HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS
Most of us go to the movies to have fun: to laugh, cry, boo, cheer, be scared, thrilled, or simply to be amused
for a few hours. But movies are something more than just an evening’s entertainment. They are also historical
documents that help us see — and perhaps more fully understand — the world in which they were made.
— Steven J. Ross, Movies and American Society
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CHAPTER
FOUR
Scope & Sequence
Racism and justice, childhood and parenting — these are the themes of To Kill a Mockingbird. They are also social issues that
surrounded the release of the film in 1962. Studying film as a historical and cultural document does not mean asking what
part of history the filmmakers got right or wrong. Rather, studying these contexts means exploring the historical period in
which the film was made and the social issues relative to the film’s themes.
The questions this chapter poses include: What can we learn about society by studying the period in which a film was
made? Does what we see on the screen influence how we view people, race, and gender? Does society shape the kind of
stories we tell, or do the stories we tell shape society? Questions such as these move students beyond fact-finding to a
discussion of a deeper truth: A film can be a lens through which we can investigate the people and culture of the past.
In this chapter, students begin to understand that history is a story told in many different voices and from different
perspectives. The lesson activities provide a variety of texts for students to read and analyze — photographs, political
cartoons, letters, and movies, including a rare film featuring Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. reading parts of a letter he
wrote from a Birmingham jail. The chapter concludes with a history writing assignment that introduces students to archival
collections of documentary videos from the early 1900s through the 20th century. Students analyze the historic value of a
video using document-based questions (DBQs), then write a short paper on their interpretations.
Lesson 1
Activity A
Activity B
Activity C
Lesson 2
Activity A
Activity B
Lesson 3
Activity A
Activity B
Lesson 4
Activity A
Activity B
Activity C
The Link Between History and Culture
Thinking Chronologically
1960s Censorship
Interpretations and Values — The Movie Trailer and Movie Review
Civil Rights Issues, 1930s and 1960s
Jim Crow Laws
Racial Violence, 1930s
Analyzing Film Depictions
Representations of Race in the Film
Do Films Influence Society?
Writing About History Using Moving Images
Words from Birmingham
The Documentary — Reverend King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Interpreting a Documentary Video
Film Study Standards
1.0 Film Language. Students learn to read and interpret visual text by developing a film vocabulary, identifying editing
techniques, and analyzing film elements within selected scenes.
2.0 Historical and Cultural Contexts. Students understand that a film is both a historical/social document and a cultural
artifact. Students analyze social issues presented in film and form conclusions about the ways in which film influences
and is influenced by the society in which it is produced.
5.0 Cross-Curricular Connections. Students first tap their knowledge of other disciplines to study a film. They then apply
what they have learned about film to other disciplines, making connections between film and literature/language arts,
film and history/social studies, film and other arts, and film and sciences.
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Lesson 1 The Link Between History and Culture
Teacher Overview
Ask your students why they go to the movies, and the immediate response will likely be, “It’s fun” or “It’s something to do.”
Few, if any, will say they go to movies to better understand the world in which they live or to better understand themselves!
And yet movies, both documentaries and fictional dramas, are windows through which we can learn about other people
and cultures.
In this lesson, students learn that movies communicate information that is both historical and cultural. Activity A guides
students in distinguishing between the historical periods in which a film’s story is set and the period in which the film was
made. Students then go on to identify historical and cultural events relative to the film’s timeline and social themes. Activity
B presents for study a primary source document, a short letter in which the Motion Picture Association of America refused to
give To Kill a Mockingbird its “certificate of approval.” The lesson introduces students to the importance of understanding the
period in which a film is made. What society found offensive in 1961 may surprise students today. Activity C presents three
additional interpretations of To Kill a Mockingbird from the period in which the film was made — the movie trailer and two
not-so-positive movie reviews. These documents provide additional insights to cultural values of the time and illustrate that
not every person responded to the film in the same way.
By studying the historical and cultural contexts of a film, students can better understand the film’s themes. The opposite is
also true: The cultural details evident in a film can provide insight to history.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
distinguish the period in which a film is set and the period in which a film was made;
explain the difference between history and culture;
distinguish between historical and cultural documents;
analyze the use of film language in a movie trailer;
compare movie review quotes from the period in which the film was made and the present day.
Key Terms
(Note: Most terms are defined within the activity text that follows. You may also refer to the glossary.)
movie trailer, movie review
Lesson 1 Materials
Activity
Print
DVD
Activity A
Thinking
Chronologically
Graphic Organizer 4-1: A Film’s Historical
and Cultural Timeline
Activity B
1960s Censorship
Reading Activity 4-2: Motion Picture
Association Certificate of Approval
None
Activity C
Interpretations and
Values – The Movie
Trailer and Movie
Review
Screening Sheet 4-1: Coming to a Theater
Near You
Film Clip 4-1: Coming to a
Theater Near You
None
Reading Activity 4-1: Is It History or
Is It Culture?
Reading Activity 4-3: The Movie Review
Then and Now
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Concept
1
When interpreting a film, students should be able to distinguish between past and present and to identify historical and
cultural events relative to the film.
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Engage
Ask students to identify the approximate time period in which the film is set. Ask them to provide specific details from
the film that help establish the time setting. For example, because Mr. Cunningham drives a horse-drawn wagon but
Atticus drives a car, students can infer that the setting is early in the 20th century and not the mid-19th century when
automobiles were not yet invented. Other details include the model or style of automobiles, the type of telephone, and
style of clothing. Some students may cite specific reference to the voice-over narration, which alludes to the Depression
era and President Roosevelt.
Next, ask students to identify the approximate time period in which the film was produced. Again, ask them to provide
specific details from the film that support their answers. These supporting details will be more difficult for them to identify.
Some may know the year the film was released in theaters — 1962. Some may cite as an example the fact that the film was
shot in black and white rather than in color. Remind them that color film was available in 1962 but that the filmmakers
chose to shoot the film in black and white. Still others may comment on the actors, such as Gregory Peck, linking them with
a period of history. Encourage all reasonable responses.
Explain & Explore
Define history and culture, ensuring students understand the difference between the two. History is the study of past events
and people. Culture is the study of how people within a society or community live. A society’s culture, or way of life, may
include the type of food the people eat, the work they do, the religion they practice, and the ideas they express through
art forms, such as writing, music, sculpture, and so on. Emphasize that making a film is one way to express ideas, and so
a film is a cultural document.
Explain the cause-and-effect relationship that often exists between history and culture, by sharing the information below.
Although history and culture are different, they are related. The crash of the stock market in 1929 was a historical event.
It triggered what became known as the Great Depression. Banks failed. People lost their jobs. Some lost their homes. This
historical event affected Americans’ way of living. Detective novels became very popular because they were cheap entertainment,
and provided a way to escape the realities of hard times. Other cultural developments during the Great Depression era
included the beginning of the Mickey Mouse Club — millions of children joined — and the invention and popularity of the
board game Monopoly.
Distribute and display
Graphic Organizer 4-1: A Film’s Historical and Cultural Timeline. Explain the purpose
of the timeline — to help students understand the history and culture of the periods in which a film was set, made, and
viewed. In addition, explain that a film timeline can show how history and culture have or have not changed over time.
Time frames in a film timeline will change depending on the film being analyzed. Review the key concepts on the graphic
organizer as suggested below.
Time Frame 1
This is the period in which the film is set. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in rural Alabama in the 1930s.
Time Frame 2
This is the period in which the film was made. To Kill a Mockingbird was made in 1961.
Emphasize that for some films, time frames 1 and 2 are the same. These would be films set in the same approximate
time period as when the film is made. Examples include E.T. and The Wizard of Oz.
Time Frame 3
This is the period in which the film is viewed, the present day. When To Kill a Mockingbird first played in movie
theaters across America, time frame 3 was the same as time frame 2. However, many years have passed since
Universal Studios made this film. Audiences viewing the film today may have difficulty understanding some of
the social issues of the 1960s that may have shaped the film’s themes.
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Emphasize this important point about the three different time frames:
The time frames help us to avoid “present-day thinking” about the past. For example, some students may find it difficult to
believe that in 1963, an African American could not drink from the same water fountain as a white American. That’s because
in time frame 3 — the present day, such segregation is illegal and not part of our experience. Learning more about each time
frame can increase understanding of the film’s themes. But the opposite is also true: A film can give insight to history.
