to kill a mockingbird character development essay

Character Analysis in to Kill a Mockingbird

This essay about the characters of “To Kill a Mockingbird” into their complexities, motivations, and roles within the narrative. Focusing on Atticus Finch, Scout Finch, and Boo Radley, it explores themes of compassion, prejudice, and bravery in the context of Southern life in the 1930s. Through meticulous analysis, the essay highlights the moral integrity of Atticus, the growth of Scout, and the enigmatic kindness of Boo, urging readers to confront their own biases and preconceptions.

How it works

Masterpiece defence harp ill-timed, to “kill mockingbird,” not only captive essence south life in 1930 – ?, and and hollow deeply in complications nature, ethics, and human public injustice. In a heart this deep story are his main characters, every suggestion only prospect on themes compassion, prejudice, and bravery. Through meticulous a symbol analyses a chaffinch Atticus, scout chaffinch, and boo Radley, it essay inhales to extricate vaguenesses their persons, motives, and roles in forming report new power-station.

So as epitome integrity and moral courage, chaffinch Atticus serves a compass county Maycomb moral.

Father and principle the devoted advocate, Atticus incarnates virtues compassion, tolerance, and justice. In vexation from racism and prejudice his piercing environment, Atticus remains nonfrémit in his obligation, to lean a true and honest. His defence Tom Robinson, black man faussement defendant raping white woman, distinguishes his trust in dignity and equality integer types innate, in vexation pedigree or public position.

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Except that, subzero bravery Atticus in a person adversity serves a fountain inspiration for complete society. In vexation from critical edging and ostracism for defence Tom Robinson, Atticus remains firmly in his obligation to the justice, shows, that bind no veritable bravery in a physical art and in a moral blame. Through a chaffinch Atticus, defence a harp contests us, to over-estimate our moral clean compass and to contrast he injustices, that is careful in society.

So as teller news prématuré, a scout chaffinch offers readers prospect child on complications race, employments, and ethics. In vexation from her young age, a secret service agent owns an intellect and high high spirit, she settles navigate vaguenesses Maycomb public with mixture curiosity and innocence. Through her eyes, we testify gradual untangles prejudices city deep-seated and appearance compassion and understanding.

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• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Literature Notes
• Atticus Finch
• To Kill a Mockingbird at a Glance
• Book Summary
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis
• Part 1: Chapter 1
• Part 1: Chapters 2-3
• Part 1: Chapters 4-5
• Part 1: Chapters 6-7
• Part 1: Chapters 8-9
• Part 1: Chapters 10-11
• Part 2: Chapters 12-13
• Part 2: Chapters 14-16
• Part 2: Chapters 17-20
• Part 2: Chapters 21-23
• Part 2: Chapters 24-26
• Part 2: Chapters 27-28
• Part 2: Chapters 29-31
• Character Analysis
• Scout (Jean Louise) Finch
• Dill Harris
• Boo Radley and Tom Robinson
• Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie Atkinson
• Bob and Mayella Ewell
• Character Map
• About To Kill a Mockingbird
• Harper Lee Biography
• Critical Essays
• Racial Relations in the Southern United States
• Comparing To Kill a Mockingbird to Its Movie Version
• Famous Quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird
• Film Versions of To Kill a Mockingbird
• Full Glossary for To Kill a Mockingbird
• Essay Questions
• Practice Projects
• Cite this Literature Note

Character Analysis Atticus Finch

Atticus represents morality and reason in  To Kill a Mockingbird . As a character, Atticus is even-handed throughout the story. He is one of the very few characters who never has to rethink his position on an issue.

His parenting style is quite unique in that he treats his children as adults, honestly answering any   question they have. He uses all these instances as an opportunity to pass his values on to Scout and Jem. Scout says that "'Do you really think so?'  . . . was Atticus' dangerous question" because he delighted in helping people see a situation in a new light. Atticus uses this approach not only with his children, but with all of Maycomb. And yet, for all of his mature treatment of Jem and Scout, he patiently recognizes that they are children and that they will make childish mistakes and assumptions. Ironically, Atticus' one insecurity seems to be in the child-rearing department, and he often defends his ideas about raising children to those more experienced and more traditional.

His stern but fair attitude toward Jem and Scout reaches into the courtroom as well. He politely proves that Bob Ewell is a liar; he respectfully questions Mayella about her role in Tom's crisis. One of the things that his longtime friend Miss Maudie admires about him is that "'Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets.'" The only time he seriously lectures his children is on the evils of taking advantage of those less fortunate or less educated, a philosophy he carries into the animal world by his refusal to hunt. And although most of the town readily pins the label "trash" on other people, Atticus reserves that distinction for those people who unfairly exploit others.

Atticus believes in justice and the justice system. He doesn't like criminal law, yet he accepts the appointment to Tom Robinson's case. He knows before he begins that he's going to lose this case, but that doesn't stop him from giving Tom the strongest defense he possibly can. And, importantly, Atticus doesn't put so much effort into Tom's case because he's an African American, but because he is innocent. Atticus feels that the justice system should be color blind, and he defends Tom as an innocent man, not a man of color.

