to kill a mockingbird opinion essays

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 […]
• 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 […]
• 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.
• 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 […]
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• “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.
• 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.
• 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 […]
• 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.
• 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 […]
• “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”
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• How Does Scout Describe Dill in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
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• 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”?
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• 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?
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• 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?
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• How Does Harper Lee Use Minor Characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
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• 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”?
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• 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 good, the bad, and the deep south: character analysis of aunt alexandra anonymous 9th grade, to kill a mockingbird.

The novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee explored the racist south during the Jim Crow era through the lense of a girl, Scout Finch. Through the novel, we learn of the experiences of the people living through this time, and how racism was...

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...

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...

The Impact of Class Structure John Florio

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...

How the moral lessons of To Kill a Mockingbird endure today

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In our series, Guide to the classics , experts explain key works of literature.

Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is one of the classics of American literature. Never out of print, the novel has sold over 40 million copies since it was first published in 1960. It has been a staple of high school syllabuses, including in Australia, for several decades, and is often deemed the archetypal race and coming-of-age novel . For many of us, it is a formative read of our youth.

Read more: 'Great books', nationhood and teaching English literature

The story is set in the sleepy Alabama town of Maycomb in 1936 - 40 years after the Supreme Court’s notorious declaration of the races as being “separate but equal” , and 28 years before the enactment of the Civil Rights Act . Our narrator is nine-year-old tomboy, Scout Finch, who relays her observations of her family’s struggle to deal with the class and racial prejudice shown towards the local African American community.

At the centre of the family and the novel stands the highly principled lawyer Atticus Finch. A widower, he teaches Scout, her older brother Jem, and their imaginative friend Dill, how to live and behave honourably. In this he is aided by the family’s hardworking and sensible black housekeeper Calpurnia, and their kind and generous neighbour, Miss Maudie.

It is Miss Maudie, for example, who explains to Scout why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird: “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us.”

Throughout the novel, the children grow more aware of the community’s attitudes. When the book begins they are preoccupied with catching sight of the mysterious and much feared Boo Radley, who in his youth stabbed his father with a pair of scissors and who has never come out of the family house since. And when Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who is falsely accused of raping a white woman, they too become the target of hatred.

A morality tale for modern America

One might expect a book that dispatches moral lessons to be dull reading. But To Kill a Mockingbird is no sermon. The lessons are presented in a seemingly effortless style, all the while tackling the complexity of race issues with startling clarity and a strong sense of reality.

Read more: William Faulkner diagnosed modern ills in As I Lay Dying

As the Finches return from Robinson’s trial, Miss Maudie says: “as I waited I thought, Atticus Finch won’t win, he can’t win, but he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that.”

Despite the tragedy of Robinson’s conviction, Atticus succeeds in making the townspeople consider and struggle with their prejudice.

The effortlessness of the writing owes much to the way the story is told. The narrator is a grown Scout, looking back on her childhood. When she begins her story, she seems more interested in telling us about the people and incidents that occupied her six-year-old imagination. Only slowly does she come to the events that changed everything for her and Jem, which were set in motion long before their time. Even then, she tells these events in a way that shows she too young to always grasp their significance.

The lessons Lee sets out are encapsulated in episodes that are as funny as they are serious, much like Aesop’s Fables. A case in point is when the children return home from the school concert with Scout still dressed in her outlandish ham costume. In the dark they are chased and attacked by Bob Ewell the father of the woman whom Robinson allegedly raped. Ewell, armed with a knife, attempts to stab Scout, but the shapeless wire cage of the ham causes her to loose balance and the knife to go astray. In the struggle that ensues someone pulls Ewell off the teetering body of Scout and he falls on the knife. It was Boo Radley who saved her.

Another lesson about what it means to be truly brave is delivered in an enthralling episode where a local farmer’s dog suddenly becomes rabid and threatens to infect all the townsfolk with his deadly drool.

Scout and Jem are surprised when their bespectacled, bookish father turns out to have a “God-given talent” with a rifle; it is he who fires the single shot that will render the townsfolk safe. The children rejoice at what they consider an impressive display of courage. However, he tells them that what he did was not truly brave. The better example of courage, he tells them, is Mrs Dubose (the “mean” old lady who lived down the road), who managed to cure herself of a morphine addiction even as she was dying a horribly painful death from cancer.