Continue to discuss the timeline elements:
Historical Events
Events placed on this bar of the timeline actually occurred and in some way relate to the issues expressed in the
film. For example, during the time To Kill a Mockingbird played in theaters across the country, both black and white
Americans were protesting segregation and demanding equal rights for everyone no matter what their race or
religion was. In the 1930s, lynchings occurred across America. Both of these historical happenings relate to the
film’s themes of social justice and racism.
Cultural Events
Events or trends plotted on this bar illustrate the way a society or group of people lived. Again, these items relate
in some way to the film’s themes. For example, during the 1960s, many African Americans began wearing their
hair in a style called an Afro. The hairstyle was more than a fad. It was a political statement of pride in being African
American. Again, this relates to the theme of social justice expressed in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-1: Is It History or Is It Culture? This activity allows students to practice distinguishing
historical from cultural events and identifying which are relative to the themes in To Kill a Mockingbird. Review the Word
Builder terms. Teachers may assign this as silent in-class work or homework. Afterward, review the timelines with students.
Not all may agree whether an event is historical or cultural. Explain that in some instances, a cultural event makes history.
Answer Key for Reading Activity 4-1:
Is It History or Is It Culture?
Historical Timeline: 1929 — Stock market crashes; 1933 — Roosevelt becomes president; 1941 — Japanese
attack American armed forces; 1955 — Rosa Parks is arrested; 1957 — President Eisenhower sends federal
troops to Little Rock; 1964 — Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. receives the Nobel Peace Prize.
Cultural Timeline: 1937 — Walt Disney releases Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; 1943 — Slinky toy invented;
1959 — Mattel introduces the Barbie doll; 1960 — Many African Americans wear their hair in “Afros”; 1961 —
Harper Lee wins Pulitzer Prize; 1962 — Universal Studios releases To Kill a Mockingbird.
Review with students which events on the activity sheet do not relate to the historical or social context of To Kill a
Mockingbird. These include the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the release of Snow White, the invention of the slinky
toy and the dolls. Even though these are included on the timeline for this activity sheet, these would not be plotted
on the film’s timeline.
Close
Share with students additional examples of film timelines below. Encourage students to provide additional examples
and/or to research historical and cultural events to plot on those films’ timelines. Two examples are below.
Dances with Wolves
Synopsis: A Civil War veteran goes west and lives with a band of Sioux.
Time Frame 1 (set): 1860s
Time Frame 2 (made): 1990
Time Frame 3 (viewed): 21st century
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Glory
Synopsis: Colonel Robert Shaw leads the U.S. Civil War’s first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of
both his own Union Army and the Confederates.
Time Frame 1 (set): 1860s
Time Frame 2 (made): 1989
Time Frame 3 (viewed): 21st century
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Concept
By studying the time period in which a film was made, students can better identify and understand social concerns that may
have influenced the filmmakers.
Engage
Ask students to explain the present-day movie rating system that uses letter codes – G, PG, PG-13, etc. Ask students to
explain the purpose of this rating system and to discuss its effectiveness. Who pays attention to the codes? Who decides what
rating a film receives and on what do they base their decisions?
Explain & Explore
Test students’ listening and critical-thinking skills by sharing the information below with them. Tell the students that you
will read a short passage aloud, then ask them to recall specific details.
When To Kill a Mockingbird was made, the present-day movie rating system did not exist. A different system existed for
recommending films to the general public. Prior to a film being released, the Motion Picture Association of America, in
Hollywood, viewed the film and decided whether or not to give it the “certificate of approval.” They based their decisions on
a number of factors. One was the language spoken in the film, and another was the way people were portrayed or shown in
the film.
In the 1960s, the Legion of Decency represented Catholic communities across the country. The Protestant Motion Picture Council
represented America’s Protestant communities. These religious groups and others like them also previewed films and granted
or withheld their support. A negative rating, either from the Motion Picture Association of America or one of the religion-based
organizations, could cripple a film at the box office. Approval, on the other hand, often meant increased box office sales.
Guided Discussion
1. What organization in Hollywood in the 1960s previewed films and gave some its “certificate of approval”?
The Motion Picture Association of America
2.
What are two factors on which this organization based its decision for approval? The use of language and the way
the films portrayed people
3.
Name two religious groups that also previewed and rated movies in the 1960s. The Legion of Decency and the
Protestant Motion Picture Council
4.
A negative rating often “could cripple a film at the box office.” What does that mean? Theaters would not sell as
many tickets, and so the film would lose money.
5.
Why did these groups go to the trouble of previewing and rating movies? Answers will vary but should focus on the
idea that people in general believe film images can have positive and negative influences on people’s attitudes and behavior.
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-2: Motion Picture Association Certificate of Approval. Explain that this is a
historical document from the time frame when To Kill a Mockingbird was made, 1961. Review the Word Builder terms.
Read the letter, then discuss students’ responses.
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Answer Key for Reading Activity 4-2:
Motion Picture Association Certificate of Approval
Identifying Information
1. Who is the audience, and what is the purpose of the letter? The audience is McTaggart at Universal Pictures,
the studio that was making To Kill a Mockingbird. The purpose is to identify specific points of objection in the film.
2.
Did Shurlock, speaking on behalf of the Motion Picture Association of America, base his decisions on the
film itself or some other document? He based his decisions on a document — the screenplay.
3.
Shurlock lists four points of objection, one of which focuses on the humane treatment of animals. To
which scene might he be referring? The scene in which Atticus shoots the mad dog. Share with students this
information: The dog that appears to be shot in the film, in fact, was not harmed.
4.
The other three objections focus on the use of language. What does Shurlock find objectionable about the
language on pages 53 and 98? The words cited are considered curses and offensive to moviegoing audiences. In
particular, the association does not want Scout uttering such words, because this would have a negative influence on
young moviegoers.
5.
Which character probably speaks the language cited on page 136, and why might his use of this language
be considered “integral” to the story? Bob Ewell. Because the language is so offensive and meant to be so, it
reveals Ewell’s racial prejudices and also reveals, in part, his motivation for accusing Tom Robinson of the crime.
6.
What argument does Shurlock present for “toning down” the language cited on page 136? It is used more
often than needed to make the point that Ewell is prejudiced, and therefore it becomes less useful and even
inflammatory or sensational.
Think More About It
1. Are the points cited in this letter from 1961 still considered offensive? Provide a reason to support your
viewpoint. Answers will vary. Accept all reasonable responses. Emphasize that language and visual images have
different connotations for different groups of people.
2.
What does this letter tell you about society in the 1960s? Answers will vary. Students may comment that what
society thought offensive then is not what society finds offensive now. Others may respond that society was concerned
about how African Americans were portrayed.
Share with students this information:
In the script Shurlock read, the phrase “nigger lover” was used 13 times. In the final film, the phrase is spoken when Ewell
confronts Finch outside the Robinson home at night before the trial. Obviously, Universal Studios made changes to the script
and did, in fact, get the certificate of approval from the Motion Picture Association.
Close
Ask students if the concept of decency has changed over time. If so, how? If not, why? Encourage the discussion to return to
the opening points of the present-day movie rating system and what this suggests about the influence films do or do not have
on their audiences.
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Concept
Promotional ads for and audience reaction to a film, both at the time the film was made and years later, provide insight to the
customs and values of a society and how those values may or may not have changed over time.
Engage
Bring to class or ask students to bring to class newspaper or magazine advertisements for currently playing movies. Weekend
editions of the local newspaper, for example, often run advertisements for movies in the entertainment section. Students may
work individually or in groups. As they read the advertisements, they should use a highlighter to circle comments that can be
attributed to movie reviewers. They should also note which comments are not attributed to anyone at all.
Ask each group to share the comments they circled. Encourage students to decide if the comments are positive or negative.
Advertisements promoting the film will naturally be positive. This is most certainly not always the case in movie reviews.
Draw students’ attention to words or phrases used frequently, such as “two thumbs up” or “one of the year’s best.” Discuss
the overuse of these phrases and how that affects their meaning.
