s great skills as a lawyer to clearly show that Tom Robinson was not guilty of rape, and that in fact Mayella Ewell was the victim of her own desires, her father's brutality and the morals of Southern society. By the end, the truth becomes obvious to everyone, except the 12 white men on the jury... While all of this is happening, Scout, Jem and their friend Dill continue to explore the world of the mysterious "Boo" Radley, a young man who has not been seen in years, and who many believe is crazy. Many also think that Boo's scary and strange father, who never talks to anyone, has tied him up to a bed inside their scary and poor house, just down the road. But one day Boo appears in their lives, and in an amazing climax to this story, saves them from the hate that had so badly hurt their town. A Brief Historical Note on the American South: Racism exists everywhere, but until the 1960s, there were few places in the industrialized world where it was so openly accepted as the Southern states of the US. The Civil War of the 1860s put an end to slavery within these states, but legal discrimination would last for at least another century. Thus, for example, blacks in the South were almost never allowed to sit on juries, and both law and social mores strictly forbid the mixing of blacks and whites in many social settings. It is within this segregated and repressive context that a decent man like Atticus was forced to work and raise his family. A Quick Note on the Language: Do not be discouraged! Scout, Jem and Dill are very difficult to understand at first since they use a lot of old words, speak very quickly and have strong Southern accents. It becomes easier as the movie goes on. Some Words and Expressions that You may not Know Scout and Jem meet Dill, and all three learn of the mysteries of the Radley House. Macomb was a tired old town in 1932. The name of the small (fictional) Alabama town and county where Atticus Finch and his family lived. Men's stiff shirt collars wilted by 9AM and ladies bathed by noon. "To wilt" is to become limp or to bend, often because of heat. And by nightfall they were like soft teacakes with frosting from sweating and sweet talcum. "Frosting" is the sweet covering that is used on cakes. "Talcum" is a type of powder people use to absorb sweat when its hot. There was no money and nothing to buy...though Macomb County had recently been told there was nothing to fear but fear itself. This is a very famous campaign slogan that Franklin Roosevelt said in 1932 when talking about the great economic depression. No, Miss, I don't care to bother him. "To bother" is an important verb meaning to annoy or irritate. The collards that we had last week were delicious. A type of green vegetable popular in the Southern US. Why is he bringing you all this stuff? A critical word meaning "
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