He also teaches them the importance of behaving in a civilised manner, even when subjected to insults. Most of all Atticus teaches the children the importance of listening to one’s conscience even when everyone else holds a contrary view: “The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule”, he says, “is a person’s conscience.”

The continuing value in Atticus’ belief in the importance of principled thinking in the world of Black Lives Matter and the Australian government’s rhetoric of “African gangs” , is clear.

Atticus’ spiel on “conscience” and the other ethical principles he insists on living by, are key to the enduring influence of the novel. It conjures an ideal of moral standards and human behaviour that many people still aspire to today, even though the novel’s events and the characters belong to the past.

Lee herself was not one to shy away from principled displays: writing to a school that banned her novel, she summed up the source of the morality her book expounds. The novel, she said, “spells out in words of seldom more than two syllables a code of honor and conduct”.

Fame and obscurity

When first published the novel received rave reviews . A year later it won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature, followed by a movie version in 1962 starring Gregory Peck . Indeed, the novel was such a success that Lee, unable to cope with all the attention and publicity, retired into obscurity .

Interviewed late in life, Lee cited two reasons for her continued silence: “I wouldn’t go through the pressure and publicity I went through with To Kill a Mockingbird for any amount of money. Second, I have said what I wanted to say, and I will not say it again.”

The latter statement is doubtless a reference to the autobiographical nature of her book. Lee passed her childhood in the rural town of Monroeville in the deep south, where her attorney father defended two black men accused of killing a shopkeeper. The accused were convicted and hanged.

Undoubtedly influenced by these formative events, the biographical fiction Lee drew out of her family history became yet more complex upon the publication of her only other novel, Go Set a Watchman, in 2016. Critics panned it it for lacking the light touch and humour of the first novel. They also decried the fact that the character of Atticus Finch was this time around a racist bigot , a feature that had the potential to taint the author’s legacy .

Read more: Review/ Has Go Set a Watchman helped topple the notion of the white saviour?

Subsequent biographical research revealed that Go Set A Watchman, was not a sequel, but the first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird. Following initial rejection by the publisher Lippincot, Lee reworked it into the superior novel many of us know and still love today.

Lee gave us the portrait of one small town in the south during the depression years. But it was so filled with lively detail, and unforgettable characters with unforgettable names like Atticus, Scout, Calpurnia and Boo Radley that a universal story emerged, and with it the novel’s continuing popularity.

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Everything You Need to Know About Analysing ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ for English | Summary, Context, Themes & Characters

One of the classics of American literature, ‘ To Kill a Mockingbird’ has been assigned to you for your English class and you need to conduct an essay analysis. Whether you’re looking for a summary of the themes in To Kill a Mockingbird or a quick refresher of the key characters or context, we’ve got you! 

You’ll also be able to download a copy of our analysed textual examples, as well as a sample paragraph so you can ace your tasks.

Let’s take a look together! 

To Kill a Mockingbird Summary Key Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird Symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird Context Themes Explored in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird

Summary of To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that centres around the Finch family and is told through the perspective of Jean (nicknamed Scout), within the town of Maycomb, Alabama. Atticus, Jean’s father, is a prominent lawyer and the family lives relatively comfortably despite the impacts of the Great Depression. 

Image sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Scout, her brother Jem and their friend Dill spend the summer together where Dill eventually becomes fascinated by the Radley’s house where Boo Radley, a mysterious and ghostly figure that is the topic of much speculation and stories for the children of Maycomb .

Scout and Jem find gifts in the knothole of a tree on the Radley property, but Nathan Radley chases the children off the property and eventually seals up the knothole. When a fire breaks out, Jem tells Atticus that Boo is caused it. 

Access the To Kill a Mockingbird Downloadable Sample Paragraph and Examples of Analysis

The climax of the novel arrives when Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a Black man who has been accused of raping a white woman. As a result, Scout and Jem get bullied by other children in their conservative, racist town.

At a pivotal moment, Mrs Dubose, the neighbour of the Finch family, harasses the children and Jem lashes out by destroying her garden.

As punishment, Atticus tells Jem to read to Mrs Dubose every day, explaining to the children that she is addicted to morphine and trying to overcome her addiction. Thus, despite the children’s initial indignation, Atticus teaches them an important lesson in empathy and perspective. 