Finally, reinforce a key point learned in activity A: These reviews are comments from time frame 3, the present day. The
purpose behind these comments is to persuade the public to see the film.
Explain & Explore
Explain that once a film is ready for distribution, the advertisers in charge of promoting it make critical decisions that
affect not only where they will advertise the film but also how. Print advertisements like the ones they have just studied are
one kind of promotion for a film. The movie trailer and a positive movie review can be used as two additional advertising
strategies to encourage people to see this film.
Define movie trailer. It is an advertisement for a film, consisting of shots, or extracts, from the movie and shown on
television or in movie theaters. The purpose of the trailer is to persuade audiences to see the film being advertised.
Introduce the screening activity, in which students will examine closely the trailer developed by Universal Studios in 1961
(time frame 2) for To Kill a Mockingbird. A movie trailer makes promises about what audiences will see and what they will
feel. The goal of this screening activity is for the students to analyze the trailer, identifying the persuasive strategies the
advertisers use and the promises they make to their target audiences. Emphasize that students should use their knowledge
of film language studied in chapter 3 in analyzing this movie trailer. This includes elements of composition and the use
of sound.
Distribute
Screening Sheet 4-1: Coming to a Theater Near You. Review the sheet and questions to ensure students
know what to observe and what to record. You may wish to pause the DVD on the movie review quotes so students have
time to read them all.
View
follow.
Film Clip 4-1: Coming to a Theater Near You. Discuss student observations. Recommended answers
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Answer Key for Screening Sheet 4-1:
Coming to a Theater Near You
Points of
Emphasis
The Message
Describe the images and the sounds,
including written lines.
The Intended Effect
Why did the producer of the trailer
decide to do it this way?
1. Gregory
Peck
He is seated in a dark room/studio with light on
him; a large image of the novel appears on a
screen behind him. A VO introduces him rather
formally — “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Gregory
Peck” — as the theme music begins to play.
The introduction makes Peck seem important and
distinguished. The book cover shown extraordinarily large suggests its importance, as well.
2. Introduction
of principal
players
Images of Scout, Jem, and Atticus set to strands
of the music score are shown in that order as Peck
briefly describes who they are. He gives Scout’s real
name, and the images show her walking, talking
with Atticus, and fighting in the schoolyard. He describes Jem as “just a boy, until he learns there is evil
in the world.” The image shown with these words are
of Bob Ewell pressing against the car window. Atticus
is described as a man “devoted to justice,” and this
places him and his children in danger. The accompanying image shows Atticus in the courtroom.
To get the audience interested in the characters.
Also, it emphasizes the family relationships.
3. Three shots
from the
film
First shot shows the initial confrontation between
Atticus and Bob Ewell; second shot shows Atticus
and Scout reading together at night; third shot
shows Mayella Ewell on the witness stand.
As teasers, the first and third shots focus on
confrontation; because they are so dramatic, they
will spark interest. The second shot, focusing
on family love between Scout and Atticus, will
create an “ahhhh” response from the audience.
As a single father doing his best, Atticus sparks
empathy and care for the character.
4. Reviews
Lines from reviews and a list of awards are written
large across the screen, while images from the film
and the music score run under this.
To emphasize the high quality of the film; to
underscore the heartwarming aspect of the film;
to encourage families to see what is predicted to
be one of the year’s best films.
Think More About It
1. Why did the producer of the trailer decide to introduce the book before the film? People know the book; it has
won awards. The producer is hoping to transfer the respect for and interest in the book to the film.
2. Who is the intended audience for this trailer? Answers will vary. Some may say fans of the book. Some may say
families, based on the discussion of item 4 above. Others may suggest the film is trying to reach all age groups, based
on the types of film clips they showed. For example, if they only showed family images, that would not be true to the
film’s story, and it might turn away adults interested in a good drama.
3. What promises does the movie trailer make? Fill in the blanks in the sentences that follow:
If you come to see this film, you will see _____________________. Answers will vary but should focus on a
heartwarming story of family relationships and good triumphing over evil.
If you come to see this film, you will feel _____________________. Again, answers will vary but should focus on
positive, warm feelings and that you will be “spellbound,” in the words of one reviewer.
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Define movie review. It is an evaluation of a film, usually the opinion of one person who has seen the film. A review
consists of details that summarize what the film is about and details that comment on the quality of the film. The purpose
of a movie review, therefore, is both to inform and to express a point of view.
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-3: The Movie Review Then and Now. Review the Word Builder terms and each
passage with students, then follow the guided discussion questions below.
Guided Discussion
1. Review each passage for comments on acting performance. Which passages state that the performances are quite
good? Which say the performances are just okay? In time frame 3, passages C and D, the reviewers are quite impressed
by the performance of all actors, including Brock Peters. Time frame 2’s passages A and B, however, are critical of Gregory
Peck’s performance. One says he seems to think of himself as Abe Lincoln, which suggests he is too righteous, and the
other compares him to a puppet.
2.
Review each passage for comments on the film’s themes. Passage A, in time frame 2, says the film doesn’t have
anything important to say about civil rights and justice, and calls the message “fatuous,” or silly. In passages C and D,
in time frame 3, however, both reviewers believe the message is strong and still meaningful today.
3.
How do the two passages in time frame 2 differ from those in time frame 3? The two quotes selected to represent
time frame 2 give the film a less-than-enthusiastic review. The two quotes selected to represent time frame 3 are much
more positive. Passage C strongly recommends the film.
Explore with students through discussion how the movie reviews differ from the movie trailer they saw earlier. If a movie
trailer makes promises about what an audience can expect to see, the movie review is the audience’s interpretation of
whether the expectations were met.
Close
Discuss how audience reviews of the film have changed over time and solicit reasons why this may be so. Emphasize too
that the reading activity uses only four quotes. Additional research of reviews from both the time in which the film was made
and the present day might reveal different attitudes and interpretations. Encourage those students who have an interest in
learning more to research additional viewpoints and to write their findings in a report.
The Controversy over Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
In 1968, another film with a controversial theme played in
theaters across America. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? told the
story of an interracial marriage between an African American doctor
and a white woman. Read how audiences then reacted to the film,
plus a movie review, by visiting The Story of Movies Web site at
www.storyofmovies.org.
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Lesson 2 Civil Rights Issues, 1930s and 1960s
Teacher Overview
Movies re-present history. Filmmakers re-create a movie’s time and place, often using elaborate sets and costumes to do so.
For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Mr. Cunningham drives a horse-drawn wagon through Maycomb, Alabama, because
during the Depression, many people could not afford automobiles.
Although movies are not history, they can provide historical evidence for a particular period or place in history, or they can
provide insight to social concerns. The mob that demands Atticus “move aside” so they can take Tom Robinson from his jail
cell is well founded on facts. Hundreds of historical documents, including photographs and newspaper articles, record that
Negroes (as they were called then) were taken from jails by mobs and lynched. In the film, the mob that comes for Tom
Robinson was true to history.
Just how a filmmaker re-presents history depends on a number of factors, one of which is the historical resources used when
planning the film. Another factor is how the filmmaker interprets historical documents. In this lesson, therefore, students
review historical sources pertinent to segregation in the South and evaluate how the filmmaker presented that issue in To Kill
a Mockingbird.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
define what is meant by the phrase “Jim Crow laws”;
explain what a primary source document is;
distinguish between historical and cultural documents;
evaluate how the film mirrors civil rights issues of the 1930s.
Lesson 2 Materials
Activity
Activity A
Jim Crow Laws
Print
DVD
Reading Activity 4-4: Jim Crow Laws
Still 4-1: The Colored Water
Fountain
Still 4-2: The People in the
Balcony
Activity B
Racial Violence,
1930s
Reading Activity 4-5: News Article, 1938
Reading Activity 4-6: Lynchings in America
(map)
Reading Activity 4-7, Enrichment: President
Kennedy’s Notes on Birmingham Violence
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Still 4-3: A Man Was Lynched
Yesterday
Concept
1
Although a film is a cultural document and not a dissertation or history textbook, a film has value for providing historical
evidence and often teaches important truths about the human condition.