Atticus is the adult character least infected by prejudice in the novel. He has no problem with his children attending Calpurnia's church, or with a black woman essentially raising his children. He admonishes Scout not to use racial slurs, and is careful to always use the terms acceptable for his time and culture. He goes to Helen's home to tell her of Tom's death, which means a white man spending time in the black community. Other men in town would've sent a messenger and left it at that. His lack of prejudice doesn't apply only to other races, however. He is unaffected by Mrs. Dubose's caustic tongue, Miss Stephanie Crawford's catty gossip, and even Walter Cunningham's thinly veiled threat on his life. He doesn't retaliate when Bob Ewell spits in his face because he understands that he has wounded Ewell's pride — the only real possession this man has. Atticus accepts these people because he is an expert at "climb[ing] into [other people's] skin and walk[ing] around in it."

Previous Scout (Jean Louise) Finch

Next Jem Finch

To Kill a Mockingbird

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Over the course of the novel’s three years, Scout , Dill , and Jem grow up both physically and mentally. They begin the novel with a firm and uncomplicated idea of what’s good and what’s bad, but by the end of the novel, they’ve all lost their innocence and have come to a more complex understanding of how people and the world work. In particular, having Scout, whom the reader meets at age six, narrate the story allows the novel to show clearly how children lose their innocence as they grow—while also using Scout’s innocence to look freshly at Maycomb and her world to criticize its flaws.

Though Scout is a precocious child in a variety of ways, the novel also goes to great lengths to comically demonstrate how innocent and unaware Scout is of the world around her. For example, she believes Jem’s unfounded claim that the teaching method Miss Caroline promotes is called the Dewey Decimal System—in reality, a system of organizing a library—and referring to her and Jem’s snowman as an “Absolute Morphodite” in such a way that betrays that she has no idea what “morphodite” actually means (a hermaphrodite, a plant or animal with both male and female sex organs). The children also firmly believe, for the first year of the novel, that Boo Radley is a zombie-like figure who eats small mammals or, possibly, is dead and stuffed up the chimney of the Radley house. While undeniably humorous to the reader, who’s likely aware that these notions are ridiculous and incorrect, the beliefs themselves function as a window into just how youthful and innocent Scout, Jem, and Dill truly are.

The children’s innocence, as represented by these instances of misunderstandings or far-fetched superstitions, isn’t always entirely humorous, however. Particularly once Scout begins attending school, the novel suggests that even though children may be prone to this kind of nonsense and far-fetched storytelling, they’re still innately able to recognize the ridiculousness of the adult world around them, and in particular, the ineffectiveness of the school system. Scout’s precocity and intelligence means that when she enters the first grade, she already knows how to read and write, both printing and cursive—something that her teacher, Miss Caroline, finds threatening and offensive for seemingly no real reason, and even punishes Scout for. In this sense, Scout begins to see that the adult world is just as nonsensical as the reader can see that Scout’s childhood world is—though the adult world is one that forces growing children to conform and fall into line, rather than one that relies on imagination and individuality. With this, Scout is encouraged by Atticus to understand that while she may one day have to enter the world of adults and grow up, the path to get there is one on which she’ll have to fight constantly for her individuality. As the novel wears on and Scout witnesses terrible cruelty and injustice, it also suggests that she’ll also have to fight hard to maintain her sense of compassion, right, and wrong.

Mr. Gilmer ’s interrogation of Tom Robinson is a wakeup call for the children, and their reaction to Robinson’s the trial suggests that although children can be naïve, they are often more perceptive and compassionate than the supposedly mature adults around them. Dill, in particular, is angered and overcome by the rude and racist way that Mr. Gilmer speaks to Robinson. Outside the courthouse, Mr. Raymond , a man whom Scout previously thought was an evil drunk, suggests that Dill only has the reaction he does because he’s a child—as children grow, he suggests, they lose their capacity to cry over injustices like Robinson experiences, as they learn to conform to adult rules of polite society that forbid reactions like that (and for white people like Scout and Dill, also discourages that kind of compassion directed toward black people in the first place). Mr. Raymond is, notably, an outsider in Maycomb, as he’s white and yet lives with his black girlfriend because he wants to, a choice that’s unthinkable to even someone like Scout. It’s because of his outsider status that he’s able to make these observations and confirm for Dill that what’s happening to Robinson is awful—though it’s still possible, he suggests, that Dill will one day “fall into line” and conform to the hatred around him. Later, Atticus echoes Mr. Raymond when he tells an angry and tearful Jem that juries have been wrongfully convicting black men for years, will continue to do so, and that only children cry when it happens—another indicator that children, who are more unencumbered by social codes and pressure to fit in, are innately able to pick up on injustices like this. The hope, the novel suggests, is that they’ll be able to maintain this ability to look at the world in this way once they enter the adult world and face pressures to conform and bury their sense of right and wrong.

