1. Robert Mulligan, 1962 Joel Schumacher, 1996

2. Essay Feedback
• Introductions should state what films you are
going to be talking about, and provide
information on place and time – the
introduction should ALWAYS be used as a tick
list/ structure for the essay

3. Essay Feedback
• Make sure you can understand the question – sometimes and
explanation of the question can be a good introduction
• How far do your chosen American films portray themes and ideas
in similar ways?
• In this essay I intend to discuss the extent to which To Kill a
Mockingbird (Robert Mulligan, 1962) and A Time to Kill (Joel
Schumacher, 1996) communicate themes such as… in similar ways.
In the first instance similarities between the films themes will be
able to be taken from the fact that both films are set in the deep
south of America. To Kill a Mockingbird in… the deep south
historically has a legacy of institutionalised racism. In the second
instance differences between the way the themes are conveyed
should be able to be debated due to the 30 year time period
between the films. For the most part both films use the characters
and the shared narrative plot of a court case as the vessels to
portray and explore the themes and ideas in each film.

4. Essay Feedback
• YOU NEED to give some back story/ narrative context –
DON’T WRITE as if the reader is familiar with the films
• Bigotry is the main theme and is the catalyst root of most
of the other themes – start with this and use it as a
connective to get to the other themes
• Listing the themes as to show comprehension vs
providing analysis, opinion and understanding –
including lack of textual evidence/referencing – leads
to no real exploration of the texts
• Only discuss 2-3 themes and do it in detail – ensuring
you have enough time to write a good, solid conclusion

5. Essay Feedback
• Make sure you can spell the characters names
and you know who they are! Spot the
mistakes:
• Briggance
• Billy Ray Cobb and James Willard
• Billy Ray Cobb leads the KKK
• Attacus

6. Essay Feedback
• Ensure the essay discusses both films evenly
• Don’t summarise points in the conclusion that
you actually didn’t make in the main part of
the essay

7. Key Themes
1. You should be able to provide detailed textual evidence
for how each of these are communicated (portrayed) in
the film, NOT just provide passing comments.
2. You should be able to debate/ suggest why they are
communicated in the same or different ways – this links to
ideas presented through the use of themes
• Racism/ Racial Intolerance/ Racial Inequality (Bigotry)
• Justice and the Law
• Perspective (Being in someone else’s shoes)
• Moral Courage/ Bravery
• Ethics (knowing right from wrong)