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Engage
Display
Still 4-1: The Colored Water Fountain. Before explaining the historical
context for the image, ask students to describe what they see and what information
the image presents. Prompt them to suggest where this image came from or who might
have taken it and why. After their initial discussions, share this information about the
photograph with them:
The photographer is John Vachon. He worked for the Farm Security Administration, a department of the United States
government. During the Great Depression, Vachon and other photographers traveled across America on a fact-finding
mission to document the living conditions of the poor. He took this photograph in 1938 on the courthouse lawn in Halifax,
North Carolina.
Explain & Explore
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-4: Jim Crow Laws. Explain that Jim Crow was a fictional African American character
in minstrel shows in the 19th century. Jim Crow images were stereotypical and demeaning, frequently portraying African
Americans as simple and silly.
Emphasize this important distinction: Jim Crow stereotypes are cultural inventions. However, from approximately the
1890s until the 1960s many states passed laws that segregated African Americans from white Americans. Because the laws
were based on racial stereotypes, they were known as Jim Crow laws. These laws are historical documents.
Share this additional information about Jim Crow laws and the film with students:
Jim Crow laws existed during the time frame when To Kill a Mockingbird was set — the 1930s. Thirty years later, during
the time frame when To Kill a Mockingbird was written and produced, Jim Crow laws were still in existence in many states,
particularly in the South. In the 21st century, however, laws imposing segregation are illegal. The fact that these laws no
longer exist in the 21st century in America will affect, in part, how audiences today view the film. Without a knowledge of
such laws, a moviegoer might not fully appreciate a character’s beliefs or motivations, for example, or the danger a character
like Tom Robinson faced in going to trial.
Review the Word Builder terms on the activity sheet and discuss the questions. Recommended answers are below.
Answer Key for Reading Activity 4-4: Jim Crow Laws
1.
What assumptions about black people do these laws suggest? Answers will vary but should focus on the idea
that black people were falsely considered inferior in any number of ways — intelligence, cleanliness, physical being.
2.
What do these laws tell you about the historical period in which To Kill a Mockingbird was set? Draw students’
attention to the state mentioned after each law. In Alabama, for example, Tom Robinson’s children could not ride on
the same bus with Scout or Jem nor could they eat in the same restaurant as them.
3.
How can you verify, or prove, that these laws were real and not made up? Research is necessary to document the
laws. Some students may suggest going online and searching for Jim Crow laws by state. While this is a good starting
point, remind them that Internet sources must also be verified. Students can find evidence of the laws in government
records, newspaper articles, photographs, and in the personal letters and diaries of people who experienced the laws.
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View again
Still 4-1: The Colored Water Fountain. Explain why this photograph is a depiction of Jim Crow laws.
The sign indicates that the drinking fountain is for colored people only, and as such is an example of segregation.
Encourage critical viewing and thinking by asking the questions below.
Guided Discussion
1. On which timeline — historical or cultural — would you place this photograph? Historical. Emphasize that
photographs can be both historical and cultural. This photograph documents a historical fact that can be proven through
other sources.
2. How could you verify that this photograph is real and not created like the set of a film? Again, after noting where
the photo was taken, students could research the town’s history to find evidence of this segregation.
Display
Still 4-2: The People in the Balcony. Compare this image with the previous one by asking the questions below.
Guided Discussion
1. How does this photograph illustrate a Jim Crow law? Courtrooms in some
states were segregated. Black people were not allowed on the first floor where
the white community sat.
2. Is this photograph a historical document or a cultural document, and
how do you know? Cultural document. Students will recognize it as a scene
from the film. Emphasize, however, that someone who had not seen the film
would not recognize it as a movie still and may not understand that it is a
re-creation of history, not a document of history. Emphasize again that
photographs, like movies, can be staged or constructed. Hunting down sources, such as the photographer and date of the
image, is often necessary to confirm the historical accuracy of an image.
3. How are the two photographs alike but also different? Both are illustrations of Jim Crow laws. The first photograph of
the water fountain, however, is a document of history. The second photograph is a filmmaker’s interpretation of history.
Close
In the 1930s in Alabama, a black man accused of a crime would be tried by a jury, but not necessarily a jury of his peers.
An all-white, men-only jury determined the fate of the accused. What about women? In 1962, the year To Kill a Mockingbird
played in theaters across the country, three states still did not allow women to serve on juries. Encourage students to research
when and how, but, most importantly, why, women fought to serve society as members of juries. Incidentally, the first state
to allow women jurors was North Dakota in 1921, one year after the passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right
to vote.
Concept
During the period in which the film is set, mob activity resulted in the lynching of African Americans. The film mirrors these
real-world events.
Engage
Ask: Why did Atticus Finch spend the night sitting and reading outside the jail? Guide discussion to what Atticus feared might
happen to Tom Robinson that night and to the mob’s intent. Although the word lynching was never mentioned in the film, the
suggestion of danger to Tom Robinson is clear. Explore with students their opinion about whether or not this was a frightening
scene and whether it was true to history. For example, would a mob actually attempt to kidnap a black man from jail to punish
him in their own way? Could a child actually deter the mob from its violent intent?
Explain & Explore
Define primary source document. A primary source document is one created by people who actually saw or participated in
an event and recorded that event or their reactions to it immediately after the event. By contrast, a secondary source is one
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created by someone either not present when the event took place or removed by time from the event. A primary source
document could be a letter, a diary, a photograph, or a moving image.
Explain that in this activity, students will “read” three different texts — a news article, a photograph, and a map. All three
provide evidence of racial strife and injustice during the period in which the film was set — the 1930s. However, only
one, the photograph, is a primary source document. The others are secondary sources.
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-5: News Article, 1938. Read the article then discuss the questions.
Identifying Information
1. Describe in your own words what happened to Daniel Pippen and Albert Harden. Answers should include the
main idea that these men had been accused but not tried and, therefore, not found guilty. They were taken by an angry
crowd of farmers and shot.
What specific words or phrases in the article have negative connotations? Who or what do these words
describe? “Growling crowds of savage farmers” refers to the mob that took the men. Emphasize also that the use of
the word just, as in “just sixteen,” was meant to emphasize the young age of the accused. Some students may suggest
that the writer may have sympathized with the men killed. The use of quotation marks around the word force
further suggests the writer’s belief that the murdered men were not protected, as was their legal right. “Riddled bodies”
indicates that the young men were shot repeatedly.
Think More About It
1. What, if anything, does this article have to do with the film To Kill a Mockingbird? The story takes place during
the same time period, 1930s. In the film, a mob also attempted to kidnap Robinson.
2.
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Answer Key for Reading Activity 4-5:
News Article, 1938
2.
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What did you learn by reading this article that you did not know before? Answers will vary. Accept all
reasonable responses.
Display
Still 4-3: A Man Was Lynched Yesterday. Explain that this c. 1938 photograph shows a flag hanging from
the offices of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, in New York City. Study both documents,
then discuss the questions.
Guided Discussion
1. What was the purpose of flying the NAACP flag? Students must infer that
the flag so prominently displayed was intended to increase awareness of a dire
social problem. Explain that the flags were not flown in just one location only.
NAACP offices in numerous locations would fly the flag.
2.
What effect might this flag have had on people who were not African
American, and what was its effect on people who were African American?
Answers will vary as to the effect of the flag on people. Elicit thoughtful
responses about how people in general react when confronted with ugly or deeply
troubling facts.
3.
What scenes from To Kill a Mockingbird are relevant to this photograph? Students may again refer to the mob that
confronts Atticus outside the jail at night. Encourage them to think also of the scene where Atticus learns that Tom has
been shot. This action takes place off-screen, and while no flag is flown, the effect of an innocent black man being killed
is obvious on the other characters in the film.
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-6: Lynchings in America (map). Allow time for students to read the map, then
discuss the questions.
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Directions: Read the map below as well as the caption to the right of the map. Then answer the questions
that follow.
States Ranked by the
Most Lynchings
Of the 4,743 documented
lynchings in the United
States between 1882
and 1968, about threequarters involved African
Americans. The map ranks
the 10 states that recorded
the highest number of
lynchings.
—Source: cnn.com
Answer Key for Reading Activity 4-6:
Lynchings in America
Identifying Information
1. What years does this map document? 1882–1968
2.
