1. To Kill a Mockingbird Tone and Mood Essay
You can do it! Here’s a few tips to help!

2. Prompt
In a 5 paragraph essay explain how Harper Lee effectively sets a tone that creates a mood for her reader. How does her effective use of personification, simile and metaphor as well as imagery affect the overall perception of the novel?

3. Dissecting the Prompt
Prompt: In a 4 paragraph essay explain how Harper Lee effectively sets a tone that creates a mood for her reader. How does her effective use of personification, simile and metaphor as well as imagery affect the overall perception of the novel?
How many paragraphs?
What are we supposed to do?
What are we proving?
What evidence does the prompt ask us to use to prove our point?
The thesis should include...

4. Term Review Tone is Mood is Personification is Metaphor is Simile is
Imagery is

5. Getting our ideas together
Now for some decisions...
Discuss with the person sitting next to you the tone the author has tried to set for the reader. Answer these questions:
What over all feeling do you get from the novel?
How do you feel about a child telling the story?
Did you like the narrator? Did it help you understand the story better?
Why do you think the author chose this narrator?
How do you feel about the setting? How does the setting affect the events in the novel? How did it effect your mood?
Remember the motifs we discussed at the beginning of the novel? Review them! How do these fit in with the tone set? Why do you think the author chose to use these motifs?

6. Thesis Statement Ideas
In “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee...
Harper Lee uses ___________ in “To Kill a Mockingbird” in order to....
The _____________ tone that Harper Lee uses in “To Kill a Mockingbird” creates a sense of .....

7. Opening Paragraph Hook Help – Let’s recall our options.
Remember your historical context? What an interesting way to start this essay!
Use an important direct quote from the novel
Use a vivid description from the novel
Go online and look up something about the author
Talk to me about what exactly it means to set a tone or create a mood
Start with motifs and talk about how they help create a feeling in the reader from the very start

8. Body Paragraphs Some questions to ask before we begin...
How many body paragraphs will there be?
How many sentences in each?
What information belongs in each one?
NEVER FORGET – REPEAT AFTER ME...
THE GOAL OF MY ESSAY IS TO PROVE THAT THE POINT I AM MAKING IS VALID. THE PERSON THAT IS READING THIS ESSAY ALREADY READ THE STORY SO I DON’T NEED TO RETELL IT. I JUST NEED TO PROVE I AM RIGHT!

9. Body Paragraphs
Concrete evidence – This is a quote or an event that you have paraphrased directly from the story.
Personal analysis – This is where you explain why you chose this quote and tell how it helps you prove that your thesis statement is correct. This is where you show how SMART you are!
For every 1 piece of concrete evidence you need 2 sentences of personal analysis
RATIO 1:2

10. Concrete Evidence
The prompt asks me to use what as evidence to prove what?
Proving...
Evidence I need to use....
To create my personal analysis I am asking myself again and again...
What point is the author trying to get across in this quote?
Why did the author choose this particular quote?
How does this effect the reader?

11. Closing Paragraph
Don’t panic! Go back to your opening paragraph and reread your hook. This is where to begin.
Pull your reader back to your point...did you prove your thesis after all of those paragraphs? This is your LAST CHANCE to tell the reader that you did!
Ask yourself:
How did this novel affect you?
How do you think it effected other that read it?
Do you think the author was trying to teach any lessons here?
How did she draw the reader in by the tone she used?
What about the author’s writing style made the novel more interesting?

12. Watch for Grammar Mistakes
Direct quotations in sentences. Do this correctly! WRONG
Atticus highlights this mood when he talks about mockingbirds and their benefits. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” (Lee, 134)
RIGHT
Atticus highlights this mood when he talks about mockingbirds and their benefits. He says to Scout, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” (Lee, 134)

13. Watch for Grammar Mistakes
2 short sentences that could easily be combined into a bigger, better sentences!
Atticus is responsible for teaching Scout. He teaches her how to read before school starts.
As a proactive parent, Atticus takes on the responsibility of teaching Scout to read before school starts.

14. Watch for Grammar Mistakes
Using possessive incorrectly
Both kid’s learn that Boo Radley is not the enemy, but rather the protector.
Both children learn that Boo Radley is not the enemy, but rather the protector.

15. Fix Format Problems
Stick with the topic. YOU are proving the MOOD that the author makes the reader feel. Do not stray from this point.
Your examples MUST include personification, simile and metaphor AND imagery – The prompt demands this.
Funnel Introductions/Conclusions killed me (and your grades)! If you start with your thesis statement, you didn’t do it right. If you ended with just restating your thesis statement, you didn’t do it right!
WATCH OUT – Retelling the story is off limits!