How can a reader determine the theme of a piece of literature
by considering a character’s growth, the author’s tone, and the effect of the piece on the reader

by identifying point of view, genre, and sentence structure

by analyzing figures of speech and rhetorical devices found in the piece

by locating the topic sentence and using it as the theme statement

Active reading to kill a mockingbird, twelve through twenty-one during the trial, atticus questions four witnesses. as you read, complete the chart below by noting the key information given by each witness during questioning. also note how each witness behaves on the stand, commenting on the general impression the witness makes. answer for the following characters: the sheriff, bob ewell, miss ewell, and tom robinson.