Tom Robinson’s trial represents the end of an era of blissful innocence for both Scout and Jem. Jem in particular struggles to understand how such a thing could’ve happened, a thought process that Atticus suggests simply reflects where Jem is in his development—at 13, Jem understands better than Scout how the case unfolded, which makes it more difficult in many ways for him to deal with. While the novel doesn’t resolve Jem’s angst and inability to wrap his head around what happened, it does offer hope that both he and Scout will be able to maintain their moral compasses, as well as their compassion, into adulthood. Scout’s major coming-of-age moment happens as she stands on the Radley porch and, as Atticus has instructed her to do at several points, "climb[s] into [Boo Radley's] skin.” She’s able to understand, through this, that Boo may be very different from her in a variety of ways, but he’s still a compassionate, self-sacrificial neighbor who’s worthy of respect and kindness. This leap in understanding suggests that as Scout continues to grow and develop past the novel’s close, she will be able to maintain her belief in what’s morally right, even as she loses her innocence and moves toward adulthood.

Growing Up ThemeTracker

Growing Up Quotes in To Kill a Mockingbird

After my bout with Cecil Jacobs when I committed myself to a policy of cowardice, word got around that Scout Finch wouldn't fight any more, her daddy wouldn't let her.

“Atticus, you must be wrong…”

“How's that?”

“Well, most folks seem to think they're right and you're wrong…”

Dill's eyes flickered at Jem, and Jem looked at the floor. Then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood. He went out of the room and down the hall. “Atticus,” his voice was distant, “can you come here a minute, sir?”

Beneath its sweat-streaked dirt Dill's face went white. I felt sick.

Jem was standing in a corner of the room, looking like the traitor he was. “Dill, I had to tell him,” he said. “You can't run three hundred miles off without your mother knowin'.” We left him without a word.

“Well how do you know we ain't Negroes?”

“Uncle Jack Finch says we really don't know. He says as far as he can trace back the Finches we ain't, but for all he knows we mighta come straight out of Ethiopia durin' the Old Testament.”

“Well if we came out durin' the Old Testament it's too long ago to matter.”

“That's what I thought," said Jem, “but around here once you have a drop of Negro blood, that makes you all black.”

“The way that man called him 'boy' all the time an' sneered at him, an' looked around at the jury every time he answered— … It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that—it just makes me sick.”

“They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it—seems that only children weep.”

[Jem] was certainly never cruel to animals, but I had never known his charity to embrace the insect world.

“Why couldn't I mash him?” I asked.

“Because they don't bother you,” Jem answered in the darkness. He had turned out his reading light.

A boy trudged down the sidewalk dragging a fishing-pole behind him. A man stood waiting with his hands on his hips. Summertime, and his children played in the front yard with their friend, enacting a strange little drama of their own invention.

It was fall, and his children fought on the sidewalk in front of Mrs. Dubose's [...] Fall, and his children trotted to and fro around the corner, the day's woes and triumphs on their faces. They stopped at an oak tree, delighted, puzzled, apprehensive.

Winter, and his children shivered at the front gate, silhouetted against a blazing house. Winter, and a man walked into the street, dropped his glasses, and shot a dog.

Summer, and he watched his children's heart break. Autumn again, and Boo's children needed him.

Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.

“When they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things…Atticus, he was real nice…” His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me. “Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.” He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.

Global Health and Education

To kill a mockingbird essay: scout finch, to kill a mockingbird essay: character analysis and growth of scout finch, a great path to maturity: scout finch.

“A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably,” promoted Eleanor Roosevelt during her dedicated years as an advocate for the U.S.’s citizens.  As the First Lady, she, like many other good people in the world, had achieved the success of maturity and gave her life to the people.  Likewise, in the fiction book To Kill a Mockingbird , Harper Lee concocted a brilliant masterpiece filled with themes about a young girl named Scout and connected her adventures to her own memories of growing up in the prejudiced South, specifically in Alabama, in the 1930s.  The story reflects a major meaning of life and maturity through the prejudiced death of an innocent black man, and the events before and after the case prove to be enlightening experiences for Scout.   Known as tomboy Scout, Jean Louise Finch transforms in the course of three years from an innocent child to a courageous young lady by learning to control her originally stormy temper, apprehending the prejudice and racism around her, and caring for others after absorbing different perspectives.

