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To Kill a Mockingbird

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A+ Student Essay: Boo Radley's Role in Scout and Jem's Lives and Development

In To Kill a Mockingbird , children live in an inventive world where mysteries abound but little exists to actually cause them harm. Scout and Jem spend much of their time inventing stories about their reclusive neighbor Boo Radley, gleefully scaring themselves before rushing to the secure, calming presence of their father, Atticus. As the novel progresses, however, the imaginary threat that Boo Radley poses pales in comparison to the real dangers Jem and Scout encounter in the adult world. The siblings’ recognition of the difference between the two pushes them out of childhood and toward maturity—and as they make that transition, Boo Radley, their childhood bogeyman, helps serve as link between their past and their present.

The games and stories Jem and Scout create around Boo Radley depict him as a source of violence and danger. However, though these inventions seem designed to prove the children’s braveness and maturity, they paradoxically prove that Jem, Scout, and their friend Dill fundamentally remain children. Their stories are gruesome, and the thrill of their games—such as touching the side of Boo’s house—comes from the danger they imagine they would face if Boo were to catch them. However, the children are able to indulge in wild imaginings and take what they perceive as risky chances only because they feel completely safe in the care of Atticus, who protects them from a dark, dangerous world. The threatening, menacing Boo thus remains firmly entrenched in their childhood worldview, where adults are infallible and all-powerful.

When adult protection breaks down in the novel, Jem and Scout get their first taste of true danger, which is different from the imagined dangers they’d attributed to Boo Radley. The fire at Miss Maudie’s, Mrs. Dubose’s grisly death, and the violence and unrest that trails in the wake of the Tom Robinson case introduce real misfortune and anxiety into their lives. For the first time, adults are frightened and sad along with the children, and therefore cannot be counted on to provide security or refuge. Boo Radley, once such a threatening presence, now seems like a remnant of a more innocent time. The contrast between then and now seems all the more stark because Boo Radley remains in their lives, a constant reminder of how things had been before.

Faced with real dangers, Jem and Scout must tap into new levels of maturity in order to deal with tragedy, new social challenges, and increased familial expectations. As their relationship with Atticus and the larger adult community changes, their relationship with Boo changes as well. Once just a creepy, mostly abstract figure, Boo begins playing a more active role in the children’s lives, first by protecting Scout with a blanket during Miss Maudie’s fire and then by protecting Jem and Scout from an attack by Bob Ewell. Boo had been an integral part of Jem and Scout’s childhood, and, in the midst of their burgeoning adulthood, he serves as a link between their past and their present. Once an imagined enemy and a source of perceived danger, Boo transforms into a true friend and ally, helping them at crucial moments in their transition from childhood to maturity.

The children’s early perspective of “danger” centered on Boo Radley, and only by understanding the contrast between these imagined dangers and the real dangers of the adult world can they pass from childhood into adulthood. But the children’s shifting interactions with Boo points to another element of maturity as well: the capacity for empathy. Once simply an eccentric figure in the children’s games, Boo ultimately becomes a true human being to them—one who has endured more than his fair share of tragedy and deserves his fair share of honor, respect, and affection.

To Kill a Mockingbird SparkNotes Literature Guide

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Part one, chapter 1 summary, full book analysis summary, character list characters, scout finch characters, themes literary devices, prejudice quotes, full book quick quizzes, take a study break.

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• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Literature Notes
• Comparing To Kill a Mockingbird to Its Movie Version
• To Kill a Mockingbird at a Glance
• Book Summary
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Part 1: Chapter 1
• Part 1: Chapters 2-3
• Part 1: Chapters 4-5
• Part 1: Chapters 6-7
• Part 1: Chapters 8-9
• Part 1: Chapters 10-11
• Part 2: Chapters 12-13
• Part 2: Chapters 14-16
• Part 2: Chapters 17-20
• Part 2: Chapters 21-23
• Part 2: Chapters 24-26
• Part 2: Chapters 27-28
• Part 2: Chapters 29-31
• Character Analysis
• Scout (Jean Louise) Finch
• Atticus Finch
• Dill Harris
• Boo Radley and Tom Robinson
• Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie Atkinson
• Bob and Mayella Ewell
• Character Map
• About To Kill a Mockingbird
• Harper Lee Biography
• Critical Essays
• Racial Relations in the Southern United States
• Famous Quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird
• Film Versions of To Kill a Mockingbird
• Full Glossary for To Kill a Mockingbird
• Essay Questions
• Practice Projects
• Cite this Literature Note

Critical Essays Comparing To Kill a Mockingbird to Its Movie Version

Introduction

The film version of To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), which stars Gregory Peck as Atticus and Mary Badham as Scout, is as much a classic as the novel itself. (The film received eight Academy Awards nominations and netted awards for Best Actor, Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and Best Art Direction — Set Decoration, Black and White.)

