Peck School Blog

New sneakers. Taco Tuesday. Secondary School Applications. 

Every spring, seventh-grade students immerse themselves in the world of Maycomb, Alabama as they parse the complexities and power of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Considered a foundational text through which to explore the damaging impact of Reconstruction-era white supremacy, segregation, and Jim Crow practices, To Kill a Mockingbird also has a great deal to say on the subject of gender. Scout, Lee’s young protagonist, subverts the expectations assigned to her gender in myriad ways through her attire, comportment, and values. Shirking the expectations of a “lady,” Scout faces numerous obstacles to the development of her authentic self, but none hit home quite so harshly as the pressure applied by her beloved brother, Jem.