Character Traits of Scout Finch in the Beginning of To Kill A Mockingbird

As a tomboy, Scout has early troubles with fighting on impulse or speaking before thinking whenever a person or event irritates her, but she outgrows her hot temper and learns to rationalize thoroughly after encountering several events.   Originally, on her first day of school, Scout is slightly naïve when she tries to explain to her teacher Ms. Caroline about a boy named Walter Cunningham and his “no lunch” situation.  However, Scout did not consider Walter’s embarrassing side of the story and unintentionally insults him, “…but it was beyond my ability to explain things as well as Atticus, so I said, ‘You’re shamin’ him, Miss Caroline. Walter hasn’t got a quarter at home to bring to you, and you can’t use any stovewood’” (Lee 21).   Scout is innocent and does not really understand that Walter and his family are proud people, so her thinking does not yet reach a mature insight.  The teacher immediately punishes her, and Scout’s flashy temper overtakes her because she does not word her explanation carefully.  As a result, she decides to punish Walter for her mistake.  Therefore, as children, people often do not think thoroughly about their actions, and their tempers often control them in silly ways, but maturity stabilizes the mind and body to act as one being, and thoughts of reasoning cause people to act justly.   For example, in a situation in which Scout matures, her Aunt Alexandra holds a missionary group meeting with the ladies in the town, and they are discussing troubling news about changing the Mrunas, whom the hypocritical women, such as Mrs. Merriweather, believe that they live like animals.  Near the end of the meeting, Scout and Aunt Alexandra are both angry with the hypocritical comments and also receive the shocking news of the meaningless death of an innocent black man named Tom Robinson, but Scout manages to stay calm just like her aunt.   Scout demonstrates her newfound ladylike patience , “I carefully picked up the tray and watched myself walk to Mrs. Merriweather.  With my best company manners, I asked if she would have some.  After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so can I” (237).  Through this thought, Scout reveals a maturity growth in which she deals with stressful and unfair situations with dignity.  She is no longer her childlike, eruptive personality and instead, reacts calmly with both the unjust comments of Mrs. Merriweather and the surprising news of Tom Robinson’s death.  Deep inside of her, she considers both situations and knows their injustice, but she keeps her outer self as a patient lady.  Because her reaction seems content, Scout is able to analyze her situation and object to extreme events within her mind. Near the end of the book, she steers her life into a more thoughtful and patient way that changes her previously boiling personality.

How Scout Finch Grows

Character development of scout finch.

In addition, Scout masters a technique that makes her more caring and worldly like her saintly father and great older brother, and she learns to consider others’ points of view to understand people.  In an early situation, Scout’s Aunt Alexandra arrives to stay at her home for a long time to serve as Scout’s feminine influence because her mother had passed away.  Thus, Aunt Alexandra wants to help Scout, but Scout sees this as an intrusion of her own freedom, so she tactlessly tries to dissuade her aunt from staying a long time by referring to missing her own husband, “The moment I said, ‘Won’t you miss him?’ I realized that this was not a tactful question” (128).  In this action, Scout is less experienced with seeing the different point of view of her aunt’s good intentions. Instead, it reveals that Scout is still young and does not yet consider how her aunt feels. Not seeing other points of view is often what children are portrayed as, and thus, it reflects their innocence.  As a result, their actions can be excused as long as they learn form their mistakes and consider others.  After three long years of yearning to see her mysteriously reclusive neighbor Boo Radley, Scout finally understands his reasons for staying in his home after seeing his point of view.  Previously, her father Atticus always wants her to consider other points of view, and Scout masters it with Boo.  After Boo saves her and her brother’s lives, Scout walks him home and is amazed by his perspective of events, “ Atticus was right….you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough…I felt very old ” (279).  Scout is overwhelmed by emotions because she finally understands her neighbor, and as a more mature person, she now considers her previous actions to see Boo as childish. With this, Scout demonstrates a great capacity as an almost fully-fledged adult .  At the same time, comprehending others shows a technique that comes with experience and knowledge. Scout’s encounters with learning different points of view change her own opinions and views of the outside world.

Conclusion: The Growth of Scout and Her Maturity

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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
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• Academia - To Kill a Mockingbird: Race, Class and Innocence in the Contemporary Society INTRODUCTION
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• 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.”

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Table of contents

The recluse in the shadows, acts of quiet kindness, the triumph of human kindness, conclusion: a silent journey of growth.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 18 critical to kill a mockingbird quotes, explained.

General Education

Not only is Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird one of the most widely taught books in American high schools, but it's also one of the most popular books in general. In fact, it was just recently voted "America’s favorite novel" ! Its popularity has endured for decades, and it’s still taught in schools across the United States today.

That’s why we’re explaining the top 18 To Kill a Mockingbird quotes for you. In addition to becoming familiar with the stand-out moments of the novel, by the end of this article you’ll have a deeper understanding of the book’s themes, characters, and most important elements .

A Brief Overview of To Kill a Mockingbird

Before we jump into our picks for the most important To Kill a Mockingbird quotes, here’s a very, very brief overview of To Kill a Mockingbird's plot. (But make sure you read the book yourself— it’s definitely a book you need to know !)

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee that was published in 1960. It tells the story of events that take place in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s. The narrator is Scout Finch, a six-year-old girl whose father, Atticus, is a prominent lawyer in the town.

Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, which makes the Finch family social pariahs. (Remember: this book takes place before the Civil Rights Movement in the United States!) The book follows Scout for three years as she and her brother, Jem, learn to navigate the racism in their community.

No w that you’ve had a quick refresher of the book’s plot, let’s dive into our picks for the best To Kill a Mockingbird quotes to know!

Mockingbirds are common in the American South and are famous for mimicking the calls of other birds ... which is where they get their name! 

