To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee centres on Atticus Finch’s attempts to prove the innocence of Tom Robinson, a black man who has been wrongly accused of raping a white woman in 1930s Alabama.

A theme is an idea that runs throughout a text. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the themes of prejudice, family life and courage are explored.

The main characters in To Kill a Mockingbird are Atticus Finch, Scout and Jem, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. Learn how Atticus’ tolerant attitude can be seen in his children as the novel progresses.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel and its structure reflects the fact that Scout and Jem mature as the novel progresses. It is narrated by Scout who looks back on events in a chronological order.

To Kill a Mockingbird is set in 1930s Alabama, which was a particularly racist time in the southern states of America as black people were treated as second class citizens.

Read examples of the types of questions you might be asked in the exam and how best to approach them.