Name the state or states that had no recorded lynchings during this time period. Alaska, Hawaii,
Massachusetts, Connecticut
3.
Which state or states had more lynchings than Alabama? Mississippi, Georgia, Texas, and Louisiana
4.
Given the total number of lynchings documented over an 86-year period on this map, on average, how
many lynchings occurred every year? More than 55, or more than one every week!
Think More About It
1. What does the map tell you that the film To Kill a Mockingbird does not? Statistics, for one thing, and it also
places lynchings in a larger historical context.
2.
At the time the filmmakers made the movie, do you think they were aware that lynchings were still
happening in America? Answers will vary. This was a social problem of the times, and because the filmmakers
were making a movie sensitive to these issues, one would assume they knew. Gregory Peck said he believed in the
film’s message. It is hard to believe that some would not have been aware.
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Enrichment
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-7, Enrichment: President Kennedy’s Notes on Birmingham Violence. Before
reading the passage, explain that the person referred to in this piece as Reverend A. D. King was the brother of Reverend
Martin Luther King Jr. Review the Word Builder terms and read the passage, then discuss the questions.
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Identifying Information
1. What happened in Birmingham, Alabama, on the evening of May 11, 1963? Bombs exploded both in Rev.
King’s home and in an integrated motel; rioting, injury, and damage followed.
2.
According to the president, what is one of the “great moral issues” of the times? The achievement of equality
for all citizens
3.
Who does President Kennedy accuse of inciting violence in Birmingham? Extremists
4.
What is the federal government’s position on segregation? It will not stand by nor permit extremists to sabotage
civil rights agreements.
Think More About It
1. What is President Kennedy’s viewpoint on the racial violence in Birmingham? It disturbs him greatly, and he
will not permit it.
2.
Why does Kennedy say the Birmingham agreement is not about Birmingham or the South or Negroes? As a
moral issue, it concerns the whole nation and the federal government’s goal of providing equal opportunity for all.
Close
Discuss with students how the subject of lynching is handled by the film as compared to the map, the photograph of the
NAACP flag, and President Kennedy’s statement. How might the filmmakers have made the threat of lynching more obvious
during the mob scene? Why did the filmmakers not mention the word lynching in the film during this scene? One possible
explanation is that during the period in which the film was made, audiences understood in a way that present-day audiences
might not the intention of the mob that confronts Atticus. There was no need, for example, to place ropes or torches in
their hands.
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Lesson 3 Analyzing Film Depictions
Teacher Overview
All films are representations of social reality, at times mirroring and at other times distorting society. Like all visual images,
film depictions have connotations that can be positive, negative, or neutral. A depiction is not reality. Rather, it is one person’s
or one group’s interpretation of people, places, and events. Learning how to identify and read depictions in a film is an
important visual- and critical-thinking skill. Equally important is exploring why filmmakers create the depictions, because
this leads to a deeper understanding of how films mirror society.
In activity A, students learn what a depiction is. They begin by analyzing a political cartoon about racism, dated 1963,
identifying the visual symbols the cartoonist used to create the depiction. They then compare the tools a cartoonist uses
with those a filmmaker uses to create depictions in moving images. The screening activity provides two different film clips,
from which students identify the way the filmmakers created the depictions and determine whether the depictions are
positive or negative. Activity B introduces students to the characteristics of a film drama, a genre that emphasizes character
conflict over action and generally provides a statement on a social issue. Film dramas reflect the values and aspirations of the
filmmakers as well as the stereotypes and prejudices of society. Film dramas can also influence an audience’s view of other
people and cultures.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
define what a film depiction is and identify depictions in To Kill a Mockingbird;
identify four ways filmmakers create depictions;
distinguish between positive and negative depictions;
explain three characteristics of a film drama;
begin to examine how film images do or do not influence the way people view other people.
Key Terms
(Note: Most terms are defined within the activity text that follows. You may also refer to the glossary.)
depiction, reaction shot, genre, film drama
Lesson 3 Materials
Activity
Activity A
Representations of
Race in the Film
Activity B
Do Films Influence
Society?
Print
DVD
Graphic Organizer 4-2: Depicting
Characters in Film
Still 4-4: An Incurable Skin
Condition
Screening Sheet 4-2: Analyzing Film
Depictions
Film Clip 4-2: Analyzing Film
Depictions
Part 1— The Spectators in
the Balcony
Part 2— A Death in the
Family
Graphic Organizer 4-3: Characteristics of a
Film Drama
Reading Activity 4-8: Atticus’s Closing
Argument
Screening Sheet 4-3: Atticus’s Closing
Argument
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Film Clip 4-3: Atticus’s
Closing Argument
Activity A Representations of Race in the Film
Concept
1
Filmmakers use various tools and techniques when depicting people, places, and events in order to create a representation
of reality.
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Engage
Display
Still 4-4: An Incurable Skin Condition. This is an editorial cartoon
that was published in The Washington Post newspaper on July 4, 1963. Allow time
for students to study the image, then ask them to write their interpretations of its
meaning and/or their reaction to the message.
Explain & Explore
Define depiction. A depiction is a way of presenting information about a person,
place, thing, or idea. Depictions are often based on fact but they are not fact. A
depiction is one person’s or one group’s interpretation of reality.
View again
Still 4-4: An Incurable Skin Condition. Explain that this
editorial cartoon is a type of depiction. The cartoonist uses visual symbols and
words to depict, or represent, the medical industry and its refusal to accept
doctors of color into their hospitals. Emphasize that this was a social problem
in 1963. Prompt critical viewing and thinking with the questions below.
“Sorry, But You Have An Incurable
Skin Condition”
– from Herblock: A Cartoonist’s Life
(Times Books, 1998)
Guided Discussion
1. What social issues are suggested in this cartoon? Civil rights, racism, equal opportunity
2.
Who or what is the artist depicting? An African American doctor and two white American doctors
3.
What symbols, if any, are included, and what might the symbols mean? The diploma next to the chair indicates
the African American doctor is educated. The medical bag on his lap also indicates his M.D. degree. The white jackets
with “Lily White Hospital” symbolize the hospital and society to which the African American is applying to practice
medicine. The stethoscopes suggest the two white doctors are closely examining the man as if he has a disease. The “No
Admittance” sign is also symbolic. Often in hospitals these signs limit who can go into areas where patients are being
treated. In this image, it also suggests that no people of color will be admitted to hospitals to practice medicine.
4.
What, if anything, is exaggerated in the image or emphasized in order to make a point? There are two white
doctors, suggesting the African American is outnumbered. Their expressions are similar, snooty and leaning forward
to examine the other man. Some students may remark that both doctors are rather heavyset while the applicant
appears more slender and fit. Both white doctors look very similar, as if they are duplicates of one another. This may be
the cartoonist’s way of suggesting they are conformists, that is, people who act and look like one another in order to fit in.
Some students may note too that the African American has not only a framed diploma but also what looks to be another
diploma curled under his arm, suggesting he is more than qualified.
5.
What is the cartoonist’s point of view? Answers will vary, but clearly the cartoonist is favorable in his depiction of the
African American doctor, who is well dressed, neat, and educated. The cartoonist’s use of “Lily White Hospital” is sarcastic.
6.
Explain the caption. There is nothing wrong with the African American man’s skin; the “skin condition” is his race. The
cartoonist uses a play on words.
7.
Who, if anyone, is depicted in a negative way? The depiction of the two white doctors is negative, suggesting they
are racists.
Distribute and display
Graphic Organizer 4-2: Depicting Characters in Film. Explain that moving images are also
depictions, or representations of reality. The filmmaker, like the cartoonist, creates a depiction with an intended message
for audience reaction in mind. However, the filmmaker uses different visual tools. Review the concepts on the graphic
organizer, most of which will be familiar to students from chapter 3’s activities on film language.
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Framing and Composition Techniques
Costuming and makeup — These create a character’s physical appearance, which can trigger a reaction in the audience.
Acting and dialogue — As students have learned in previous chapters, an actor’s performance is much more than what
is spoken. How an actor delivers lines, including the use of body language and facial expression, conveys meaning.
This too contributes to a depiction.
Lighting, sound, camera angles, visual symbols — These elements of composition suggest meaning.