Ideally, a novel and its film version complement each other, which, on many levels, is the case with To Kill a Mockingbird. However, film can accomplish things that novels can't, and vice versa. Likewise, film has limitations that a novel doesn't. This essay explores some of the differences between To Kill a Mockingbird , the film and the novel.

By its nature, film is a visual medium, which makes a first-person story difficult to tell. To have Scout narrating throughout the film as she does in the book would prove distracting, so Scout as narrator is only presented to set the mood of a scene in the film. As a result, viewers don't get a strong sense of Scout's first-person narration as they do in the book; instead, they simply notice the childlike perspective portrayed in the story. (The film uses music to help reinforce the child's point-of-view. The music is very elementary, and much of the score is composed of single notes without chords or embellishments.)

Because the narration is not as straightforward in the film, the film seems to shift more to Jem's experiences. For example, Jem finds all the articles in the tree. Jem accompanies Atticus to tell Helen Robinson of her husband's death. Jem is left alone to watch his sister. Scout is still an important character, but the film expands on her brother's role.

A film has less time to tell its story and therefore often concentrates the events of a story into fewer characters; when a book makes the transition to film, characters and their actions are often combined. For instance, Miss Stephanie Crawford is Dill's aunt and Cecil Jacobs, not Francis Hancock, drives Scout to break her promise to Atticus about fighting. Aunt Alexandra isn't present in the movie at all, so the issue of Scout "acting like a lady" never plays a major role in the film.

Film also often introduces new characters to help develop the story line. In the film, Scout and Jem have a conversation about their deceased mother which brings her alive for the viewers; the book devotes a single paragraph to her. Viewers also meet Tom Robinson's children and father. His father isn't mentioned in the book, and his children receive only a brief mention.

The benefit of film is that viewers get to see the characters. They can put a face with a name, so to speak. And characters can say things with facial expressions, hand gestures, and posture that an author must describe to readers. Many people enjoy the advantage of being able to visualize a character; however, viewers can be thrown out of the story if the actor playing the part doesn't fit the reader's vision of the character. For instance, the actress who plays Miss Maudie is thin, much younger, and more conventional than Scout describes in the book, which takes some of the bite out of the character. On the other hand, Gregory Peck, by Lee's own assertion, is the perfect embodiment of Atticus Finch, which gives the character a far greater depth than the book, alone, can provide.

Because a film has a limited time in which to tell the story, events from a novel are invariably dropped when the book becomes a film. Although the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird includes every major event from the novel, the screenplay takes place over two years, not three, and many events are left out. For example, the children have virtually no contact with Mrs. Dubose, and the film never shows the inside of a classroom, so viewers don't experience any of the episodes with Miss Caroline, Miss Gates, and some of the other minor characters that create Maycomb's texture and layers.

Lee's novel is a coming-of-age story influenced by a major event in the community and within one family. Scout not only tries to understand and process the trial, but she's also wrestling with the expectations those around her have of little girls. The film, on the other hand, is a courtroom drama that happens to include something about the lead attorney's home life. In its film version, To Kill a Mockingbird only touches on the issues of femininity. The movie never gets into Maycomb's caste system, so viewers don't necessarily know that the Ewells are considered to be "trash."

The implied incest between Bob and Mayella Ewell is never discussed during the course of the trial. Unlike today's films, movies in 1962 weren't allowed to cover such controversial subject matter. Instead, films had to find ways to work around taboo subjects. In this case, the film works around the incest issue by showing Bob Ewell's unscrupulous behavior in other ways. For instance, he begins stalking Jem and Scout before Tom's trial begins, and viewers can see from Mayella's facial expressions in the courtroom that she's frightened of her father.

