Ms. Buchanan – 9th Grade
Summer Reading Essay Assignment
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
1. To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a bildungsroman, or a novel of maturation.
Throughout the novel, both Scout and Jem endure numerous events and situations
that cause them to mature and “come of age.” Explore the theme of maturation as it
applies to this novel, citing particular experiences that cause the children to
“grow.”
2. Harper Lee bitterly criticizes the prevalence of hypocrisy in society in To Kill a
Mockingbird. Examine Ms. Lee’s condemnation of hypocrisy through her novel,
citing specific incidents / examples to support your assertions.
3. Examine the theme of either prejudice or sexism in To Kill a Mockingbird by
referring to specific incidents / examples. Be sure to explain / analyze what
message Harper Lee is trying to convey about this theme.
Don’t forget to attach your rubric to the front of your essay!
Full Name:
Grade Level:
Date:
Essay Rubric – To Kill a Mockingbird
___ (15) Development of Ideas
___ (15) Focus and Coherence
___ (15) Organization
___ (15) Voice
___ (10) Conventions (Grammar, Usage, Mechanics, Spelling)
___ (15) Length
___ (5) Quote with Documentation
___ (5) Quote with Documentation
___ (5) Quote with Documentation
* Essays that do not address the prompt will receive a zero.
Comments:
THE CENTRAL IDEA
A central idea must meet the following criteria.
1. It must be arguable. Someone else could disagree with your idea.
2. It must be a broad enough topic for you to write on.
3. It must be more than just an unsupportable opinion.
IDENITIFY THE PROBLEM WITH EACH OF THE FOLLOWING CENTRAL IDEAS.
1. “Young Goodman Brown” takes place in the famous town of Salem, Massachusetts.
2. “The Cask of Amontillado” is by far Edgar Allan Poe’s most interesting and intriguing
story.
3. In “The Devil and Tom Walker,” the liver of Tom’s wife represents her choleric attitude
that permeates throughout the entire story.
4. Many of Melville’s works were not accepted by the public until after his death.
5. The Scarlet Letter introduces the reader to a number of different characters.
All of you considered particular themes or various topics as you read through the novel. In order
to construct a central idea from those themes or topics, you need to make a definitive, arguable
statement about it.
Examples:
1. If you are writing about a literary movement or philosophy…
Despite the fact that it was written during the earliest years of this literary movement,
William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” is the quintessential Romantic work.
2. If you are describing a writer’s purpose…
Herman Melville wrote “What Redburn Saw…” to promote social change by illustrating
the caustic attitude of many urbanites towards the poverty found within the cities.
3. If you are writing about a literary style or structure…
In Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” he uses flashback and
ambiguity to illustrate the pointlessness of the Civil War.
4. If you are writing about a change in a character…
Throughout J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield learns through his
experiences in New York that it is impossible to hold onto one’s innocence forever.
5. If you are drawing a parallel between the writer and his work…
In his poem “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe uses his own life experiences of losing his
wife to portray the intense sorrow of the poem’s speaker.
THE THESIS
Your thesis should meet the following criteria.
PURPOSE: The “map” of your paper. The thesis will outline HOW you will support your
central idea.
CONTENT: It should consist of 3 points. If you find yourself creating a thesis that consists of
6 or 7 items, COMBINE those items into broader topics.
LENGTH: Ideally, your thesis should be one sentence in length. This will help to guide your
reader through the paper.
EXAMPLES:
1. For the central idea on “Thanatopsis:
Bryant’s use of archaic language and reference to ancient times, his knowledge of the
hidden fears of the individual, and his celebration of the healing and sustaining
power of nature result in a work that clearly demonstrates the key tenets of the
Romantic movement.
2. For the central idea on Catcher:
Holden’s experiences in New York cause him to mature through his contact with the
adult world of prostitution, the profanity that appears in even the most sacred of
places, and the disappointment of the figures he trusted in the most, all of which teach
him that innocence is not eternal.
Print:
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Times Roman
12 point
Paper:
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8 ½ by 11 inch paper
Margins:
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1 inch margins all around
Indent the first word of a paragraph ½ inch or five spaces
Indent set-off quotations 1 inch or ten spaces
Spacing:
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Entire paper is double spaced
o This includes heading, quotations, and the list of works cited
Heading and Title:
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Do not use a title page
On first page- one inch from top and left type…
o Your name, your instructor’s name, the course number, and the date on separate
lines (Example of “date” 24 April 2002)
o Don’t forget to double space
o Double space and type the title of the paper
o Center title
o Do not underline, italicize, bold face, or use quotations for title
Page Numbers:
o Number all pages ½ inch from top and flush with right margin
o Type your last name before the page number
Throughout your essay you will be using direct quotations to further develop your
central idea. A direct quotation occurs when you borrow the author’s exact words. You must
supply quotation marks, the author’s last name, and the page number of the source when quoting
directly. Below you will find two common methods of constructing in-text citations.
1. You may put the source’s name and page number at the end of the quoted material.
DNA must be copied exactly during cell reproduction, for “each DNA strand provides the
pattern of bases for a new strand to form” (Caden 815).
2. You may use the source’s name to introduce the quoted material and supply the page number
in parentheses.
Joseph Caden contends that DNA must be copied exactly during cell reproduction, for “each
DNA strand provides the pattern of bases for a new strand to form” (815).
*Consult the MLA Handbook for other, specific examples
When you cite a work in the text of your paper, you must then provide complete information
about that work in a works cited page at the end of your paper. Below is an example of a works
cited page.
Doe 5
Works Cited
Brindle, Reginald Smith. “The Search Outwards: The Orient, Jazz, Archaisms.” The New
Music: The Avant-Garde since 1945. New York: Oxford UP, 1975. 133-45.
Gammond, Peter, ed. Duke Ellington: His Life and Music. 1958. New York: Da Capo,
1977.
Griffiths, Paul. A Concise History of Avant-Garde Music: From Debussy to Boulez. New
York: Oxford UP, 1978.
Haase, John Edward. Beyond Category: The Life and Genuis of Duke Ellington. Fwd.
Wynton Marsalis. New York: Simon, 1993.
Hitchcock, H. Wiley. Music in the United States: An Introduction. 2nd ed. Englewood
Cliffs: Prentice, 1974.
Rattenbury, Ken. Duke Ellington, Jazz Composer. New Haven: Yale UP, 1990.
Note:
1. Margins are 1” on all sides.
2. 2nd (and all consecutive) lines of a bibliographic entry should be indented ½ inch.
3. All entries should be alphabetized.
4. Note how to abbreviate University of Wherever Press.
5. Words such as “Publisher” and abbreviations like “Co.” and “Inc.” should be omitted.