Reaction shots — These focus on how one character reacts to a situation or to another character. Showing the reaction
of others is another way a film can plant a positive or negative impression in the audience’s mind.
Intended Effect
Depictions, like words, have connotations or shades of meaning. The intended effect of the depiction may be
positive, negative, or neutral.
Introduce the screening activity. The activity has two segments. Explain that you will stop the film between the segments
to allow time for discussing students’ observations.
Distribute
Screening Sheet 4-2: Analyzing Film Depictions. Review the Screening Sheet, including all questions, so
students know what to observe and to record. The questions are challenging, so it will be helpful if you run each segment
more than once.
View
Film Clip 4-2: Analyzing Film Depictions, Part 1 — The Spectators in the Balcony. Discuss student
responses. Recommended answers are below.
Answer Key for Screening Sheet 4-2: Analyzing
Film Depictions, Part 1 — The Spectators in the Balcony
1.
How do music and camera angles help depict these characters? The camera position is on the first floor, and the
distance is far from the people in the balcony, allowing the audience to see that the courtroom’s first floor is empty
but the African Americans in the balcony have remained out of respect. In a sense, the audience is looking up at them
— which elevates their position — even though Atticus is not. This contributes, in part, to a positive depiction. The
music is soft, reflective, melancholy, almost sorrowful.
2.
With the exception of Reverend Sykes, how are the people in the balcony dressed, and why are they dressed
this way? The reverend is in a suit. The men are dressed in their work clothes. Most if not all are like Tom Robinson
— laborers or sharecroppers. The women almost all wear hats, a sign of respect.
3.
What other choices might the director have made in showing these spectators? How would that change the
overall image or depiction of these people? Answers will vary. Accept all reasonable responses. One response
might be for the spectators to show anger. Another might be to show tears or to applaud Atticus’s efforts. In not
showing these emotions, the director communicates a real dignity to the people in the balcony. The director could
also show a close-up on Atticus’s response, which would shift the focus away from the spectators’ action.
4.
What is factual about this depiction? What is fictional? Factual — segregation, clothing. Fictional — that the
children would be upstairs with the African Americans, that they would all remain after the verdict, that they would
stand to honor Atticus
View
Film Clip 4-2: Analyzing Film Depictions, Part 2 — A Death in the Family. Discuss student responses.
Recommended answers follow.
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Answer Key for Screening Sheet 4-2:
Analyzing Film Depictions, Part 2—A Death in the Family
Identifying Information
1. Describe the set showing where Tom Robinson lives. Consider how it is different from where Atticus or
Boo Radley live. Dark, seems to be in a wooded area. The house has a porch with screen door, and inside, some
type of lighting, probably lanterns rather than electrical lights. Laundry hangs on a line. The house looks like a
wooden cabin; it is not a shack but neither is it as large or as fine as Atticus’s house.
2.
How does lighting in this scene help create the depiction of the Robinson family? The scene takes place at
night, and so the lighting is dark but soft. There are no sharp angles or deep shadows.
3.
How do character behavior, dialogue, and other filmmaking techniques create a negative depiction of Bob
Ewell? The camera angles and shadows, the music, Ewell’s performance — his facial expression, body language,
and swearing — all contribute to the negative depiction.
4.
Identify a reaction shot in this scene and explain its meaning. There are multiple reaction shots here; however,
Helen’s fainting is not one of them. Emphasize that most often a reaction shot is a close-up of a character’s face. Helen’s
fainting in reaction to the news of Tom’s death is a reaction, but the shot itself is a long shot that shows the audience
what happens. The reaction shots are of Atticus’s struggle to control himself after Bob Ewell spits in his face; Ewell’s
reaction as he waits for Atticus to fight back; and Jem’s surprised facial expression as he witnesses this action.
Think More About It
1. If you wanted to create a positive depiction of a figure in history using moving-image technology, what
filmmaking tools might you consider using? Answers will vary but should focus on the main idea that framing
and composition devices work together to create a positive image. The lighting cannot be dark and shadowy. The
music might be dramatic, awe-inspiring, or pleasant. Camera angles might be looking up to suggest that the
character is elevated.
2.
Why would a filmmaker choose to depict a person, a place, or an event in a negative way or in a positive
way? What might the filmmaker’s purpose be in doing this? Answers will vary. Some students may suggest
that filmmakers have certain assumptions that they believe to be true and so they create their film to reflect those
assumptions. Others may argue that a filmmaker, in trying to capture reality, must show some people in a positive
way and others in a negative way. Remind students of Atticus’s comment to Jem about ugly things in the world that
he wishes he could protect him from but that it just isn’t possible. Sometimes a filmmaker shows negative depictions
of people because, in fact, such people exist.
Close
Conclude the activity by asking students to comment on additional depictions in this film and in other films, in general.
For example, how are lawyers depicted? How are children depicted? Explore with them why filmmakers choose to depict
characters in positive, negative, or neutral ways.
Concept
A film reflects the values and aspirations of the filmmakers as well as the stereotypes and prejudices of society. Movies can
also influence an audience’s view of other people and cultures.
Engage
Write this statement, published in The New York Times in 1923, on the chalkboard or overhead projector:
What audiences see is partly a reflection of what they are. And what they are is no less influenced by what they see.
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Allow students two to four minutes to freewrite about the quotation, explaining what they think it means.
Explain & Explore
Distribute and display
Graphic Organizer 4-3: Characteristics of a Film Drama. Review the key concepts on the
graphic organizer as suggested below.
Genre
A genre is a type of film. Genres, or categories, include action/adventure, comedy, drama, historical, horror, musicals,
science fiction, and westerns. Each genre has specific characteristics. Comedies, for example, involve a character in a
problem-solving situation that often results in mix-ups and lots of laughs. Science fiction stories are set in the future.
Action/adventure films feature a villain and a good guy, whose forces physically clash, but the good guy almost
always wins.
Film Drama
Film drama is a movie genre that features realistic characters confronting a social problem or injustice. A film drama
can also feature a character dealing with a personal or emotional problem, disability, or troubling relationship. It has
three distinguishing characteristics — realistic characters, internal conflict, and social themes.
Realistic Characters
Character development and character relationships are important parts of all film dramas. The characters are realistic
rather than superhuman (like Spiderman, Batman, or James Bond) or fantastic (like hobbits or wizards). Instead
of merely showing what a character does, a film drama focuses on why a character behaves in a certain way and
explores the consequences of his or her behavior.
Internal Conflicts
A film drama will have both external and internal conflicts, but the primary focus will be on a character’s inner
workings — his or her fears, hopes, dreams, disappointments, and memories. Very often the character is struggling
to do the right thing.
Social Themes
Social issues or concerns are woven into the character relationships and/or plot of the story. These may include
social justice, as in To Kill a Mockingbird, but can also include drug addiction, destruction of the environment,
politics, or coping with illness. The film may be entertaining, but it also communicates a serious message about
society or who we are as human beings.
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-8: Atticus’s Closing Argument. Review the Word Builder terms. Read aloud the
script, then discuss the questions that follow. Recommended answers are below.
Answer Key for Reading Activity 4-8: Atticus’s Closing Argument
1.
What stereotype does Atticus say the witnesses for the state believe about Negroes? They all lie, are immoral
beings, and are not to be trusted around white women.
2.
Beyond saying the stereotype (the “assumption”) is “a lie,” how does Atticus demonstrate that he does not
believe the stereotype? Through his powerful defense of Robinson and through his language and his belief that the
courts will, despite stereotypical thinking, not find an innocent man guilty
3.
What social ideal or commentary does Atticus express in his closing argument? That the legal system in America,
though not perfect, works; that our courts are the great “levelers” in society, giving everyone the right to a fair trial
Distribute
Screening Sheet 4-3: Atticus’s Closing Argument. Review the Screening Sheet, including the questions,
so students know what to observe and what to record.
View
Film Clip 4-3: Atticus’s Closing Argument. Discuss student observations. Recommended answers follow.
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.
Answer Key for Screening Sheet 4-3: Atticus’s Closing Argument
The Actor’s Performance
Film Composition
Written dialogue is different from dialogue that is
performed on-screen. What does the film show that
the words alone cannot?