When Tom Robinson’s trial begins, he is held in the local courthouse where a group of people gather planning to lynch him. Atticus confronts the group the night before the trial, where Jem and Scout sneak out of the house to join him.

Recognising one of the men, Scout gently asks him how his son is doing, unknowingly shaming him and causing the group the disperse. 

At the trial, the siblings choose to sit with the town’s Black citizens as Atticus presents clear evidence that Mayella and Bob Ewell are lying about the rape.

Atticus demonstrates that the injuries on Mayella’s face are wounds from Bob when he found her with Tom. However, despite the convincing evidence indicating Tom’s innocence, the all-white jury convicts him. 

Tom is killed later on when he tries to escape prison. Additionally, despite his success at the trial, Bob Ewell feels that he has been made a fool and takes revenge.

First, he harasses Tom’s widow before finally attacking Jem and Scout as they walk home from a party. However, the children are saved by Boo Radley who fatally stabs Ewell during the struggle.

Boo carries an injured Jem home and Atticus insists that Ewell tripped over a tree root and fell on his knife to protect Boo.  The novel ends with Scout walking Boo home and reflecting on the events of the novel and the complexities of humanity. 

Key Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird

Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch is the main character and we first met her when she is 6 years old, although it is narrated by an older Scout who is reflecting and looking back on her life. Through her, we learn about the town, her family and what it was like to live in the early 1930s during the Great Depression and the racial tensions that existed during that time.  

Atticus Finch Atticus Finch is a single father in To Kill a Mockingbird who is appointed as the defence lawyer for a Black man who is accused of raping a White woman. Throughout the novel, Atticus teaches the children about empathy and how to view situations from different people’s perspectives instead of judging them harshly. 

Jem Finch Jem Finch is Scout’s older brother who looks up to their father a lot. As an older brother, Jem accompanies Scout for a lot of her adventures and it is evident that the two are close. Being older, we watch Jem mature and often understand issues that Scout still does not. 

Tom Robinson Tom Robinson is the Black man who Atticus defends during the rape trial. During the trial, there is compelling evidence that Tom is innocent and that the Ewells falsely accused him of rape. Despite this, Tom Robinson is found guilty due to the jury’s racial prejudice. 

Boo Radley Arthur ‘Boo’ Radley is the Finch’s mysterious neighbour which the children in the town often speculate and make up scary stories about him. While he was a teenager, Boo was part of a gang of boys who caused trouble in Maycomb by drinking and gambling. As a result of this, he was locked in his home for many years and not allowed out. However, he has a soft spot for the children, leaving them gifts in the knothole of a tree and saving Jem when he is attacked by Bob Ewell. 

Symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird

Mockingbird In “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the symbolic significance of the mockingbird resonates deeply. It represents innocence and goodness . Atticus Finch’s advice to his children, Scout and Jem, to never harm a mockingbird metaphorically extends beyond the bird itself. The innocent characters like Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are likened to mockingbirds, as they bring no harm but are subjected to cruelty and injustice due to societal prejudices .

The Radley Place The ominous Radley house and its reclusive occupants, particularly Boo Radley, symbolise the fear of the unknown . The town’s gossip and myths surrounding the Radleys serve as a reflection of the community’s prejudiced attitudes. Boo Radley, initially feared and misunderstood, eventually becomes a symbol of compassion and kindness, challenging the town’s preconceived notions.

These symbols intricately weave into the narrative, adding layers of depth to the novel’s themes of innocence, prejudice, empathy, and the complexities of morality and human behavior.

To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Alabama during the 1930s, allowing Harper Lee to explore the impact of racism and the Great Depression on people. While slavery had been abolished in 1890, most White Americans continued to hold racial prejudices against them.

Segregation laws meant that Black people were separated from White people. This is reflected in Maycomb where they live in a separate part of town and even sit in a separate area during Tom Robinson’s trial. 

Image sourced from Britannica

Additionally, Lee demonstrates the racism in America during this time through the town’s response to Atticus agreeing to defend Tom and his subsequent trial. From the children being harassed, the attempted lynching of Tom and finally being found guilty by the jury despite overwhelming proof of his innocence, the novel demonstrates how racism affected Black people in all aspects of their lives during this time. 