The courtroom scenes are condensed in the film. Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch delivers a shortened version of Atticus' closing arguments to the jury. The lines he does say are verbatim, but several points from the speech aren't included. Neither does the film explore the aftermath of the trial or portray the conversations Atticus has with his children in trying to help them understand the situation.

The film addresses the plight of African Americans only through the trial. Calpurnia is treated respectfully by everyone, the children never attend Calpurnia's church, and on the day of the trial, blacks and whites enter the courtroom together (although the blacks, and Scout, Jem, and Dill, sit separately in a balcony, just as they do in the book). Remember, though, that at the time this film was in theaters, audiences wouldn't have needed an explanation for these sorts of things. They knew first-hand the challenges African Americans faced. The idea that blacks would sit separate from whites would have been expected — or understood, at the very least — by anyone viewing the film.

Film is very much reflective of the original audience's culture. As a film ages, audiences need more information to fully grasp the story. The fact that the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird is still so powerful is a testament to a fine adaptation of a classic story.

Previous Racial Relations in the Southern United States

101 To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Titles & Examples

If you struggle to find “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay topics on prejudice, race, the characters’ courage, or any other issue, look no further. Our team has prepared a list of titles and essay writing tips for this book.

🏆 Best To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Topics & Examples

📌 most interesting to kill a mockingbird essay titles, 👍 good to kill a mockingbird research topics, ❓ to kill a mockingbird essay questions.

Before we will talk about the do’s and don’ts in essay writing, let’s clarify the types of essay.

When working on “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay thesis, you can focus on the facts of the book or concentrate on your attitude towards its key issues and characters. According to your approach, we can divide essays into two main areas:

• Objective essay: you set out your personal thoughts on a chosen issue and provide supporting arguments and evidence;
• Subjective essay: you express your point of view on a specific topic without claiming the truth and strengthening it with facts.

For example, when you choose a “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay topics on goodness, you will state that Atticus is a kind and fearless. No doubt that this character has a positive role.

On the other hand, when you describe Mayella, you will have to choose: will you condemn her or express pity.

As for the essay content, it can be divided into many subcategories:

• Philosophical essay
• Critical essay
• Literary analysis
• Historical essay, etc.

There are also a few key literary types:

• Feature article, etc.

Do’s & Don’ts When Writing To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

Now, it’s time to talk about what you should write and what to avoid in your paper. First of all, you have to remember that all “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay titles should reveal the essence of the issue.

Recommendations for essay writing:

• Do mark your essay subject at the beginning of the text. “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay hooks will help you to catch the reader’s attention. Don’t forget to emphasize the central issue in the conclusion.
• Do support the style of presentation by your emotions, vision, and opinion. Use the “question-answer” in paragraphs. Make the transitions between paragraphs harmonious and smooth.
• Do use quotes, historical facts, and observations to argue the thesis statement, solve the main issue, and describe the key subject of the paper.
• Do stick to the central thesis of your essay. Avoid deepen into philosophical reflections — tell about concrete facts and examples. Here’s an example: don’t include the facts from the author’s biography if you focus on the events of the book and factors that affect discrimination.
• Do proofread the paper. Read carefully your essay several times and think if your readers will understand your expressions.
• Do not use specific terminology in “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay. For example, when you write about discrimination, you don’t necessarily have to provide its dictionary definition or use complex law, historical and psychological literature, and samples. Just your own language. However, it doesn’t mean that your opinion should seem ungrounded.
• Do add your emotions to the paper. Let your readers feel that you believe in your ideas when defending the essay thesis.
• Don’t choose the header before you write an essay. First, you should write an essay, and only then compile the title of your paper.

Well, now you know about the essay types, what to do, and what to avoid in your essay. Of course, you may ask: “What to write in my own essay?”

The key to success is to start. Check “To Kill a Mockingbird” essay examples on our website to get inspiration. Even the topic seems to you too complicated, start your research, and then you will be able to express new and original thoughts.

