PRESENTATION OUTLINE
The story is narrated by Jean Louise Finch, whose childhood nickname is Scout.
Finch recounts her family history by narrating the life of the first of her ancestors, Simon Finch.
Simon Finch fled England to escape religious persecution and established a farm in Alabama.
The narrative then depicts an old Southern town, Maycomb, in the 1930s, during the time of the Great Depression.
Atticus Finch, a lawyer, and Calpurnia, the Finches' housekeeper, are introduced.
In the summer of 1933, Charles Baker Harris, Dill, become the Finch children's playmate.
The narrator starts portraying a mysterious neighbour by the name of Arthur "Boo" Radley.
September arrives. Scout is going to school for the first time. The narrator presents an inexperienced teacher, Miss Caroline Fisher.
Jem invites Walter Cunningham to dinner, and Scout is punished for being a poor hostess.
Back in school, we are told that Miss Fisher becomes terrified when a "cootie" crawls out of Burris Ewell.
Scout and Finch reach a compromise.
One day, Scout finds chewing gum in the knothole in one of the Radley's oak trees.
Summer comes at last, and Dill is back. They begin their games again, which include "Boo Radley." How does Atticus respond to this?
Miss Maudie Atkinson, a neighbour who likes gardening and baking cakes, tells Scout that Boo was friendly as a child.
On Dill's last day in Maycomb, the children peeks into the Radley Place. Then they see a man's shadow and hears a shotgun go off. Jem loses his pants while they panic and run away.
Jem and Scout find more presents hidden in the knothole: a ball of gray twine, two figures carved in soap that resemble them, a spelling bee medal, an old pocket watch, and more gum.
For the first time, Maycomb endures a real winter, but there is not enough to snow to make a real snowman. The children builds a small figure out of dirt and covers it with snow.
One night, Miss Maudie's house is on fire. Boo secretly drapes a blanket over Scout. The next day, Miss Maudie is cheerful and seemingly unfazed by the fire the night before.