To Kill a Mockingbird Essay
2013
Each of the topics below should result in a five-paragraph essay, including an
introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each of your body paragraphs
will have one direct quote.
1) Choose three characters from TKAM and explain how their actions are
morally courageous.
Atticus is one character whose actions are morally courageous because he defends Tom
Robinson. This is courageous because Tom is black and Atticus is white and most people
wouldn’t want to defend a black person. Although Atticus is a court appointed lawyer, he
acts fairly when defending Tom unlike most other people would. Someone else would
probably do a very weak job of defending Tom because he is just another Black, Atticus
does the contrary and this also goes against what his society normally does, which makes his
actions all the more courageous.
Boo/Arthur Radley is another courageous character because he takes care of Scout and
Jem. Boo doesn’t like to go outside or be around other people but he does both of these
things for Scout and Jem. He goes outside when he puts the different items in the tree for
them, and at the end of the story he leaves his house again so that he can save Scout and
Jem. This forces him to be around Bob Ewell, Dr. Reynolds, Heck Tate, Atticus, Aunt
Alexandra, Scout and Jem even though he would prefer to just watch on the sidelines.
Scout is also courageous. One example is how she always wears overalls, which she is
not supposed to do because of society. People in Maycomb believe girls should act/be like
girls so Scout wearing overalls and other boyish clothing is odd. Scout doesn’t care though
and she continues to go against the rules. This is courageous because she doesn’t care what
people think, she is thinking of herself.
2) What do you think Harper Lee believes are the qualities that make someone a
good parental figure? Choose three different characters that act as parental
figures in the novel and identify one important quality that each of them
possesses that makes him/her a successful role model to the children.
(Alternatively, you could discuss an important quality that a parental figure in
the novel lacks that prevents him/her from succeeding in this realm.)
Another approach to this question would be to focus entirely on Atticus,
identifying three separate qualities that make him a good parental figure.
Atticus is a very important parental figure in the novel. To quote the book, “he played
with us, read with us, and treated us with courteous detachment”. This quote shows some of
the ways that Atticus had good parenting skills. In addition to those things Atticus gives Jem
and Scout advice and knowledge.
Boo/Arthur Radley is another important parental figure in the book. He acts as a
protector to Scout and Jem. For example when Bob Ewell attacked the kids, Boo went out
and even went so far as to kill him in order to keep Jem and Scout safe. He is always
watching out for them. His house has a view of the whole street so he can see everything
that is going on and make sure Jem and Scout are being safe.
Calpurnia is like the mother figure in the household. She cooks and cleans the house
and cares for Jem and Scout. Since Scout and Jem’s mother died, she takes that role among
the family. Scout and Jem both care for her just like she cares for them. She reprimands
them when necessary and can be firm but she can also be soft.
3) To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a coming-of-age novel because the
children’s
understanding of the world changes over the course of the
novel. Consider how this is true for Dill, Scout and Jem.
There are two ways that you could organize this particular essay. You could
discuss a different child in each of your three body paragraphs, or you could
focus your entire essay on one of these children and discuss three different
ways in which this child comes of age.
4) Choose three characters that could be seen as mockingbirds in the novel and
discuss how this is true.