1. Explain the historical background of the story.

 Answer: To kill A Mockingbird takes place in the early 1930s. This is the time of the Great Depression in the United States. It is also a period of great social change, a time which has a great influence on the plot itself. For example, farmers, like the Cunninghams, were hurt by the depression. They depended solely upon their crops to make a living. When they could not sell their crops, the farmers became very poor. The crops rotted and there was little money to buy new seed. The only choice the farmers had was to leave their land and go to the city to find work. This was something that the Cunninghams, for example, did not want to do. Also, since Maycomb was a farm area and the town itself depended upon the farmers, the entire area was very poor.

The author makes reference to what is going on in Washington at the time. By this she means the social changes that the Roosevelt administration was making in the lives of the people of the United States. Things such as the NRA and the WPA were government designed to help restore economic growth. The implication is that the people of Maycomb needed to re-examine their way of life. Perhaps it was time that they broke with some of their rural traditions.

  2. Why can Atticus Finch be described as the central figure in the story?  Answer: Atticus Finch can be described as the central figure in the story because he embodies the theme. He fights for justice and tolerance. Throughout the story he is the one who advises the children to try to see the other person's point of view. He is the image of good with which the children contrast the evil they see around them. Atticus is also the chief protagonist of the plot. In some ways he represents the conscience of Maycomb, or whatever is left of it.

 3. Describe the background of the Finch family.

 Answer: Simon Finch migrated from England to Philadelphia. He had been irritated at home by the persecution of the Methodists by the other Protestant sects. Eventually, Simon bought some slaves and settled on the banks of the Alabama River. There he established his homestead, Finch's Landing. For years it had been the custom of the men of the family to stay at the homestead and make their living from cotton. However, Atticus and his brother Jack broke with this tradition. The one left to practice law, the other to practice medicine. Alexandra, their sister, remained at Finch's Landing.

 4. Why was Aunt Alexandra so concerned about family and background?

 Answer: Atticus had said that Alexandra was concerned about family and background because this was all she had left. There was not a dime of the family fortune remaining to his generation. This is a typical Southern reaction. Many people in the South, victims of "genteel poverty," cling to the past to give the illusion of security and position in the world. Aunt Alexandra had found neither of these with her husband, who was not interested in anything but his fishing. Atticus and Jack found new careers, new ways of life, and a new means to give them a sense of identity. Atticus found this in his law career, and in being both father and mother to his children. Jack Finch found it in medicine. But Alexandra had nothing but tradition.

  5. Explain some of the strengths and weaknesses of the novel.

 Answer: Generally speaking, the novel is well-written. The action moves along at a good pace and does not get bogged down at any point. The theme of the novel is clear and well illustrated throughout the book. All of the major ideas are convincingly dramatized. The author never gets "preachy" but lets the reader judge for himself the morality of the issues. Perhaps the main weakness of the book lies in the character of Scout. Her reactions are not always as childlike as they should be. The author, who is telling the story in the first person, does not always capture a childish point of view. Occasionally, therefore, Scout appears too adult.

  6. Why is Dill a major character?

 Answer: Dill is a major character because he represents an outside influence on the action of the story. When he arrives on the scene, his imagination and desire for adventure move the other children to try new things. For example, Dill's curiosity about the Radley place leads them to attempt to find out what Boo Radley looks like.  Since Dill is not a resident of Maycomb, he is not really a part of what is happening. He is only an observer. In other words, through him the author is giving a picture of what outsiders think of Southern "justice." When Dill cries and gets upset at the trial, he is a symbol of the outsider who gets disturbed when he sees what the Southerner is doing to the Negro.

 7. Explain the role of Jem in the story.

 Answer: Jem reflects the mood of the story and of its theme. At the beginning of the story, when all is well, he is a happy child. As the story progresses, Jem grows into young manhood, going through a series of physical and mental changes. This represents the change of attitude that some modern Southerners are taking towards the Negro question. When the second part of the book takes up the story of Tom Robinson, Jem becomes moody and serious. At the trial he listens attentively. When the situation looks good for Tom, Jem is the one who shows confidence. Later, after Tom is convicted, Jem is the one who cries. Finally, when Bob Ewell attacks the children, Jem is the one who gets hurt. In fact, he will never fully recover from the effects of his broken arm. In other words, Jem represents the Southerner who does not approve of what his fellows are doing. However, just as he will always have the scars of his fight with Bob Ewell, so it seems he will never be able to escape the injustices of the Southern community.

 8. What type of novel is To Kill A Mockingbird and why?

 Answer: To Kill A Mockingbird can be classified as a realistic novel because the author tries to faithfully record the situation just as it existed in the South at the time. She does not try to excuse the evil which she pictures in the book. There is no idealization - people are prejudiced and indifferent. However, she also shows that there are some reasonable people who do not sanction what is happening, and who try to do something about it.  Maycomb is a place that could very well exist since there are towns in the South exactly like it. The author has captured the speech of the Southerner, the climate, and the prevalent attitudes. She records, she does not pass first-hand judgment.