to kill a mockingbird essay

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 […]
• 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 […]
• “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.
• 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.
• 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” 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.
• 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.
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• “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.
• 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.
• 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 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
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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 ! 

Are you looking for some extra help with your essay analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird?

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We can help you master your essay analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird by taking you through the summary, key characters and themes. We’ll also help you ace your upcoming English assessments with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or online!

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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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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

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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Introduction

To kill a mockingbird: plot summary, to kill a mockingbird: detailed summary & analysis, to kill a mockingbird: themes, to kill a mockingbird: quotes, to kill a mockingbird: characters, to kill a mockingbird: symbols, to kill a mockingbird: literary devices, to kill a mockingbird: theme wheel, brief biography of harper lee.

Historical Context of To Kill a Mockingbird

Other books related to to kill a mockingbird.

• Full Title: To Kill a Mockingbird
• When Written: 1950-1960
• Where Written: New York City and Monroeville, Alabama
• When Published: 1960
• Literary Period: Modernism
• Genre: Bildungsroman; Social Novel
• Setting: The fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression
• Climax: The trial of Tom Robinson; or when Bob Ewell attacks Scout and Jem
• Antagonist: Bob Ewell; more broadly, racism and mob mentality
• Point of View: First Person

Extra Credit for To Kill a Mockingbird

“Dill” Capote. The character of Dill is based on Harper Lee’s real-life childhood friend, Truman Capote, who went on to become a national literary star in his own right. He wrote the bestselling true crime book In Cold Blood .

Atticus in Real Life. Harper Lee became close friends with Gregory Peck, the actor who played Atticus in the Academy Award-winning film adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird . She remained close with his family after Peck died, and Peck’s grandson is even named Harper after her.

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To Kill a Mockingbird

Introduction to kill a mockingbird, summary of to kill a mockingbird, major themes in to kill a mockingbird, major characters in to kill a mockingbird, writing style of to kill a mocking bird, analysis of literary devices to kill a mockingbird.

“Cry about what, Mr. Raymond?” Dill’s maleness was beginning to assert itself. “Cry about the simple hell people give other people—without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people, too.” “Atticus says cheatin‘ a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin’ a white man,” I muttered. “Says it’s the worst thing you can do.” (Chapter-20)

I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Atticus . . . His kind’d do anything to pay off a grudge. You know how those people are. (Chapter-23). “ Ruth Jones, the welfare lady, said Mr. Ewell openly accused Atticus of getting his job. She was upset enough to walk down to Atticus’s office and tell him about it. (Chapter-27) High above us in the darkness a solitary mocker poured out his repertoire in blissful unawareness of whose tree he sat in, plunging from the shrill kee, kee of the sunflower bird to the irascible qua-ack of a bluejay, to the sad lament of Poor Will, Poor Will, Poor Will. (Chapter-28)

A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. (Chapter-1)

Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view -“ “Sir?” “- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. One time (Atticus) said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.

What was the evidence of her offense? What did she do? What did her father do?

He was as good as his worst performance. (Chapter 4). The tire bumped on gravel, skeetered… and popped me like a cork onto pavement. (Chapter-4)

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Plot summary

• Analysis, adaptations, and Go Set a Watchman

What is To Kill a Mockingbird about?

What inspired harper lee to write to kill a mockingbird , how did people respond to to kill a mockingbird , why is to kill a mockingbird a significant text, is there a sequel to to kill a mockingbird .

To Kill a Mockingbird

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• National Endowment for the Arts - To Kill a Mockingbird
• Encyclopedia of Alabama - To Kill A Mockingbird
• Internet Archive - "To Kill a Mockingbird"
• Academia - To Kill a Mockingbird: Race, Class and Innocence in the Contemporary Society INTRODUCTION
• To Kill a Mockingbird - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
• Table Of Contents

To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression (1929–39). The story centres on Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch, an unusually intelligent girl who ages from six to nine years old during the novel. She and her brother, Jeremy Atticus (“Jem”), are raised by their widowed father, Atticus Finch. Atticus is a well-known and respected lawyer. He teaches his children to be empathetic and just, always leading by example.

When Tom Robinson, one of the town’s Black residents, is falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a young white woman, Atticus agrees to defend him despite threats from the community. Although Atticus presents a defense that gives a more plausible interpretation of the evidence—that Mayella was attacked by her father, Bob Ewell—Tom is convicted. He is later killed while trying to escape custody. The children, meanwhile, play out their own miniaturized drama. Scout and Jem become especially interested in the town recluse, Arthur (“Boo”) Radley, who interacts with them by leaving them small gifts in a tree. On Halloween, when Bob Ewell tries to attack Scout and Jem, Boo intervenes and saves them. Boo ultimately kills Ewell. The sheriff, however, decides to tell the community that Ewell’s death was an accident.