18 Critical To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes

We now introduce to you 18 of the most important To Kill a Mockingbird quotes you should know. In this section, you'll find an array of thought-provoking quotes, from To Kill a Mockingbird racism quotes that discuss one of the novel's central themes, to Atticus Finch quotes and more.

Quote #1: It’s a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus said to Jem one day, "I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. "Your father’s right," she said. "Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." (p. 88)

This first quote on our list of critical TKAM quotes provides the book with its title, so we know it's important. Whenever you encounter a quote like this and want to analyze it, you should first ask yourself what the author is trying to tell you .

On the surface, this passage seems to have little to do with the novel’s major theme (racism) or any of its minor themes (morality, childhood, and the reality of rural Southern communities), but if we think about it, we find that it actually does .

On the one hand, these lines show that Scout is learning the community shares a set of values . Atticus isn’t the only person who thinks it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird; Miss Maudie, the neighbor across the street, does, too. Ultimately, the mockingbird is a symbol of goodness and hope, so this passage teaches readers about the difference between good and evil. The mockingbird and what it represents is "good," and killing it—or, rather, destroying innocence—is evil.

As Scout learns these values, she grows out of her childhood and into the shared society of Maycomb, her town. One of the many themes of To Kill a Mockingbird is Scout’s coming of age , or her growth out of childhood innocence and into adulthood. The technical name for this type of story is a bildungsroman , which is German for "education novel," but usually we just call them coming-of-age stories.

Quote #2: Atticus on Empathy

"First of all," he said, "if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view ... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." (p. 32)

This is definitely one of the most important Atticus Finch quotes to know.

Empathy , or the ability to understand another person’s experiences, is another major theme in To Kill a Mockingbird , and Atticus serves as the moral compass of the book. For Scout and many other characters, Atticus is a model of what a good person should be: someone who values others and stands up for what’s right, no matter what society says.

To Kill a Mockingbird explores why racism exists and how we can counteract it. This line of dialogue, which comes early in the book, succinctly sums up Atticus’s opinion of racism: it’s an inability or unwillingness to try to understand the perspective of one who is unlike oneself . Throughout the book, we watch Scout take this lesson to heart as she tries to empathize with the perspectives of a diverse set of people in her community.

Atticus and Tom Robinson in the 1962 film adaptation of TKAM

Quote #3: Atticus on Courage

In a flash Atticus was up and standing over him. Jem buried his face in Atticus’s shirt front.

"Sh-h," he said. "I think that was her way of telling you—everything’s all right now, Jem, everything’s all right. You know, she was a great lady."

"A lady?" Jem raised his head. His face was scarlet. "After all those things she said about you, a lady?"

"She was. She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe ... son, I told you that if you hadn’t lost your head I’d have made you go read to her. I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew." (p. 107)

Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict who is able to conquer her addiction with Jem’s help. Initially she is racist and harsh, which terrifies Scout and Jem, but Atticus admires her because she lived "according to her views."

As you read these To Kill a Mockingbird quotes, you’ll notice the Atticus Finch quotes in which he’s speaking to Jem are quite different from those spoken to Scout . Atticus tries throughout the book to give Jem an alternative way of being courageous—and, consequently, an alternative way of being a good man. Atticus tries to show Jem that he can be brave simply by pursuing what he believes is right, even though he might ultimately fail. This quote teaches us that being a moral person can be courageous in itself .

In the first quote, we looked at how the book traces Scout’s growth, but one thing that makes this book so appealing is that the other characters all show growth, too. Jem is a little older than Scout—he’s 12 years old in Part Two—so he’s just about to grow into adulthood. This is a difficult time in a person’s life because they’re trying to find their place in society, so it’s important to Atticus that Jem understands violence isn’t brave at all .

Quote #4: Atticus on Conscience

"Well, most folks seem to think they’re right and you’re wrong ..."

"They’re certainly entitled to think that, and they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions," said Atticus, "but before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience." (p. 101)

While Scout and Jem’s growth in the book relates to their increasing knowledge of the adult society of Maycomb, Atticus’s growth relates to his desire to transcend these societal norms . He sees the ways that Maycomb’s ideas about race, manhood, and morality hurt many of its citizens.

What makes Atticus such a moral character is his tendency to follow his own instincts regarding what is right or wrong, rather than following the customs of his community. Because he is a very visible political figure in town, this characteristic sometimes makes him unpopular.

Quote #5: Atticus on Racism

"The older you grow the more of it you’ll see. The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash." (p. 207)

This is one of the more interesting To Kill a Mockingbird racism quotes because it’s one in which Atticus's thoughts on race are most clearly presented. Whereas many of the townspeople believe that white people are superior to black people, Atticus believes all people should have equal representation in a court of law . In other words, Atticus takes a bold stance against racism.

Furthermore, he states that a white man who uses his privilege to cheat a black man is, in fact, inferior to that black man. This would’ve been a very unpopular opinion in the community in this time period, and this passage is yet another example of Atticus's learning to transcend the customs of his community in order to live a more moral life.

