To Kill A Mockingbird Essay To Kill A Mockingbird has many powerful themes and ideas. The biggest and most discussed in the book is racism and segregation. Many characters express their opinions and beliefs. This is especially brought up during the Tom Robinson trial. Racism and segregation is a central theme in To Kill A Mockingbird because of the time period, the region of America the story takes place in, and the characters. During the time this book takes place, America is still recovering from the Civil War. There is notable tension in the book such as the way the children are treated when Atticus begins the Tom Robinson case. African Americans still don’t have many rights and are mistreated. It is stated in the book that a black man