• Slavery in To Kill a Mockingbird Novel The introduction of Tom by the author is a plot device to represent the plight of the slaves in the state.
• “To Kill a Mockingbird”: Book and Movie Differences It is important to note that the film, To Kill a Mockingbird entails most of the aspects depicted in the novel.
• To Kill a Mockingbird Main Themes The main themes of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird cover both adult and children’s concerns, including the dignity of human life, the importance of truth, the rights of people to be different, the need […]
• “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962) by Robert Mulligan This movie presented a timely reflection of the extent of deep racial problems and social injustices existing in the southern part of the US in the early 60s.
• Novel Appreciation: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The contemporary discussion of this novel is often tied to the question of racism; nevertheless, I am convinced that this book can be of great interest to modern readers, and I would like to discuss […]
• The Problem of Racism and Injustice in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee In the novel, Harper Lee demonstrates her vision of the question of the social inequality with references to the problem of racism in the society based on prejudice and absence of actual principles of tolerance […]
• To Kill a Mockingbird: Movie Analysis Speaking of the movements which convey the essence of the film without any speech “intrusion”, it would be a good idea to drive the example of Boo Radley standing in the darker corner of the […]
• The Title of Lee’s “How to Kill a Mockingbird” Book The novel’s core topic is the disappearance of innocence and the influence of bias on the lives of the novel’s characters.
• Empathy and Racism in Stockett’s The Help and Li’s To Kill a Mockingbird To start with, the first approach to racism and promoting empathy is to confront prevalent discrimination and racism, which was often shown in The Help. Another solution to racism and the possibility of promoting empathy […]
• Systemic Racism in Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” & Whitehead’s “The Nickel Boys” Racism in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird is pronounced and presented as the natural habitat of the town of Maycomb.
• Reflections of Harper Lee’s Life in “To Kill a Mockingbird” Nelle Harper Lee wrote a book, “To kill a Mockingbird,” this novel is one of greatest in the history of world literature, but the author would never have written the book without the best friend […]
• Themes in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee To Kill a Mockingbird, in its imperfection, is a testament to the march of progress in social justice and racial equality.
• Nelle Harper Lee and Her Reflection in “To Kill a Mockingbird” The author perfectly reflects her life in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird as her father played an essential role in creating the story.
• Lift a Ban on “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Lee Understanding different activities have remained vital in society.”To Kill a Mockingbird” is a book that explains the problems of the United States and promotes people to be just and respect human rights.
• “To Kill a Mockingbird” Drama Film The plot proves to be logical and consistent throughout the movie, motivating the audience to watch till the end of the film.
• Understanding Other Perspective: To Kill a Mockingbird The literature portrays the actual happenings in the society in an educative and corrective manner that is acceptable to both sides of the victim and perpetrator of injustices.
• “To Kill a Mockingbird”: The Novel by Harper Lee Scout does not realize the severity of many of the events of the book as they are taking place, and as such she is an innocent.
• American History in “To Kill a Mockingbird” Book & Film Racial attitudes and the dominance of white men over the black ones in the USA are the central ideas of the movie and the novel.
• Racist Trial in the Novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee For the purpose, evaluation would be made in the context of utilization of events, time and culture of the book and compare it to today’s society, culture and racial attitudes.
• Racial Prejudice in Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” Paul Lawrence Dunbar in his poem, “Sympathy” has vividly portrayed the pangs of a caged bird and likens it to the collective pain that colored people have felt like victims of racial prejudices.”And a pain […]
• “To Kill a Mockingbird” Novel by Harper Lee It is one of the main characteristics of the mockingbird includes its innocence and imitation of the songs of other birds in a loud voice.
• “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee In consequence, the book became a model source of reading that inspired people to further take on the issues of race in the USA and throughout the world.
• Analysis of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Although the innocent black man is killed while attempting to break out of prison when he might have gone free had the case proceeded to a higher court, Atticus and the town’s sheriff conjure a […]
• American Novel: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee It is also worth to mention that the novel is indeed relevant to its readership because it mirrors the nature of society affected by racism and inequality. Through the act of inclusiveness, I am in […]
• What It Takes to Kill a Mockingbird: In Search for the Differences Between the Novel and a Movie The characters both in the novel and in the movie were often pushed to the breaking point; however, one of such moments described in the book was left out of the movie.
• Social Issues in the “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee The phrase ‘to kill a mocking bird’ stands out as a metaphor in the book To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
• Moral Principles in Harper Lee’s Novel To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee explores a great number of themes in the first chapters of the novel, for example, integrity of a person and his/her ability contradict the norms, adopted in the community.
• To Kill a Mockingbird The author, in the novel To Kill a Mocking Bird presents a deeper understanding in relation to events occurring in her novel. To enhance understanding of the novel, the author has widely embraced symbolism in […]