Maudie and Jem in the 1962 film ( Classic Film /Flickr, used under CC BY-NC 2.0 )

Quote #6: Jem on Family

"What if he was kin to us, Aunty?"

"The fact is that he is not kin to us, but if he were, my answer would be the same."

"Aunty," Jem spoke up, "Atticus says you can choose your friends but you sho’ can’t choose your family, an’ they’re still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge ’em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don’t." (p. 210)

One of the most appealing aspects of To Kill a Mockingbird is that it gives us insight into what it means to be a family. Although Scout’s mother is absent—we don’t even learn her first name—we watch Atticus do his best to be a good father to Scout and Jem. Likewise, Scout and Jem are always doing their best to live up to Atticus’s example of decency .

While they aren’t a typical Maycomb family, they’re bonded together by love and respect. Through them, Lee shows readers that family isn’t about having two parents—it’s about the love that binds people together.

Quote #7: Atticus on Equality

"But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this honorable court which you serve. Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal." (p. 193)

Each character has his or her own conflict in To Kill a Mockingbird , and Atticus’s primary conflict is the clash between what he knows to be morally correct and the expectations of his community .

Here, we have another of the Atticus quotes in which he states that the goals of the courtroom, which are to create a just and equal society, are more important than the limitations of the local community; thus, they should not be subject to the same prejudices. Atticus is bold in these public assertions, which puts him in conflict with some of the other people in Maycomb.

Quote #8: Atticus on Empathy (Again)

"An’ they chased him ’n’ never could catch him ’cause they didn’t know what he looked like, an’ Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn’t done any of those things ... Atticus, he was real nice ..."

His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me.

"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them." (p. 263)

Once again, Atticus is teaching Scout to empathize with other people’s perspectives. Although Atticus is morally in conflict with the culture of Maycomb for much of the book, he is driven by the belief that everyone is, at heart, a decent person .

He understands that his fellow townspeople are sometimes driven by the pressure to conform to social customs rather than their own sense of right and wrong. Atticus seems to believe that if everyone were to follow their ethical instincts, they would choose to behave in a way that is moral, and this is the lesson he consistently tries to instill in Scout.

Quote #9: Scout on Class

"No, everybody’s gotta learn, nobody’s born knowin’. That Walter’s as smart as he can be, he just gets held back sometimes because he has to stay out and help his daddy. Nothin’s wrong with him. Naw, Jem, I think there’s just one kind of folks. Folks." (p. 212)

Walter Cunningham, Jr. is the son of a poor farmer who cannot afford to pay Atticus and instead pays him with things such as stovewood and hickory nuts.

Here, Scout is applying the lessons on empathy she’s learned from Atticus in order to understand the experiences of someone from a lower class. She realizes that though Walter doesn’t have the same advantages she does, he is doing his best to learn nonetheless . Not only does this quote show Scout’s growth as a character, but it also reinforces To Kill a Mockingbird ’s theme of empathy.

Quote #10: Atticus on Nobility

"Scout, simply by the nature of the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine, I guess. You might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will: you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let ’em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change ... it’s a good one, even if it does resist learning."

"Atticus, are we going to win it?"

"No, honey."

"Then, why—"

"Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win," Atticus said. (p. 75)

In this To Kill a Mockingbird quote, Atticus is telling Scout how to behave with honor in the face of adversity . Atticus’s conviction in his own morality puts not only himself in conflict with the townsfolk, but also, as he understands, his family. As someone who cares deeply about his family, Atticus tries to prepare them for the backlash; however, he also teaches them that there is dignity in defeat, so long as one follows their best ethical judgment.

Quote #11: Calpurnia on How to Treat Company

"There’s some folks who don’t eat like us," she whispered fiercely, "but you ain’t called on to contradict ’em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear?"

"He ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham—"

"Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ’em—if you can’t act fit to eat at the table you can just set here and eat in the kitchen!" (p. 28)

Again, Scout learns a lesson about class differences , and this time it comes from the family’s housekeeper, Calpurnia. The fact that Scout is receiving life lessons from an African American woman who is treated not only as an equal but also as a member of the family is an example of how different the Finches are from most of the other townsfolk.

It also shows readers who might have their own prejudices that people who are different from them are still people —and they deserve to be treated as equals and with kindness.

Quote #12: Atticus on Children

"Jack! When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake. But don’t make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles ’em. ..." (p. 85)

This is one of the lesser-known Atticus Finch quotes, but it's still an important one. Here, Atticus is talking to his brother John Hale Finch after Scout is heard cursing. This quote shows how Atticus treats his children as if they are as intelligent as adults (in this case, as if they are perhaps more intelligent than adults).

Atticus always treats everyone with respect and is very insightful in his views of human behavior, and this quote reveals his thoughts on parenting. He never claims authority over his children but rather leads by example, treating them more as peers than as kids. The fact that his children call him by his first name, Atticus, shows that they consider themselves on equal footing with him as well.

