Book discussion

Language
Language is a powerful tool in this novel. The language of the children, the eloquence of Atticus and the language of the townspeople reflect their attitudes and often their prejudices. What lessons does Atticus attempt to teach Scout about the use of racial slurs?

Character
Many of the characters in the novel hold stereotypes about how individuals will behave as a result of their age, gender, race, social status, etc. Which characters are the victims of stereotyping? Do any of them break through the behavior expected of them, showing individuality and exposing the falseness of labeling people?
In failing to arrest Boo Radley at the end, Sheriff Tate is breaking the law, as is Atticus, who knows the truth of Ewell’s murder. Do you agree with some critics that Atticus’ actions are “wrong” as well as illegal?

Point of View
The novel begins as the voice of a mature adult recalling events from childhood and sometimes shifts to the point of view of a 6-year-old. Did you notice the shifts occurring? If so, did you find them distracting? What advantages did the author have as a result of being able to move from one perspective to the other?

Setting
Compare the city of Maycomb to the place where you grew up, noting similarities and differences.
The story is set in a small town in southern Alabama during the Depression of the 1930s. What aspects of the story seem to be particular to that place and time? What aspects of the story are universal, cutting across time and place? In what ways are the people you know today similar to and different from those in Maycomb?

Plot
Did To Kill a Mockingbird hold your interest? What parts of the story held your interest most strongly? Why? What parts seemed less interesting? Why?
Many readers see To Kill a Mockingbird as having two parts, one centering on Boo Radley and the other on the trial of Tom Robinson. How were the two stories brought together at the end of the novel?
Harper Lee called her novel “a love story.” Is this an accurate characterization of the novel?

Symbolism
A central symbol in the novel is the mockingbird, described by Miss Maudie as a creature that should never be killed because it is harmless and even provides song for the enjoyment of others. Both Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are basically blameless individuals who are at the mercy of society, yet society is cruel to Boo and ultimately Tom is murdered. The symbol of the mockingbird also points to Scout, both as an innocent child and as the grown-up narrator, who “sings a song” in telling the story. Can you think of additional ways in which the following function as symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Mad dog (community gone mad; berserk)
Treehouse (a retreat from the world)
Camellias (the old genteel South, living in the past)
Gun (an abuse of power–Atticus’ view; a means of power–the lynch-mob view)
Cemented hole in the tree (stories and “singers” or storytellers being thwarted)
Columns on buildings (persistence of the old South; a facade)
Atticus’ pocket watch (love of an absent mother)
Additional points for discussion
Other works of literature mentioned throughout the novel
Superstition
Literacy, both reading and being unable to read
Frequent mention of particular flowers
Actual and symbolic prisons and imprisonment
Theories and practices of child rearing
Unwritten social codes
Role of imagination and creativity in the children’s lives
The two “dramas”—the Radley plays and the Halloween pageant
Eccentricity