While the novel was set in the 1930s, Lee wrote it during the 1960s when the Civil Rights Movement was happening . The legal system continued to be discriminatory towards Black people, thus many of the racial themes that Lee explores in the novel would easily be recognisable to the public when the book was published.

The continued relevance of To Kill a Mockingbird during the 21st century can still be seen in the Black Lives Matter movement in America and ongoing racial injustices. 

Image sourced from Minnesota Historical Society

Themes Explored in To Kill a Mockingbird

As you read through To Kill a Mockingbird, you will encounter themes such as:

• Empathy and courage
• Loss of innocence 

The Complexities of Humanity

To Kill a Mockingbird explores the complexities of humanity and how both good and evil can exist at the same time within people. Told through the perspective of Scout between the ages of 6-9, readers are offered an opportunity to watch Scout mature while also learning alongside her. 

Social Prejudice

Themes of social prejudice are also strong within the novel, featuring various social outcasts from Mrs Dubose who is a morphine addict, Boo Radley and the Black citizens of Maycomb.

Through these characters, Lee is able to explore the different prejudices society often holds and encourages us to be empathetic to people we may think of as unpleasant or weird due to their differences or behaviours. Instead, we are encouraged to see a different point of view and “climb into his skin and walk around in it”. 

The Enduring Relevance of the Text

While To Kill a Mockingbird was set in the 1930s and written in the 1960s, many of the themes continue to remain relevant more than 50 years later. It is likely that your English classes will ask you to consider why we continue to study this book and what it teaches us about social prejudices.

While segregation may be a thing of the past, themes like racism’s impact on the justice system can still be seen in movements like Black Lives Matter. Additionally, while the book deals with racism specifically, social prejudices like how we interact with people from different backgrounds, those with a disability or LGBTQ+ people can also be examined through this book. 

Events to Keep in Mind

While Tom Robinson’s case is the climax of the novel, there are various characters and events that you should keep a lookout for as well!

From the children going to the Black church, their interactions with Mrs Dubose and Boo Radley — there are various events where the children build empathy and challenge their own opinions of other citizens in the town , providing an opportunity for the readers to learn alongside them too. 

How to Analyse To Kill a Mockingbird in 3 Steps

Usually, when students try to write their essay for To Kill a Mockingbird, or any other text, they’ll try to work on their thesis first when responding to an essay question — however, we recommend starting with your analysis!

Doing this will allow you to expand your knowledge of the text before thoroughly answering anything about it. Once you’ve analysed your text, then you can draw ideas from it and properly build your thesis.

We’re going to walk you through writing up an essay analysis for To Kill a Mockingbird in three simple steps!

Step 1: Choose your example

When picking an example ensure that you are able to identify a technique in the text.

Here, we have chosen to look at Atticus’s statement to the Court and jury at Tom Robinson’s trial:

“We know all men are not created equal in the sense some people would have us believe – some people are smarter than others, some people have more opportunity because they’re born with it, some men make more money than others, some ladies make better cakes than others… But there is one way in this country in which all men have been created equal… That institution, gentlemen, is a court.”

This is quite a long quote from To Kill a Mockingbird, so remember when you’re actually writing up your analysis for your essay, you don’t actually need to include the complete quote — just excerpts.

We’ve got a list of 50 quotes that you should check out from To Kill a Mockingbird!

Step 2: Identify your technique(s)

Ensure that the technique you choose for your quote supports your analysis or helps you to build your argument.  

To enhance your response, you want to discuss techniques that have a lot more depth — you should keep an eye out for any literary techniques such as metaphors, similes and motifs!

For the above quote, there is repetition, cumulative listing, inclusive language and allusion. 

Step 3: Write the analysis

When writing the analysis, focus on the effect of the technique and how it supports your argument. In this case, we are going to analyse how the quote addresses the theme of racial prejudices. 

The opening of “we know all men are not created equal” subverts the American declaration of independence , as Atticus utilises cumulative listing to demonstrate all the ways in which men and women are not equal.

