To Kill a Mockingbird Study Guide
Taking a Stand
Have you ever spoken out against injustice, even when it angered others? This image from the 1962 movie To Kill a Mockingbird shows Atticus Finch, played by Gregory Peck, when he takes a stand against racism, even though it makes him very unpopular in his community.
Be a Better Reader
As you work through the study guide for To Kill a Mockingbird, you'll also practice these skills, which will help you when you read novels in the future, for school assignments or just for fun.
1. Describe the development of the main character.
2. Discuss how the plot develops throughout the novel.
3. Describe themes in the novel and trace their development throughout the text.
4. Cite textual evidence to support discussion of the novel.
5. Discuss how point of view affects the content of the novel.
Behind the Scenes
When she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960, Harper Lee, a young female writer from
Monroeville, Alabama, created a work that cut to the heart of American racism and prejudice. The novel, published after Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat but before Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech in Washington, DC, created a firestorm of its own by using racially derogatory language as it commented on racism.
Get This!
1. Harper Lee does not shy away from addressing challenging issues. Look for issues, besides racism, that the novel takes on. Think about these issues in the context of the 1960 s America in which the novel was published.
2. To Kill a Mockingbird is told from the point of view of a young girl. Think about how the story would differ if told from the viewpoint of Atticus, Jem, or Boo Radley.
