To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Topics

Mrs. Thaler—Honors English 2

Choose ONE of the following topics for your five-paragraph essay over the book To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

1)Apply the key passage from Atticus and motif (a recurring idea that unifies a novel), “You never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” to the book. When and with whom does this motif prove to be true? What do we learn from those unique points of view? Use specific references from the book. Thesis starter: Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird has the reader consider things from another’s point of viewand this motif proves to be especially true for the characters… or…the reader learns through the experience of….

2)Discuss one of the following themes from the novel in your essay and how it affects the events in the novel by analyzing at least 3 significant moments in the text or three characters dealing with that theme. Use specific references from the book. What does the book tell us about:

  1. Prejudice
  2. End of Innocence
  3. Courage
  4. Cowardice
  5. Justice/Injustice
  6. Racism

Thesis starter: In in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee presents the idea that courage is demonstrated by standing up for what is right, even though others may condemn one for it as seen in the scenes/characters---

3)A recurring symbol in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird is the story Atticus tells his children, “…it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Explain this metaphor and analyze the ways in which Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley are all metaphorically portrayed as mockingbirds. Thesis starter: In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are all metaphorically portrayed as mockingbirds because…

Essay Requirements… things to think about and DO! :

  • Make sure your thesis drives your paper and worded precisely to say what you are proving. It should have your idea with an assertion about it and a qualifying statement with three areas to explore in the order of importance to the text.
  • The rough draft must be typed. This will be due for 40 points on: _____
  • Final drafts must be typed, d/s, in MLA format. 100 points. On:_____
  • Craft a three-part thesis as the last sentence in your introduction. Use the prompt to create this sentence. Check this with Mrs. T before you start your essay RD. You must be proving/asserting something about your topic.
  • Include the title, author, and genre in the intro as well.
  • Follow your eight-sentence (or more) body paragraph format: Topic sentence, detail, (2) commentary, detail, (2) commentary, concluding sentence.
  • Each of your body paragraphs must have at least 2 properly cited quotes with page numbers in parentheses as evidence to prove your thesis statement.
  • For in-text citation of quotes, use a transitional statement, a lead-in (situation/speaker), and then give your quote as an example to prove your point. Please do NOT simply plug in a quote for your example, or have a quote as a topic sentence in your body paragraphs.
  • Commentary should elaborate and refer back to the significance of the examples. What does the example show? Illustrate? Suggest? And don’t call a quote a “quote” please. Use passage, example, scene, etc…
  • Avoid contractions. Use a variety of transitions. Use effective word choice. Use strong, present-tense verb choices. Avoid “to be” or being verbs when possible.
  • Body paragraphs should go in order of importance—from important to most important points.
  • Your commentary must not include first person. No: I, me, my opinion, we…etc. Use a person, one, people, the reader, the audience… to stay objective.
  • Edit for these and other errors. Spell check. Grammar check. Consistent present tense, vivid verbs.

Thesis:

Concluding thoughts? Make astute and mature connections between the body topics and to the real world.