However, he also reminds the jury during this trial that the law is a “way in this country in which all men have been created equal”, alluding to the American Declaration of Independence and the core values of the nation . Analysis for this quote may look like: 

Atticus, aware that the jury is likely to find Tom Robinson guilty despite strong evidence of his innocence due to the racial prejudices the White jury is likely to hold tries to challenge this t hrough the inclusive language of in “we know all men are not created equal”, Atticus presents the jury and the defence as being on the same side. Furthermore, the allusion to the core American values when he states “in this country there is one way all men have been created equal”, creates an appeal to both the jury’s sense of justice and core American values. 

Need to write a Feature Article on ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’? Look no further than this incredible in-depth guide to help you ace your writing!

Need some help analysing other texts?

Check out other texts we’ve created guides for below:

• All the Light We Cannot See
• Lord of the Flies
• The Meursault Investigation
• In Cold Blood
• Pride and Prejudice
• Jasper Jones
• Romeo and Juliet

Read also: how to write a feature article for English ! 

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Tiffany Fong is currently completing a double degree in Media and Communications with Law at Macquarie University. She currently contributes to the university zine, Grapeshot where she enjoys writing feature articles, commentary on current affairs or whatever weird interest that has taken over her mind during that month. During her spare time, Tiffany enjoys reading, writing, taking care of her plants or cuddling with her two dogs. 

• Topics: ✏️ English , ✍️ Learn

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Why Are We Still Teaching 'To Kill a Mockingbird' in Schools?

A Mississippi School Board sparked outrage this month when it voted to cut "To Kill a Mockingbird" from eighth-grade reading lists in Biloxi. The issue? Some people complained that the book’s language made them uncomfortable.

While the backlash was swift, those who blindly defend "Mockingbird" are missing an important point. If the criteria for inclusion on a middle school syllabus was simply whether the novel provokes tough discussions, Harper Lee’s opus belongs in as many classrooms as possible. But that is not the only question.

Let’s be clear: "To Kill a Mockingbird" is not a children’s book. It is an adult fairy tale, that is often read by children in wildly different — and sometimes profoundly damaging — ways.

Some of that damage is obvious: the black child who has been verbally abused by being called a “nigger” in the schoolyard could be more hurt hearing that word taught in the classroom, for instance. Another kind of damage less often discussed is how the text encourages boys and girls to believe women lie about being raped.

These damages can be mitigated or evaded by an excellent teacher.

Students are strong enough for tough discussions; they easily can untangle the use and misuse of the word “nigger” in "Mockingbird." But Mayella Ewell’s lies, which are the crux of the false charges brought against Tom Robinson, are far more complicated — too complicated for the eighth grade, perhaps even with an excellent teacher.

And the book cannot continue to be taught as if every person in the classroom is white, upper middle class and needs to be prodded into being Scout. It should be taught by asking questions about why there are no black characters with agency in the novel, by wrapping it in with the history of the Scottsboro boys — a group of black teenagers falsely accused of raping two white women — and through raising questions about how "Mockingbird" (and American history) complicates the modern “believe victims” movement.

We need to be asking what we are teaching when we teach "To Kill a Mockingbird," and how useful those lessons are to 21st century students. We should be asking whether then novel, written by a privileged daughter of the Old South should still take up space in curriculum that could be well used to expose students to literary voices on race and injustice that have emerged in the past 50 years — voices who wouldn’t have been published at the time that Harper Lee was first published.

Take, for instance, "Monster," a 1999 novel by award-winning African-American novelist Walter Dean Myers that also takes place in a courtroom. Here, however, the focus is on the young black defendant and narrator, Steve Harmon; the white lawyer, on the other hand, plays a lesser, but still complex, part. Monster is a complex and powerful modern classic that does much of the same work — providing a portrait of a young artist budding ethical integrity while confronting racism — as "Mockingbird" but does it with arguably more complexity.

We are often in practice censoring books like "Monster" from the curriculum to maintain a space for "Mockingbird." Often, we maintain that the book's inclusion is in fact necessary to prevent censorship. But what if keeping it in the curriculum maintains the status quo of the past as much as it illuminates it? Many who defend "Mockingbird" as a choice for curriculum are imagining students emboldened by Atticus to “fight for right” or inspired by Scout to be better than the society into which she is born.

But imagine instead that you are an African-American eighth-grade boy in Mississippi today, and are asked to read "Mockingbird." Perhaps it reinforces your growing suspicion that you are unlikely to get a fair trial should you stand accused of something like Tom Robinson.

