To Kill A Mockingbird
Literature research paper on American Literature often discuss To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Lee's novel is one of the most important works of American Literature to date, giving excellent insight into southern racial discrimination and problems in the 20th Century. Paper Masters will help you write a custom research paper on To Kill A Mockingbird. You tell us exactly what theme, character or plot line you wish to explore and our writers will custom write on that aspect of To Kill a Mockingbird in a research paper.
To Kill a Mockingbird is the only novel by author Harper Lee. First published in 1960, the book is loosely based on events that happened in 1936, when the author was ten, and detail attorney Atticus Finch's defense of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of rape. There are many great sub-topics within To Kill a Mockingbird to study, such as:
- How race plays into the verdict
- Atticus Finch's reaction to the verdict
- Symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird
- The historical time-frame of To Kill a Mockingbird
- Character study of Boo Radley
To Kill a Mockingbird
and Race
The story is told largely around the perspective of six-year-old Scout Finch, who, along with her brother Jem and friend Dill, are largely fascinated by the reclusive Boo Radley. Atticus Finch does not want the children at the trial, but they sneak into the "colored" balcony. Atticus is able to prove that the main witnesses, including Bob Ewell, are lying. Despite the proof that Tom is innocent, the all-white jury convicts him. Tom is killed attempting to escape from jail. Bob Ewell later attacks Jem and Scout, who are rescued by Boo Radley. Harper develops his characters very well.
To Kill a Mockingbird's Acclaims
To Kill a Mockingbird has been critically praised as one of the best books of the 20th century and is standard reading in many American high schools. With its treatment of race in the South and its themes of people not being what they seem, the novel has struck a chord with the reading public.
To Kill a Mockingbird won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. In 1962 it was made into a Hollywood motion picture, starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch and Robert Duvall as Boo Radley. Lee has refused giving interviews regarding the book since 1964 and has never published since.