Quote #13: Atticus on Embellishment

"Atticus told me to delete the adjectives and I’d have the facts." (p. 59)

This quote is Scout’s reply to Jem after he tries to impress her with his knowledge of Ancient Egypt. Although it’s a fairly off-hand comment on Scout’s part, it does help us understand a few things about Atticus.

One is that this is yet another example of his influence over his children. His opinions inform theirs throughout the whole book.

Another, more important, aspect of Atticus that this comment reveals is his straightforward moral sensibility . You can apply this to his decision to defend Tom Robinson. After deleting the adjective "black," Tom Robinson is no longer a "black man" but simply a man, which is the fact that guides the way Atticus treats and represents Tom.

Quote #14: Atticus on Scout’s Behavior

Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life. I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as well, but Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam, that I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year. She hurt my feelings and set my teeth permanently on edge, but when I asked Atticus about it, he said there were already enough sunbeams in the family and to go on about my business, he didn’t mind me much the way I was. (p. 80)

Aunt Alexandra is Atticus’s older sister and is often more conservative than him. Here, she criticizes Scout’s dress and behavior, which would be described as "tomboyish."

Despite Aunt Alexandra’s criticism, Atticus encourages Scout to act and dress as she wishes. For the place and time period, Atticus is socially progressive, and this quote shows us another aspect in which Atticus trusts his children to be themselves and doesn’t try to force social customs upon them .

Quote #15: Miss Maudie on Religion

"There are just some kind of men who—who’re so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results."

Miss Maudie stopped rocking, and her voice hardened.

"You are too young to understand it," she said, "but sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of—oh, of your father." (p. 46)

Although all the characters in the book are more or less devout Christians, many of them do not behave as such. These people often act with prejudice, malice, and fear. The hypocrisy of being outwardly religious but not compassionate or empathetic is one of the ironies that drives Atticus to act on Tom’s behalf.

In this quotation, Miss Maudie is correct that many of the most dangerous people in the town are the most devout. Atticus is once again held up to a high standard of behavior.

Quote #16: Scout on Reading

I mumbled that I was sorry and retired meditating upon my crime. I never deliberately learned to read, but somehow I had been wallowing illicitly in the daily papers. In the long hours of church—was it then I learned? I could not remember not being able to read hymns. Now that I was compelled to think about it, reading was something that just came to me ... I could not remember when the lines above Atticus’s moving finger separated into words, but I had stared at them all the evenings in my memory, listening to the news of the day, Bills to Be Enacted into Laws, the diaries of Lorenzo Dow—anything Atticus happened to be reading when I crawled into his lap every night. Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing. (p. 21)

In this passage, Scout has been discouraged from reading by her teacher, Miss Caroline, who disapproves of Atticus having already taught Scout to read. As this quote illustrates, Scout considers reading to not only be a pleasure in itself, but also a major aspect of her relationship with her father and an essential aspect of her identity (as essential as breathing).

Here, we see how Atticus’s nurturing of his daughter’s intelligence has led to her rebellious, questioning identity, and it also reveals his own progressive views . Atticus’s choice of reading matter (the news of the day, Bills to Be Enacted into Laws, the diaries of the eccentric traveling preacher Lorenzo Dow) gives us insight into Atticus’s interests as well.

The fact that Atticus would share with a child as young as Scout such mature reading material reveals the respect he afforded her. He’s not trying to protect Scout from the realities of the world around her—instead, he wants to expose her to ideas so she can become an independent thinker and, hopefully, a kind person. That’s why Scout is upset to have lost not only the privilege of reading but also an important aspect of her friendship with her father .

Quote #17: Scout on Summer

Summer was on the way; Jem and I awaited it with impatience. Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill. (p. 36)

The book takes place over about a two-year period, and we know this because Scout’s friend Dill, who only visits during the summer, visits three times. Many of the most memorable scenes take place during the summer (such as the incident with the rabid dog, the visits from Dill, the search for Boo Radley, and the hot courtroom of Tom Robinson’s trial), making the heat of summer almost like another character in the book .

Summer is also the time that the rebellious Scout is free from the social pressures of school — is able to pursue her own interests and behave how she wishes . Summer symbolizes freedom and adventure for Scout, as it still does for many American students today!

Many authors think of setting (the time and place in which a story takes place) as one of the most important elements of a book. Setting is one of the ways in which readers most pleasurably engage with a book, because a well-described location can seem like a new world into which we can escape.

Quote #18: Scout on Jem’s Broken Arm

This is the opening paragraph of the book. Interestingly, the book begins with the last event of the entire book, Jem’s broken arm. Actually, the entire book serves as Scout’s explanation of how Jem came to break his arm.

This also tells us that the narrator, Scout, is living long after the events of the novel and is looking back in time in order to tell her story. This gives the book an atmosphere of nostalgia —we know she is recalling a childhood that has long since passed.

Many coming-of-age stories begin with the author long after the time frame of the book looking backward and watching themselves learn the lessons that seem important in retrospect. Why do authors do this? Because recalling the events from some future time period gives the narrator an excuse to understand what's important about the story in a way that someone living through it at the time wouldn’t.