Or imagine instead that you are an impoverished, white eighth-grade girl in New York today, asked read "Mockingbird." Perhaps it fuels your growing suspicion that people don’t believe girls who say they have been raped — and that, should you be raped and try to tell people about it, people will have reason to doubt you like the book says everyone should have doubted Mayella Ewell.

Or think of Calpurnia, the older black maid who cooks and serves without seeing much: she isn’t developed as a character as much as written as a set piece, suggesting the worst to young readers about the role of black women and black female intelligence.

And then, of course, there is Tom Robinson, falsely accused and “crippled,” in the parlance of the book, meant to indicate that he would have been physically incapable of sexual assault. Asking a child reader to decode that artistic choice of Lee’s is to ask them to think about whether black men are not desirable, impotent or marred — or that rape is a crime that can only be committed by an able-bodied person.

Every student who reads Lee’s book does not identify with Atticus or with Scout, and teaching it as though they do, or they must, may reinforce the very stereotypes about black men and impoverished women that teaching the book is supposed to combat. Some identify with Tom Robinson, or with Calpurnia, or with Mayella Ewell and, for these students, "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a far more complex text which, in the hands of a less-than-effective teacher, can be damaging.

So let’s move beyond a debate about censorship, about banning of books in classrooms, about the word “nigger.” All of that has been hashed over more or less effectively. Characters in novels think and act differently, and often in opposition to, the ways in which their authors think and act. It may be a sign that you are not a racist if you shine light on racists by creating one in fiction. Or it might not.

Let’s instead think about how, why and when we invite books into our classrooms, about the needs of an increasingly diverse student body and about how we can use difficult books to both illuminate our shameful past and better shape the young minds of our future. Though it holds sentimental pride of place for so many as the first book they read about race and injustice, "To Kill A Mockingbird" is more than a book about race and injustice, and it is not the only book about race and injustice. In the 21st century, it may not be the best book to illuminate those themes, especially when it reinforces so many stereotypes and misconceptions many eighth graders are hardly equipped to consider.

Alice Randall is the author of "The Wind Done Gone," "Pushkin and the Queen of Spades," "Rebel Yell," and "Ada's Rules." In addition to her literary pursuits, theHarvard-educated Randall is an award-winning songwriter, the writer-in-residence at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and serves on the nominating committee for the NAACP Image Awards in the category of Children’s and Young Adult Literature.

COLUMN | Don't be a catcher in the rye

Since my mom taught me to read when I turned three, it has been one of my favorite things to do. Now, at the age of 20, I am still drawn to reading. Most of my favorite books that I’ve read are considered “ challenged ” or banned. 

Book banning and unbanning have been prominent around the world since the 19th century. It started in 1873, when anti-slavery materials were banned, which in turn led to the Comstock Act.

The act states that it prevents any “obscene, lewd, lascivious, indecent, filthy or vile article, matter, thing, device or substance” from being mailed. The criminal code of the U.S. furthers this legislation in chapter 71 , titled “obscenity.” 

Across Alabama in 2023 , there have been 12 attempts to restrict access to books and 74 titles challenged in those attempts. Nationwide , there were 4,240 books challenged in 2023.

Proposals for banning books are often for books that include “offensive” topics such as harsh language, drug use, alcohol, violence and sexual content. Some books are also challenged due to the abundance of racism. 

The question I’ve always had when I hear about book banning on the news is: “why?”

I’ve noticed that “classic” books are among the most commonly banned. "Catcher in the Rye," "To Kill A Mockingbird," "Fahrenheit 451," "The Grapes of Wrath," "The Great Gatsby" and "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" have all been challenged for a multitude of reasons. 

These books are some of the ones commonly found in high school curriculums, whether it be the entire novel or just a chapter for a lesson in class. These books have topics that need to be explored.

Books that explore “offensive” topics allow readers to challenge themselves and create critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills are not only essential for an English class but for whatever you decide to pursue in life. Not allowing students access to these materials is taking away from student's learning and is overall hurting them in the long run.

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view — until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” Atticus Finch said in "To Kill A Mockingbird."