• “To Kill a Mockingbird” and the Techniques Used: Characterisation, Structure, Point of View, and Language
• The Different Types of Families Represented in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• Atticus Finch’s Views on Race and How They Change Throughout “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Racist Attitudes of the People in Maycomb County in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• “To Kill a Mockingbird”: How Symbolism Reinforces Important Ideas
• The Supproting Character of Boo Radley as a Hero in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• Unjust Persecution as a Major Theme in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Significance of the Title of “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• Use of Symbols in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• The Trial of Tom Robinson and Its Role in Exploring the Issue of Racism in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• Violence and Alienation in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• “To Kill a Mockingbird”: The Importance of Understanding Individual Differences
• True Courage in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• The Two Types of Underprivileged People in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Influences Parents Have on Their Children in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The References That Suggest to Boo Radley and Tom Robinson in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• Tom Robinson and Boo Radley as Mockingbirds in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Southern Gothic Elements in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• The Resemblance Between Tom Robinson and Boo Radley in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Themes of Childhoods in “Jane Eyre” and “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Role of Family in Shaping the Characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Affects of One’s Surrounding Environment on Their Personality and Morals in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The True Heroic Qualities of Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Theme of the Loss of Childhood Innocence in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• Town of Maycomb’s Role in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• The Different Types of Prejudice Represented in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• Atticus Finch as a Moral Compass for His Children in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Moral Development of the Characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Impact of Cowardice on the Characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• Mrs Dubose as an Example of Courage in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Impact of Scout’s Family on Her Development in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Victims of Stereotyping in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• Atticus Finch as a Father Figure in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• Tragic Hero in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Crucible”
• The Themes of Racism and Fear of the Unknown in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• Hidden Symbols in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• The Value of Informal Education in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• Tom Robinson’s Trial as a Central Part of “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• Unarmed Bravery in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• Use of Piaget’s Theories of Child Development in Analyzing “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• The Tolerance Level of the Characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
• The Use of Symbolism and Irony in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• Tom Robinson’s Conviction in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• How Old Is Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What Does Mrs. Maudie’s Nut Grass Symbolize in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• How Does Scout Describe Dill in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• How Is the Theme of Femininity and the Power of Women From “To Kill a Mockingbird” Still Relevant Today?
• Who Are the Radleys in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• Why Does Scout Have That Nickname in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• How Are Fathers Presented in the Novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What Is the Main Meaning of “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• How Does Author Present Racial Issues During the 1930s in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What Are the Two Main Plots in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What Is the Irony in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What Is the Most Important Lesson in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• Is “To Kill a Mockingbird” Still Relevant Today?
• How Does Lee Make Atticus Finch a Heroic Figure in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What “To Kill a Mockingbird” Teaches Us?
• What Are Some Life Lessons From “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What Is the First Turning Point in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What’s the Climax of “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What Are Some Symbols in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• How Are Prejudice and Hypocrisy Explored in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• How Does Harper Lee Build Up Tension Throughout the Novel “To Kill a Mockingbird?
• How Has “To Kill a Mockingbird” Changed the World?
• Why Should Students Read “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• How Does Harper Lee Use Minor Characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• How Does “To Kill a Mockingbird” Connect to the World?
• What Does the Reader Learn About the Social Setting in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What Are the Most Important Quotes in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• Who Is the Protagonist in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• Who Lost Their Innocence in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
• What Does the Mad Dog Represent in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
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To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

