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Here's a paper I wrote on the differences between the book and the movie. Note: This is for my 9th grade english class, so whatever.


To kill a Mockingbird is a great book, and Robert Mulligan was successful into turning it into perhaps, and even better movie. Where most movies fail in comparison to the book it was based upon, To Kill a Mockingbird (The movie) was excellent, and in some ways, better than the book.

Robert Mulligan took the book, written by Harper Lee, and created a fabulous screen play out of it. While some parts of the book were removed from the movie, due to Civil Rights issues at the time, this movie was excellent, and new scenes were added, all blending perfectly into the moving story of the town of Maycomb, and it's controversies, through the mind of a young girl, nicknamed "Scout."

One of the earliest differences between the moving and the book is after Scout and Jem meet Dill. They quickly explain the dangers of their childhood fear, "Boo Radley," and then mention the rumours of his location: in the courthouse basement.

They run there, eager to see the man they've only wished they've seen. Once at the courthouse, Dill runs ahead of them, and goes to the courthouse door. Jem and Scout quickly stop Dill from opening the door, and insist that they look inside, through the small window atop the door. They see your classical courtroom scene, with a lawyer talking to the jury, and walking about.

They are quickly interrupted by Atticus, their father, who catches them look by walking up behind them. They explain that they are looking for Boo Radley, and Atticus shoos them away from the courthouse, where they go home dissappointed because they cannot find the man they've always looked for.

The next difference in the movie comes a little later in the story. It is when Atticus goes to meet the family of the man he is defending in court, Tom Robinson. Tom is a black man, as are his children. Jem, who rode in the car with his father, sees one of Tom's sons. There is a small moment where they look at eachother, and realize that while they live in different worlds, they are alike, which is one of the main parts of both the book and the movie. Then Jem sees Bob Ewell, the person who accused Tom of raping his daughter. Jem asks for Tom's Son to go get Atticus, and the boy runs off. Scout came along, but is sleeping on the backseat, so Jem stays to make sure no harm comes to her. Mr. Ewell is looking around the car, pressing his face to the window. It is blatantly obvious that his is drunk. Then, Atticus runs out of the Robinson house, and Mr. Ewell staggers up to him, insults him, then spits in his face. Atticus advances on the man, showing that he is not afraid, but refuses to fight. Then Atticus gets in the car with his children, and drive away, and the camera shows the drunken, trashy old man in the middle of the road, and that there are some heavy faults about this man.

The next difference is the first one said that is in the book, but not shown in the movie. It is during the courtroom scene, where Dill, Jem, and Scout take a break, and wander outside. They meet Dolphus Raymond, the "Town Drunk." Mr. Raymond lives outside of town, in a small trailor. He is nice to black people, and instead of getting pestered about it, he pretend that he is always drunk, with a brown paper bag over a Coca-Cola bottle. He staggers about when people see him, and then acts nice when he is away from white people. He mentions that they (the children) haven't lost sense that all people are equal, and tell them to always remember it. They remember this, and that's why this is such an important scene. It shows that not everybody in the town, aside Atticus, believe that white people are better than blacks.

These three scenes are some of the largest differences between the movie and the book. Yet, these are just small parts of the story, and both still project the same image when you have completed reading or watching them, that people should always be thought of on the same level, no matter what prejudices are thrown against them. This is the story of To Kill a Mockingbird.

I smile because I have no idea what's going on. :D


Jesus loves you, everybody else thinks you're an ass.

I personally thought the book was better. Atticus seemed to be portrayed rather rigid in the movie. Also, they weren't able to include some of the more importnant scenes that took place in the book. One thing I did like about the movie, though, was the opening scene where it showed Scout colouring and playing with marbles.