The first time I read "To Kill A Mockingbird," I was a freshman in high school. It was a part of our curriculum, regardless of the challenge. It was originally banned in 1977 and has been continuously banned since for offensive language, racism and how it fits to the age group it is being presented to.

The novel offers a perspective of racism in Alabama, which is what it was banned for. Banning the book for this reason enforces further racism and racial inequality. Similar to banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs across America, banning a book because it’s deemed “racist” is an erasure of reality. 

"Gone with the Wind," written in 1936 and challenged for racism and the portrayal of rape, is commonly compared to "To Kill A Mockingbird. " However, it receives praise and is even romanticized among readers and watchers of the film — although, it shouldn’t be romanticized. 

If anything, "Gone with the Wind" should receive the same criticism that "To Kill A Mockingbird" once received. If Atticus Finch can be “held accountable” for doing something that is inherently right, then Scarlett O’Hara should be “held accountable” for doing whatever it takes to come out as victorious. In this case, "accountability" seems extremely racist and extremely wrong.

Where do we draw the line for a book that is “appropriate” for teaching in schools versus a book that is deemed offensive for the general public?

“Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody,” Holden Caulfield said in "Catcher in the Rye."

"Catcher in the Rye" has been up for banning since 1986, 35 years after its publication, mainly due to the abundance of sexual content. The work has also gained traction from the case of Mark David Chapman, murderer of John Lennon, thinking he was similar to Holden Caulfield. 

Holden is a teenage boy dealing with the loss of his brother. His actions stem from attempting to deal with this loss and as a result of simply growing up. He also reacts this way to having an influential person in his life aiming to abuse him sexually. 

Holden claims that he’d like to be the “catcher in the rye” to protect children and their innocence. Protecting them from the evils of the “rye,” or adulthood, is something that anyone would want to do to heal their inner child and protect others from that harm.

If this book has truly taught me anything about the real world, it's that officials in power tend to think like Holden Caulfield. They want to be catchers in the rye; they want to save the youth from something that isn’t causing harm.

I doubt that these reasons would persuade a lawmaker to postpone their motion to ban or challenge a book, but I hope it at least encourages you to pick a book that’s been “banned” or deemed “unworthy.” Behind a book that has been “banned” is a reader that is furthering themselves in thinking. Don’t attempt to be a catcher in the rye — give something new a chance. Don’t close yourself off from possibilities because someone isn’t interested.

Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.

Brychelle Brooks is a junior majoring in public and professional writing. She has been with The Plainsman since August 2023.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — To Kill a Mockingbird — To Kill a Mockingbird: The Power of Conscience

To Kill a Mockingbird: The Power of Conscience

• Categories: To Kill a Mockingbird

About this sample

Words: 849 |

Published: Jun 13, 2024

Words: 849 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

The power of individual moral judgment, the consequences of ignoring conscience, the importance of conscience in overcoming prejudice, bibliography.

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School Cellphone Bans Have Buzz, but May Be Hard to Enforce

California is the latest state to try to regulate the devices. But how far should the ban go? And will parents sign on?

By Dana Goldstein and Emily Cochrane

When it comes to banning cellphones in schools, success could be determined by the details.

Do bans apply only to classrooms, or also to hallways, bathrooms and cafeterias, where students are much more likely to be absorbed in TikTok or text messages?

Do teachers have the freedom to override bans if phones are being used as part of a lesson? Should school districts purchase devices to lock or hide phones? What about distractions from other types of screens — laptops, tablets and smart watches? And what about some parents who like the idea of being able to reach their children 24/7?

Those were just some of the questions that faced Gov. Gavin Newsom of California after he announced that his state would be the latest — after Florida and Indiana — to pursue a school cellphone ban.

Teachers who have tried to restrict cellphone use on their own said limits can be difficult to enforce, if only because phones have become so embedded into daily life, perceived as necessary for practical and emotional reasons. Yet some districts with a comprehensive policy have had success, overcoming resistance and seeing a change in student behavior.

Naomi Frierson, 44, a fifth-grade teacher in the Tampa, Fla. area, said little had changed for her since Gov. Ron DeSantis imposed a statewide ban last year on smartphone use in classrooms. She had already required students to put phones in a storage pouch that hangs on the wall away from their desks.

But, she added, she understands that phones are a useful communication tool for students who walk home alone from school, or who care for a younger sibling in the afternoons.

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