What visual evidence, or details, suggest that this is
a rural southern courthouse in the 1930s? Consider
both historical and cultural details.
Answers will vary but should focus on the main idea
that emotion is conveyed visually and auditorily using
inflection, emphasis, and/or volume, as in Peck’s tone
of voice and his pauses. While words have connotations
that most definitely suggest emotional overtones, images
also have connotations. Peck’s slightly disheveled hair
and gestures of frustration in trying to plead for an
innocent man’s life are visually powerful. Also shown
are the reactions of Jem and Reverend Sykes.
Most students will note the obviously segregated
courtroom with African Americans restricted to the
balcony. Other details are minor and yet revealing:
the characters’ clothing (farmer’s overalls, the ladies’
straw hats), the use of a hand fan by one of the characters
in the courtroom, suggesting no air-conditioning, the
all-male jury. In addition, the courtroom itself is quite
realistic — the placement of the jury and the judge,
the American flag, the woodstove.
Think More About It
1. Gregory Peck said that his greatest challenge in this scene was to not become too emotional. What does
that suggest about the actor and his personal beliefs about civil rights and social justice? Answers will
vary. Students may infer that if he felt emotional during the scene, he believed Atticus’s words. Like the fictional
character, the actor does not believe that African Americans are inferior; but he does believe that America’s courts
are the great levelers, in that all people regardless of race or gender should receive the same justice. What Peck
means is that although he believes strongly in the message he delivers, he wants to make sure his words come across
unimpeded by too much emotion.
2.
Is this a positive, negative, or neutral depiction of lawyers? Provide a reason for your answer. Positive.
The close-ups and delivery of lines show him to be controlled, passionate without becoming loud or overbearing.
He is fighting for the life of an innocent man who happens to be African American. Given the historical context
of the film’s setting, this was a dangerous thing to do.
Close
Return to the quote from The New York Times as stated in the Engage section of this activity. Ask students if they think a
film can or does influence how people think about other people and cultures. If so, is the influence always positive? Guide
discussion to focus on the purpose of positive and negative depictions. In part, the depictions help to tell a story by revealing
character. But depictions can have a further-reaching influence on an audience’s attitudes.
Diane McWhorter Remembers Scout
Journalist Diane McWhorter recalls childhood memories with the
actress who played Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird and discusses her
reaction to seeing the film during the Civil Rights movement. Teachers
can download a Reading Activity sheet. Visit The Story of Movies Web
site at www.storyofmovies.org for more information.
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Lesson 4 Writing About History Using Moving Images
Teacher Overview
History is not facts. History is the interpretation of facts. On a variety of issues, both contemporary and historical, historians
do not always agree on what happened or why, or on the consequences of an event. The goal of this lesson is twofold: (1) to
introduce students to the concept that history is argument, or interpretation, based on evidence; and (2) to show that moving
images can be an effective tool for presenting evidence.
Activity A introduces students to a historical event — the arrest of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in Birmingham, Alabama,
during the summer of 1963. Students read excerpts from a letter written by Reverend King while in jail. Admittedly, the letter
is a challenging read for younger students. Nevertheless, with teacher guidance, students will understand that Reverend King
is making an argument for equal civil rights for African Americans.
Activity B presents the same letter but with some other excerpts, in a much different format — as a documentary. The
voice-over narration in this rare video is that of Reverend King himself reading his letter. The selected images are photographs
and film footage of civil rights demonstrations from the same period. The video is persuasive, and yet students will learn that
even this documentary is an interpretation.
Activity C is a history writing assignment. Students select a short documentary from archival collections associated with the
Library of Congress and analyze the video using Document-Based Questions (DBQs). Then they write their own description,
narrative, or argument based on their research.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
define what a film documentary is;
understand that history is an interpretation of facts;
explore how a film documentary adds additional meaning to a similar printed letter;
research archival films for a written or oral presentation on a historical event or social issue.
Key Terms
(Note: Most terms are defined within the activity text that follows. You may also refer to the glossary.)
documentary, voice-over narration
Lesson 4 Materials
Activity
Activity A
Words from
Birmingham
Print
DVD
Reading Activity 4-9: The Arrest
None
Reading Activity 4-10: “Letter from
Birmingham Jail”
Activity B
The Documentary —
Reverend King’s
“Letter from
Birmingham Jail”
Screening Sheet 4-4: Short Documentary
— The Letter
Film Clip 4-4: Short
Documentary — The Letter
Activity C
Interpreting a
Documentary Video
Graphic Organizer 4-4: Writing About
History
(Students will search and download
short documentary films of their
choice from two recommended
Library of Congress sites or from
The Story of Movies Web site.)
History Writing Activity 4-11:
Document-Based Questions (DBQs)
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Concept
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History is the interpretation of facts. Historical argument is interpretation based on evidence.
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Engage
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Write this statement on the chalkboard or overhead projector: The past is not the same as history. Ask students to write a
“one-minute paper” to explain the difference between “past” and “history.” Once students have completed their responses,
emphasize these three points about history:
1.
History requires evidence. Just because someone says something happened doesn’t mean it did.
2.
History is not everything that happened in the past, rather the important things that happened. Something is
important if it has consequences for people and places. In other words, history is a cause-and-effect relationship.
3.
History is not just a description of what happened in the past. It is an attempt to understand what happened
and why. History is an interpretation of the past based on evidence.
Explain & Explore
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-9: The Arrest. Review the Word Builder terms. Read the passage aloud, then discuss
the questions. Recommended answers are below.
Answer Key for Reading Activity 4-9: The Arrest
1.
What evidence might you find to prove that the arrest of Martin Luther King Jr. happened as described in
this passage? Where would you look for this evidence? Answers will vary but should include researching newspapers of the period, county or city records of police activity during the period, books written about Reverend King, etc.
2.
How could you prove that the white clergymen actually wrote the words that are printed in quotation
marks? The only way to be certain is to find a copy of the document and read it. The document is available on
various civil rights Web sites as well as those devoted to the works and writings of Reverend King.
3.
This paragraph quotes the statement made by the white clergymen of Birmingham, but it does not present
the entire document. How does this affect your interpretation of what the white clergymen wrote? Students’
interpretations will vary; accept reasonable responses. Explain that selecting a quote to use is one way of providing
evidence. However, sometimes a quote taken out of context can be misleading. Very often what is omitted from a
retelling of history is as important as what is included.
Distribute
Reading Activity 4-10: “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Explain that Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.
wrote this letter in response to the statement by eight clergymen from Birmingham. Review the Word Builder terms.
Read the passage aloud, then discuss the questions. Recommended answers follow.
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Answer Key for Reading Activity 4-10:
“Letter from Birmingham Jail”
1.
Reverend King lived in Atlanta, Georgia, at the time he wrote this letter. What reason does he give for
going to Birmingham? He writes, “ . . . I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. . . .”
2.
What does King mean when he says “We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and
God-given rights”? He refers to African Americans being enslaved in this country and emphasizes that while
slavery had been abolished in the mid-19th century, African Americans still are neither free nor equal as long as
they are denied basic rights.
3.
What does King mean by “horse-and-buggy pace”? Very slow
4.
List at least five social or civil injustices cited by King in this letter. Answers will vary and may include: not
being able to get a cup of coffee at a lunch counter; being lynched or drowned; being cursed, kicked, or killed by
police; being smothered by poverty; as a child, being unable to go to an amusement park; having to tell a child why
white people treat colored people so mean; being called “nigger” and “boy”; as a black woman, never being called
“Mrs.”; sleeping in an automobile because hotels are segregated.
Think More About It
1. Who is the audience, and what is the purpose of Reverend King’s letter? He is writing to “his fellow clergymen,”
meaning men who, like him, are ordained ministers and who have criticized him for his civil disobedience regarding
segregation. His purpose is to explain why he went to Birmingham — to protest segregation and the lack of civil
rights for African Americans.
2.
What do you think Reverend King means when he says, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”?
Encourage students to answer this question in the context of the paragraph. He means that even if injustice existed
only in one place, perhaps Birmingham, that injustice would affect all Americans elsewhere.
3.
What does Reverend King mean by the word nobodiness? African Americans are treated as if they are invisible,
not human.