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To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

The impact of class structure john florio, to kill a mockingbird.

The rigid class structure and social stratification of Maycomb County had a profound effect on the events in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The impact of this class structure and the underlying prejudice was especially evident in...

Justice in To Kill a Mockingbird Yiran Guo

Justice and its relationship with prejudice is the central theme of the timeless 1960 novel, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Its focal point is the trial of Tom Robinson, an African-American erroneously charged with the rape of a white girl,...

The Journey Motif in Works of American Literature Anonymous 10th Grade

The journey motif is one of the most widely used elements in American literature. The journey is a powerful symbol often used to represent a character’s adventure leading to an epiphany, or some sort of self-realization. This literary device can...

Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird and Goin' Someplace Special Anonymous 10th Grade

Prejudice is a pre-judgement formed about something or someone - but it is more than this as well? This complex idea is highlighted in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and the picture book Goin’ Someplace Special by Patricia...

Character Analysis in To Kill A Mockingbird Katherine Dufour 10th Grade

While most people in society strive to have moral attributes, not everyone understands what traits are important in achieving this goal. Often, people attempt to model themselves after another’s example. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by...

Through Scout's Eyes: The Concept of Perspective Kyle R. Keenan College

“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is one of the greatest works of American literature of all time. It has been reprinted again and again, and is a staple in almost any writing or history class. There are a number of reasons why it can be...

Scout’s Perception of Truth and Reality Anonymous 10th Grade

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 33). Atticus Finch tells this quote to the main character, Scout Finch, in the book To Kill a...

Mayella Ewell Anonymous 12th Grade

In the coming of age novel, To Kill a Mockingbird , Harper Lee portrays many characters in various ways, but none more insidious than Mayella Violet Ewell. Mayella is the story’s boldest antagonist. She is a static character who undergoes no inner...

The Key Influences in Scout's and Jem's Lives Anonymous 9th Grade

The course of growing up is always influenced by the people around you, since the people in your environment are vital in shaping the person you will become. Harper Lee demonstrates this reality in the classic tale To Kill a Mockingbird , through...

Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird: Farewell to Childhood Anonymous 9th Grade

Often, there is no greater power that influences an individual’s development than his or her surroundings. It is one’s society that establishes what is generally accepted and how one comes to act within that society. In the novel To Kill a...

Who's Afraid of Boo Radley?: An Essay on To Kill a Mockingbird Mahyar Mirrashed 9th Grade

Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird , Scout’s feelings and notions regarding Arthur “Boo” Radley change from her initial preconceived impression that he was a monster, to accepting Boo as a person and empathizing his perspective of the...

Jem the Visionary: Characterization in To Kill a Mockingbird Anonymous 9th Grade

In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird , Scout's (the narrator's) older brother, Jem, plays an ironically important role. He may seem similar to other boys in Maycomb given his brotherly characteristics, but there is more to his character. Jem is a...

Irreality in‭ ‬To Kill a Mockingbird: An Overview of Scholarly Perspectives Anonymous College

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) is commonly understood to be a coming of age story that deal with the theme of racial discrimination in the American South during the Great Depression. Close inspection of the novel reveals many...

Bob Ewell: A Journey into the World of an Alcoholic Christopher J Parsick 10th Grade

To Kill a Mockingbird is many things: just to name a few, it is a comment on racism, class, and the mob mentality. In this brilliant novel, there are a lot of well defined characters whose goings on in the fictional Maycomb County help to propel...

Understanding the Meaning of the Books Mentioned in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" Amotz Fraenkel 11th Grade

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a variety of allusions to other works of literature arise, suggesting to the adept reader their significance to the plot and in our understanding of many characters and themes. Two books of special...

Influences of Society on Gender in The Color Purple and To Kill a Mockingbird Zaneb Mansha 11th Grade

Gender roles are learned mainly through social interaction rather than biologically. When people are born, they are supplied with very little knowledge of gender. Certain behavior is taught by means of social interactions and through relationships...

Jem and Gender, Calpurnia and Race: Challenging and Defying Stereotypes in To Kill a Mockingbird Anonymous 10th Grade

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird , multiple characters defy stereotypes made about them and are even able to change opinions and lifestyles of people around them. The book takes place in Maycomb County, Alabama during the 1930s. The book...

The Standards of Love Anonymous 9th Grade

Every society has unwritten rules that everyone respects, and it is momentous when these boundaries are crossed. In To Kill a Mockingbird , Harper Lee develops the argument that love creates a loyalty that can overcome any standards. The author...

