, namely that he stares in peoples' windows at night and that he stabbed his father. The children create fantasies about Boo in their minds and even believe at one point that he is dead and stuffed up the chimney. Jem describes Boo early in the novel as "six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch.

5.-It is very important to him because he is older than Scout and as an older sibling he doesn't want to show weakness.

6.-The view point in the novel is from Scout's. She is an adult when she is looking back on the memories of her childhood. She is telling the story in 3rd person and since she is older, has a more mature view of what she did when she was younger.

Context of Production and Reception

Context of Production and Context of Reception are confused many times, but they are different. Context of Production is the Context in witch the author is standing, for example in To Kill a Mockingbird the Context of Production is the Context in witch Harper Lee was surround when she wrote the book, but the Context of Reception will be, assuming that I'm the reader, Chile in 2012.

Gender Ads Activity

There are many different gender stereotypes, to start this topic, we made an activity in pairs that consisted in doing two different ads, one for women and one for men.

What my partner and I did, for the women one, was an advertisement of a only for women bar, and the men advertisement was about a beer for men.

Diary of Boo Radley, third entry

Dear Diary:

I found out the next day, Jem was ok. And Bob’s funeral was to be held shortly. But more happened last night that was more meaningful to all the years living here. I realized that the kids wanted to know who I was just as much As I wanted to know who they are. You see diary I am very much like Tom Robinson in a way, Because of my past, just like the color of his skin, people judge me today. They judge us, when in reality we could be more innocent that the white man with no past problems. We all must belong somewhere and I belong here in Maycomb. I may be judged and laughed at, and I may live in secrecy but this is my home. This is who I am. And I am damn proud of what and who I am. I never talked to Scout or Jem again, and it’s not because I didn’t wanna. Its because I wanted them to live there life knowing, they shouldn’t judge a person due to there past, present, future, and even color. I think everyone in Maycomb can learn form this. Because as I said, we all belong somewhere no matter what or who we are.

Diary of Boo Radley, second entry

Dear Diary:

All I can say is that I’m so glad that I went, the children could have been killed, and If I wasn’t there to help um! So what happened was I was pacing back and forth deciding if I should go in the school or not, when I heard the kids talking. Scout was still in her funny ham suite when I saw something in the tree; I couldn’t make out who it was thought because it was so dark. All I saw though was a knife glisten in the dark night. All of a sudden I heard Scout scream and start fighting against someone and Jem fell, so I ran right over to Jem who had just fell, just and carried him home. I could see that Scout was ok, because she managed to get set free. As I Turned back carrying Jem I could make out a bloody knife and a face that looked like Bob Ewells. But I hadn’t seen him in a while so I wasn’t positive. It was crazy what happened after that, but I rushed into the Finches and we found out that Jem had a broken arm. Scout finally saw me, and I saw her. She held my hand and made me feel safe. As she walked me home I felt in my heart that at that moment everything was ok for now.

Diary of Boo Radley, first entry

Dear Diary:

Tom was Shot and killed. I feel guilty that I can’t come out of the house and help Atticus. Tonight is the Halloween carnival on the Brightside. But ever Since I heard that Bob threatened to kill Atticus, I’ve had this feeling in my gut something and is going to happen soon, maybe even tonight. But I can’t leave, but I also want to leave. I’m sooo confused. I saw Jem and Scout leaving though; she was dressed as a huge ham. It made me laugh so hard! I noticed Atticus was not with them though, so I got quite worried and it would soon be dark, so I think I’m going to go tonight, I might not know these kids personally. I feel the need to protect them though, so I will do that! I have to go get ready.