Close
Reverend King is writing in 1963, not the 1930s. Nevertheless, To Kill a Mockingbird reflects the injustices King cites in this
letter. Ask students to comment on what did or did not change between the period in which the film was set and the period
in which the film was made. Guide discussion to focus on this main idea: Much of what Reverend King speaks about circa
1963 is unchanged from conditions in the 1930s and earlier. Thus, he argues the point about his people being “legitimately”
impatient and unwilling to wait for change.
Concept
A documentary portrays a real person or real events in an accurate way, often using primary source materials to present
factual information or to tell a true-life narrative. Like all movies, however, documentaries use film language to convey
information and meaning and often have a bias that reflects the filmmaker’s point of view.
Engage
Write the word documentary on a chalkboard or overhead projector. Ask students to explain what a documentary is and how
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it might differ from a film that is historical fiction. Emphasize the root word document. A documentary is a film that portrays
a real person or real events in an accurate way, often using primary source materials such as diaries, letters, and eyewitness
accounts to tell the story. Encourage students to make the link between using historical documents to tell a story and basing
a story upon historical events. Historical fiction, for example, while based on real people, real events, and primary source
materials, always includes some invention — of dialogue, action or consequences of action, or compression of the time or
order in which events occurred.
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Explain & Explore
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Emphasize this important distinction between a feature film and a documentary: A feature film is fiction; a documentary
is nonfiction. However, even nonfiction films often have a bias, or prejudice, that reflects the filmmaker’s point of view or
interpretation of factual materials.
Introduce the screening activity. Explain that the voice-over narration is Reverend King reading aloud parts of the letter he
wrote while imprisoned in Birmingham. The words and the voice are real. The images too are real, rather than staged or
created by a filmmaker. Some are still photographs, others are newsreel images. Even so, the filmmakers selected which
images to use and then also decided how to sequence the images. This documentary, therefore, is an interpretation of
history based on historical and cultural evidence.
Distribute
Screening Sheet 4-4: Short Documentary — The Letter. Review the sheet, including the questions, so
students understand what to observe and what to record.
View
Film Clip 4-4: Short Documentary — The Letter. Discuss student responses. Answers will vary but
recommended key points are presented below.
Images
Camerawork
List six images from the film that, in some way, “got
you thinking” about civil rights and social injustice.
Describe the camerawork in this documentary,
including both positive and negative aspects.
Answers will vary, based on individuals’ personal
experiences as well as how much they know or do not
know about civil rights history. Accept all reasonable
responses.
Again, answers will vary. Some students may comment
on the graininess of the film or the glaring lights.
Certain images are hard to distinguish and the quality
is unpolished, but that in itself is effective, for it adds
to the reality. Others may comment on how the images
dovetail with the text, showing violence at the point
when Reverend King speaks of injustices.
Think More About It
1. How did the images presented in this film help you better understand the meaning of Reverend King’s
letter from Birmingham jail? Answers will vary. Some students may cite the peaceful appearance of the
marchers contrasted with the brutality of the police. Accept all reasonable responses.
2.
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What is the purpose of this documentary — to inform, to express an opinion, to persuade, or to entertain?
Tell why you think so. The purpose is both to inform and to argue, or persuade. Stress that the filmmakers’
selection of images to accompany Reverend King’s words was intentional and carefully thought out, not only to
clarify what King meant but also to illustrate his point of view that civil injustice is wrong.
Close
Emphasize this key point: To Kill a Mockingbird is a fictional film. The documentary students just screened is a nonfiction film.
Both, however, focus on social issues of civil rights and justice. Ask students: Which — the film or the documentary — is a more
reliable source of historical information? Why do you think so?
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Concept
Moving-image texts from 1896 onward are available as contemporary records of events, places, and people. Although
authentic historical or cultural documents, these moving-image texts still require interpretation.
Engage
(Note: In order for students to complete this activity, they must have access to the Internet, with capability to download
archived films.)
Share this information with students:
In 1963, an assassin shot and killed President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. The assassination happened during midday when
most people were at work or at school. They did not see the video footage of the president’s motorcade moving through the
streets in the moments just prior to the assassination. That evening, however, and for days after, the footage played repeatedly
on television news.
Reinforce concepts introduced in activities A and B by asking students this question: The assassination happened in the past,
but was it history? Guide discussion along these lines:
1.
History requires evidence. Most students will understand that evidence exists to prove the event happened.
2.
History has consequences. Students may not understand the actual consequences of this event, but most will
appreciate that the murder of a president would surely affect the country.
3.
History is an attempt to understand the past. Most students may not be aware that investigations into the
assassination took many years and that the video footage of the event became important evidence in that
investigation. That said, not everyone interpreted the video images in the same way.
Ask students to list similar historical events that they saw happen on television news. These may include the election of
a president, the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City, an Olympic champion winning a gold medal,
a disaster such as an earthquake or a fire, etc. List student responses on the chalkboard or overhead projector. Stress this
important point: An image may document what happened, but an image alone does not explain why something happened
or what the consequences might be or have been. That is the work of the historian.
Explain & Explore
Introduce the writing activity. Students will play the role of a historian interpreting a moving-image document. They will
work with a partner or a team to select the moving-image document they wish to view and interpret. The document may
be from any period of history. Then they will write their interpretation of the document in one of three formats — a
description, a narration, or an argument.
Distribute and display
Graphic Organizer 4-4: Writing About History to introduce students to the writing process
involved in this assignment. Review the key concepts on the graphic organizer as suggested below.
Step 1: The Prewriting Process
By middle school, most students should know that writing involves a process, and prewriting is the first step in the
process. Here the writer brainstorms ideas, researches a topic, then focuses the topic to include a theme or a thesis.
The same writing process holds true when writing about history or historical documents.
Primary Source Documents
A primary source document is one created by people who actually saw or participated in an event and recorded that
event or their reactions to it immediately after the event. By contrast, a secondary source is one created by someone
either not present when the event took place or removed by time from the event. A primary source document could
be a letter, a diary, a photograph, a moving image, etc.
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Step 2: The Writing Process
In general, historical interpretations can be presented in one of three ways:
Description
A description is a portrayal of a person, a place, or an object at a particular moment in time. Specific details are very
important in descriptive writing, but description is more than a random collection of sentences about what a person
or place or object looks or sounds like. The passage has a dominant impression or overall tone, such as authoritative,
ominous, mysterious, etc. One strategy for writing description is showing change over a period of time.
Narrative
A narrative tells a story about a person, a place, or an object. Narrative writing includes the following elements —
characters, setting, conflict, action, and resolution. Details are also important, but they are arranged chronologically,
from the story’s beginning through the story’s end. Like descriptive writing, narrative writing must also have a point
or overall message.
Argument
An argument is an essay that expresses an opinion or point of view about a subject, then supports that statement
with evidence. The goal is to persuade. An argument has two elements — a claim, or statement, about a controversial
issue; and logic, reasons or evidence to support the claim. In choosing to write an argument, however, keep in mind
that you cannot argue facts or things that are impossible to change.
Emphasize that Reverend King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is an example of an argument because it provides both a
claim and logical reasoning. The film documentary based on this letter is also an argument.
Distribute
History Writing Activity 4-11: Document-Based Questions (DBQs). Review all three parts with students
to ensure they understand how to proceed. Explain that their interpretations may be written or oral presentations. Allow
time for students to view and complete their interpretations.
Assign part 3, writing the paper. Share students’ final presentations with the class.
Close
Most students who have completed the activities in this chapter should have a greater understanding of how moving images
can shape our understanding of past events and people. Ask students to state in their own words how a film can help them
better understand a historical period. Guide discussion to include key concepts presented in the chapter: A film is a cultural
document; filmmakers re-present history, often using primary source documents; a documentary is a nonfiction film that
presents real people and real events, but even documentaries can reflect a filmmaker’s bias or point of view; primary source
documents, including film, require thoughtful interpretation.
Hold a Class Debate on Film Depictions
Debate question: Do filmmakers have a responsibility to accurately
depict people of all races in a positive, non-demeaning way? Visit
The Story of Movies Web site at www.storyofmovies.org for more
information. Teachers can download lesson plans for a class debate.
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