It is widely believed that Harper Lee based the character of Atticus Finch on her father, Amasa Coleman Lee, a compassionate and dedicated lawyer. The plot of To Kill a Mockingbird was reportedly inspired in part by his unsuccessful defense of two African American men—a father and a son—accused of murdering a white storekeeper. The fictional character of Charles Baker (“Dill”) Harris also has a real-life counterpart. Dill is based on the author Truman Capote , Lee’s childhood friend and next-door neighbour in Monroeville, Alabama. (After the spectacular success of To Kill a Mockingbird , some speculated that Capote was the actual author of Lee’s work. This rumour was not put to rest until 2006.) There is some anecdotal evidence that the town recluse, Arthur (“Boo”) Radley, was based on Lee and Capote’s childhood neighbour, Son Boulware. According to Capote, Boo “was a real man, and he lived just down the road from us.…Everything [Lee] wrote about it is absolutely true.”

Harper Lee began writing To Kill a Mockingbird in the mid-1950s. It was published in 1960, just before the peak of the American civil rights movement . Initial critical responses to the novel were mixed. Many critics praised Lee for her sensitive treatment of a child’s awakening to racism and prejudice. Others, however, criticized the novel’s tendency to sermonize. Some reviewers argued that the narrative voice was unconvincing. The novel was nonetheless enormously popular with contemporary audiences. To Kill a Mockingbird flourished in the racially charged environment of the United States in the early 1960s. In its first year it sold about 500,000 copies. A year after the publication of the novel, Lee was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best-known and most widely read books in the United States. Since its publication in 1960, the novel has been translated into some 40 languages and has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. A staple on American high- school reading lists, the novel has inspired numerous stage and film adaptations, the most notable of which was the 1962 film starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. Lee’s novel continues to resonate with audiences today; in 2018 a stage adaptation of the novel debuted to rave reviews on Broadway.

In 2015 Harper Lee published a second novel titled Go Set a Watchman . Although it was technically written before To Kill a Mockingbird , the novel is essentially a sequel. Go Set a Watchman is set 20 years after the events of To Kill a Mockingbird . In the novel, Jean Louise (”Scout”) Finch—now a grown woman living in New York City—returns to her childhood home in Alabama to visit her aging father, who has embraced racist views. Despite the controversy surrounding its publication (some believe the novel is actually an early draft of To Kill a Mockingbird ), the novel reportedly sold 1.1 million copies in its first week.

To Kill a Mockingbird , novel by American author Harper Lee , published in 1960. Enormously popular, it was translated into some 40 languages, sold more than 40 million copies worldwide , and is one of the most-assigned novels in American schools. In 1961 it won a Pulitzer Prize . The novel was praised for its sensitive treatment of a child’s awakening to racism and prejudice in the American South .

To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression . The protagonist is Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch, an intelligent though unconventional girl who ages from six to nine years old during the course of the novel. She is raised with her brother, Jeremy Atticus (“Jem”), by their widowed father, Atticus Finch . He is a prominent lawyer who encourages his children to be empathetic and just. He notably tells them that it is “a sin to kill a mockingbird ,” alluding to the fact that the birds are innocent and harmless.

When Tom Robinson, one of the town’s Black residents, is falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, Atticus agrees to defend him despite threats from the community . At one point he faces a mob intent on lynching his client but refuses to abandon him. Scout unwittingly diffuses the situation. Although Atticus presents a defense that gives a more plausible interpretation of the evidence—that Mayella was attacked by her father, Bob Ewell—Tom is convicted, and he is later killed while trying to escape custody. A character compares his death to “the senseless slaughter of songbirds,” paralleling Atticus’s saying about the mockingbird.

The children, meanwhile, play out their own miniaturized drama of prejudice and superstition as they become interested in Arthur (“Boo”) Radley , a reclusive neighbour who is a local legend . They have their own ideas about him and cannot resist the allure of trespassing on the Radley property. Their speculations thrive on the dehumanization perpetuated by their elders. Atticus, however, reprimands them and tries to encourage a more sensitive attitude. Boo makes his presence felt indirectly through a series of benevolent acts, finally intervening when Bob Ewell attacks Jem and Scout. Boo kills Ewell, but Heck Tate, the sheriff, believes it is better to say that Ewell’s death occurred when he fell on his own knife, sparing the shy Boo from unwanted attention. Scout agrees, noting that to do otherwise would be “sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird.”