Argumentative Essay for To Kill a Mockingbird

DUE: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21

What kind of an essay will you be writing?

This is an argumentative essay in which the writer chooses to defend one side of an issue. While defending your chosen stance, you will also examine different perspectives on the issue by discussing the complications of the issue.

How does this type of essay develop an effective argument?

The writer addresses one or more of the arguments AGAINST his or her position, in addition to supporting his/her position. As a result, an opponent who holds the opposite position will not be able to argue that the writer has not considered the opposition’s point of view. In short, understanding and addressing the opposing position at the beginning of the paper strengthens the writer’s position.

Your essay must do the following:

§  Develop a clear argument using support from the novel.

§  Address and/or refute the opposing side of your argument.

Choose from the thesis statements listed below:

a. Despite the drawbacks for his own family, Atticus was wise to defend Tom Robinson.

b. While prejudicial behavior gave some residents of Maycomb a sense of comfortable superiority, it actually limited their ability to develop fully as human beings.

c. While Atticus works hard to develop a relationship with his children, in many other ways he fails as a parent. (Ex: puts children in harm’s way by defending Tom Robinson, can’t experience everything with his kids because of his age, stifles his children by not allowing Scout to defend her family and Jem from having a gun, ect.)

d. While Atticus may make some mistakes as a parent, overall he is an admirable father. (qualities: provider, protector, nurturer, exemplar, teacher, etc.)

e. While many characters in To Kill a Mockingbird find their power in cowardly clinging to the beliefs of a group, the novel ultimately illustrates that one individual who acts with integrity possesses greater power.

f. Even though Scout’s narration is often faulty or inaccurate, her innocence often allows readers to see the events and characters in the novel more clearly.

g. While the children in the novel value heroism and courage that involves physical strength, the novel ultimately demonstrates that greater courage resides in those who summon inner strength to fight moral and spiritual battles.

h. Despite Aunt Alexandra’s respected status in Maycomb, she struggles with character flaws involving racial and social prejudice.

i. While religion is important to most of the residents of Maycomb, the novel illustrates that fanatical believers are often hypocrites who do more harm than good.

j. Although Scout’s formal schooling is disappointing, she learns many valuable lessons from real life.

k. Although many characters in To Kill a Mockingbird base their self-worth on the social status of their family of origin, the truth is that the most admirable people in the novel “were people who did the best they could with the sense they had.”

l. While To Kill a Mockingbird shows the ugliness that can come from judging others, its ultimate message is that great good can result when one defers judgment until considering things from another person’s point of view.

m. Although Dill may seem like a very minor character in the novel, he actually plays a very important role in demonstrating ______.

(You could change this statement to apply to any of the “minor” characters.)

Essay Elements:

§  12 point Times New Roman

§  Double Spaced/ 3 pages

§  Follow MLA format

§  Essay should be at least six paragraphs

§  Body paragraphs containing support for the thesis pulled directly from the novel.

§  Conclusion to wrap up ideas and bring your ideas from the body paragraphs back together.

Key Transitions

Admittedly

And

Assuredly

But

Certainly

Clearly

Consequently

Even so

Furthermore

Granted

In addition

In fact

Indeed

It is true that

Moreover

Nevertheless

No doubt

Nobody denies

Obviously

Of course

On the other hand

Still

The fact remains

Therefore

Then

Thus

To be sure

True

Undoubtedly

Unquestionably

Yet


Sample portion of an argumentative essay

It has been said that Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, based the character of Dill from her childhood friend Truman Persons who later would be known as Truman Copote, a writer. Similar to Dill, Truman was left to his mother’s relatives who lived in Alabama after his parents had abandoned him. Although we only learn a little about Dill’s family and his presence in the novel is only during the summertime with Jem and Scout, he plays an important role in the novel. Many would argue that Dill’s character could easily be removed from To Kill a Mockingbird; but his presence actually plays a role in demonstrating one of the major themes in the novel, family.

It is true that the reader has very little information on Dill’s family or upbringing and the reader can only gather small pieces of information about Dill’s family life in Meridian, Mississippi by his brief conversations with Scout. However, it is specifically those short conversations that help to demonstrate the novel’s theme of the importance of family and role models. After Dill runs away from home and hides in the Finch house under Scout’s bed, he confides in Scout that his parents, “’just wasn’t interested in [him]’” (Lee 143). Scout, having been raised in a loving home by an attentive father cannot understand his situation. She comments, “This was the weirdest reason for flight I had ever heard” (143). Scout is so used to the attentive parenting that she receives from Atticus and Calpurnia, in fact, wishes they didn’t keep such a close watch on her that Dill’s running away makes no sense to her. She later tells Dill, “’….You don’t want ‘em around you all the time…’” (143). However, Dill disagrees. He longs to have what Scout has which is at least one attentive parent.