A Comparison of Justice in Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ and Charles Dickens’ ‘Great Expectations’ Anonymous 12th Grade

While both Harper Lee and Charles Dickens have parallels in the way they portray justice and the legal system in their respective novels, there are contrasts in the way they portray both Victorian London and the Deep South in the 20th Century....

Discrimination to Destruction: The Impact of Individuals on Communities in Harper Lee and Anne Frank Anonymous 8th Grade

Throughout history, racism has been the cause of thousands of historical events that have ripped populations apart. To be more general, the discrimination of individuals always leads up to the split of the community itself. Within Harper Lee’s To...

Unexpected Models: The Importance of Neighbors as Seen in To Kill a Mockingbird Anonymous 10th Grade

The main focus of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) is that neighbors are, and always will be, the essence of a town and that they are important in many respects. Neighbors not only being those that live directly next to you but also those...

To What Extent Do To Kill a Mockingbird, The Help, and Get Out Engage with White Poverty in their Depiction of White Women? Summer Jade Dolan College

With the defeat of Jefferson Davis’ confederacy in 1865, the American South became a region marked by poverty. The Civil War not only destroyed large amounts of Southern infrastructure, but also devastated the demographic that would typically be...

Walk in Their Footsteps: The Importance of Empathy in To Kill a Mockingbird and A Time to Kill Kristin Virginia Freitas 10th Grade

In the novels To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee and A Time to Kill by John Grisham, the towns of Maycomb and Clanton Mississippi have two men accused and most people already know who they are voting guilty. Their outlooks on each other...

Essays About To Kill a Mockingbird: Top 5 Examples

Understand Harper Lee’s intention for the novel and successfully write essays about To Kill a Mockingbird. Here are some examples and prompts.

To Kill a Mockingbird is an iconic novel created by Harper Lee and published on July 11, 1961. It tells the story of a girl, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, and how she absorbed her father’s lessons through events over three years. She initially struggled to understand his lessons until she had to experience them firsthand through other characters. These include their recluse neighbor Boo Radley, African-American cook Calpurnia, and her father’s client accused of rape, Tom Robinson.

To further understand why this book is a timeless classic and why it deserves to be in teachers’ lesson plans, here are five sample essays you can read:

1. Metaphor, Foreshadowing, And Allusion In The Book To Kill A Mockingbird By Anonymous On Edubirdie.Com

2. growth in to kill a mockingbird by anonymous on samplius.com, 3. parenting in “to kill a mockingbird” by writer terra, 4. critical essays racial relations in the southern united states by anonymous on cliffsnotes.com, 5. my ‘to kill a mockingbird’ problem… and ours by zack graham, 1. to kill a mockingbird as an iconic novel, 2. literary elements in to kill a mockingbird, 3. lessons to learn from “to kill a mockingbird”, 4. why is it titled “to kill a mockingbird”, 5. what impacted the creation of to kill a mockingbird, 6. is to kill a mockingbird worth reading , 7. the characters in to kill a mockingbird, my reflection on a to kill a mockingbird movie.

“…Harper Lee excellently uses metaphors, foreshadowing, and allusion to show the theme of coming of age. Coming of age is something that occurs in everyone’s life whether it be at a young or old age.”

The essay retells To Kill a Mockingbird’s plot to refresh its readers on the novel’s contents. The author focuses on the literary elements in the book and how they helped to develop the story’s theme. 

The writer gives examples of these elements. Metaphors for Atticus asking Scout to put herself in someone else’s shoes to understand their point of view. Allusions for referring to Mockingbirds, alluding to innocent people. Foreshadowing for Atticus telling his daughter to resist the urge to fight, followed by Scout being unable to control her anger.

“Scout and Jem are both excellent examples of growth and maturity during a childhood. Jem learns what it really means to be brave, and Scout gets a true representation of the prejudice in her town.”

The piece delves into Jem’s bravery and how it changes throughout the novel. From simply touching the side of Boo Radley’s house, understanding what racism is through Tom Robinson’s trial, and coping with the attack of Bob Ewell. In the end, Jem grew up to be his sister’s savior. 

It also expounds on Scout’s growth and how she learned lessons worth a lifetime in just three years. In addition, the author recounted times when Scout was narrow-minded as a kid and how the people who love her corrected her ways. 