As we go through our lives each day, we don’t know what is going to be important until after the fact — after we’ve learned our lessons and look back on what led us to learn them.    

5 Questions to Consider When Analyzing Book Quotes

Analyzing important quotations isn’t magic, but it does take practice. Whether you're looking at TKAM quotes or quotes from another book, you'll need to know how to analyze them smartly.

Here are the questions you need to ask yourself to be able to pick out the most important quotes in a book and analyze them like a pro.

#1: Why Is the Author Telling Us This?

Think of a work of literature as a series of choices an author has made intentionally in order to communicate something to the reader. So, when you encounter a passage that strikes you as significant in some way, try to place yourself in the author’s perspective and figure out why you think the author made the choices they did.

#2: What Does This Tell Us About the Character?

Characters are people, and, like people we know in our actual lives, they make decisions and act according to their motivations. Whenever a character does not seem to be realistically motivated, the character fails to move us. So ask yourself what the selection tells us about a character’s motivation and perspective .

#3: How Does the Setting Influence the Story?

A character who lives in a broken-down school bus in a junkyard will have a different perspective and will make different decisions than a character who lives in a 30-story housing complex. Both of these are examples of poverty, but they entail very different experiences —rural versus urban, and isolated versus overcrowded. Likewise, a story that takes place in a junkyard would have a completely different set of pressures.

Think about how the setting influences To Kill a Mockingbird . It’s set in the rural Southern United States, with its hundreds of years of slavery and racism. That creates a set of pressures quite different from, say, those in a major European city. In fact, To Kill a Mockingbird wouldn’t work if it were set anywhere else! Talking about why that is can lead to some really stellar analysis.

#4: What Can This Teach Me About My Own Life?

The reason literature is important is that it gives us insight into other peoples’ lives . As Atticus says, it allows us to "climb into [other people’s] skin and walk around in it." This gives us more understanding for perspectives unlike our own and broadens our sense of experience.

When you come across a passage in a book that hooks you for some reason, ask yourself why this specific passage feels relevant to you. What experiences have you had that are similar or intersect with this quote? This can be an excellent writing prompt if you’re looking for inspiration for a new essay.

#5: How Is This Still Relevant?

When you read the news headlines or current events, do you still see articles about racism? Are people still falsely accused of crimes, and do they sometimes get convicted due to the systemic biases of their communities? Is this still a thing?

Yes, it is. Sadly, it likely always will be, and that is why To Kill a Mockingbird is still so relevant, even 60 years since its publication. Likewise, communities still have common cultures, fathers still love their children, and little girls still chafe against the expectations of feminine dress and behavior.

Every generation finds new aspects of classic literature that inspire them and that they can relate to. When you’re trying to analyze a passage, try to find ways of relating it to the present-day world.

Beyond To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes: Further Reading

Want to learn more about To Kill a Mockingbird ? Here are four articles and books that will give you greater insight into Harper Lee’s famous novel!

"Why Harper Lee Struggled to Write Again After To Kill a Mockingbird " by Casey Cep

This excerpt from Cep’s book Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee describes Lee’s later years, her struggles with fame, and her inability to write a follow-up to her famed To Kill a Mockingbird. This is a great pick for anyone who wants to know more about the reclusive woman behind the book. (And, of course, if you want to read Cep’s book, you can find it here!)

"Who Was Atticus Finch?" by Laura Douglas-Brown

This article explores the differences in how Atticus Finch is portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird and Harper Lee’s other novel, Go Set a Watchman . It also describes Lee’s relationship with her own father, A. C. Lee, and how he served as an inspiration for the character of Atticus Finch.

The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee by Marja Mills

Marja Mills is a journalist who befriended Harper Lee and her sister, Alice. She lived next door to them for several years and wrote this portrait of Lee in her later years as she lived a life of near-solitude in Monroeville, Alabama — the city that inspired Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird.

I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields

This is an adaptation for younger readers of Shields’s earlier biography of Lee titled Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee from Childhood to Go Set a Watchman. This book will give you a thorough overview of Lee’s entire life in a more accessible style.

What's Next?

Trying to analyze literary quotes without knowing literary elements is ... well, it’s like trying to dig a hole without a shovel! If you’re going to analyze literature, you need to make sure you have the right tools for the job. Here’s a list of the elements you’ll find in every piece of literatur e, and here’s a guide to the 31 literary devices you absolutely need to know .

Did you appreciate our in-depth analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird ? If so, you should check out our complete series on The Great Gatsby . We break down the book chapter by chapter and even have articles on character and theme analysis . By the end of our series, you’ll be an expert in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most popular work.

Maybe you feel super confident in your ability to tackle a novel, but poetry makes you break out into a cold sweat. Never fear: here are some guides to poetic styles (such as sonnets ) and poetic elements (such as personification and iambic pentameter ) to get you started. Also, we have a complete analysis of "Do not go gentle into that good night" written by a college professor so you can see what a great poetry analysis looks like!

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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