“There is a wide diversity of parenting styles in Maycomb which leads to many children behaving poorly… Atticus, Calpurnia, and Miss Maudie combine to make parental figures during the childhood of Jem and Scout.” 

Terra scrutinizes the many parenting styles in To Kill a Mockingbird and examines their effects on the characters’ children. For example, she labels Bob Ewell a lousy parent, resulting in mean, stubborn, and uneducated kids. On the other hand, Scout and Jem have many parental figures they learned from, such as their father, Atticus, nanny Calpurnia, and family friend Miss Maudie.

The author relates instances in the book to prove why Atticus is a great parent and how he tried to protect them despite the hate around their town. Terra further narrates other times when Calpurnia and Miss Maudie taught Scout and Jem valuable life lessons. 

“The racial concerns that Harper Lee addresses in To Kill a Mockingbird began long before her story starts and continued long after. In order to sift through the many layers of prejudice that Lee exposes in her novel, the reader needs to understand the complex history of race relations in the South.”

The writer lists relevant headlines during the time of Harper Lee’s creation of her book. The list includes Jim Crow laws that legalized racial segregation, banned interracial marriage, the Scottsboro Trials, where nine black teenage boys were falsely accused of rape, and Rosa Parks’ part in the Civil Right Movement.

“…after re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I can’t help but think about how the more things change, the more they stay the same. The book’s themes and dramatic tensions are anything but dated: they live on around us, appearing on the news and on social media. When you teach this book, I implore you to use it as a way of exploring what’s happening in this country to your students. “

Graham labels his essay an open letter to teachers. He shares his honesty on how he didn’t appreciate reading To Kill a Mockingbird in middle school and how the Black Lives Matter movement motivated him to re-read the book. Finally, he debates why teaching To Kill a Mockingbird to children doesn’t send them the right message. 

He highlights how the heroes in the novel are white people in the characters of Atticus and Boo Radley. Next, he compels teachers to teach their students about racism, such as how white people demonize blacks. He also mentions allegories in the book that can be used to explain cybersecurity, mental disabilities, and other information teachers should give more attention to when discussing the novel. Finally, he also points out the parts of the book he finds “ugly” and infuriating.

For help with your essay, check out our round-up of best essay writing apps .

8 Prompts on Essays About To Kill a Mockingbird

Below are persuasive prompts you can use for your essay:

For this prompt, explain why To Kill a Mockingbird is considered an iconic book. What makes it different from other books? Highlight the key points that make this bestseller a famous English literature example. Then, discuss its themes and provide a summary of the plot for those who haven’t read the book.

In this essay, study the key literary elements that make this book so groundbreaking. First, talk through the literary elements Harper Lee used in this novel, such as the settings, plot, and motif. How did they make the story more digestible? Then, discuss your favorite elements within the book and expand on the points made.

Atticus shares four lessons with his children in the book. Briefly summarize these lessons and share how you understand them. Then, give your opinion on whether they are good or bad advice and include your relevant experience connected to these lessons.

Explain to your readers why the novel is titled as such. Include what you thought of Harper Lee’s title, are there any other title you think better fits the book? For example, you may think the title should be: Atticus’ Four Lessons because the book revolves around his four core messages.

Many events inspired Harper Lee during her time. For example, explain how Rosa Parks’ bus incident and the murder of Emmett Till affected the book’s plot. Then, to give you an idea, you can create a timeline of these events and add their possible impact on Harper Lee.

To Kill a Mockingbird was praised back when it was first published in 1960, but some comment that it has a one-dimensional view of racism. For this essay, share your thoughts and your stance on this debate. Also, include what you felt during and after you read the book and why you would or would not recommend it to others.

Discuss the characters in the story — Scout, Jem, Atticus, Boo Radley, Bob Ewell, Tom Robinson, etc. Include why their parts are relevant in the novel. For example, if you pick Scout, share how her father’s lessons guided her through the book. 

To Kill a Mockingbird Movie was directed by Robert Mulligan and released in 1962. Highlight the elements that you think the movie managed to convey well. You can also point out what the movie missed.

If you are interested in learning more, see our essay writing tips .

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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To Kill a Mockingbird Essays Quote Analysis

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Published: Mar 5, 2024

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