Atticus Finch Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

One of the most covert symbols in the novel was the snowman. The children decided to enjoy their first snowfall by building a snowman in their front yard. The center of the snowman was erected with mud then neatly coated with snow, “Jem sloshed water over the mud man and added more dirt . . . Jem scooped up some snow and began plastering it on” (Lee 89). The shiny and smooth layer of snow represented the typical small town appearance of quietness and peacefulness which the town of Maycomb exhibited, “People ambled across the square, shuffled in and out of the stores around it, took their time about everything” (Lee 6). However, that snowy layer concealed the inner appalling reality of the town’s prejudice and racist behavior. This was stated

Mr. Tate was aiming to shoot the dog, however, decided that Atticus was a better candidate for the job, as he was known as One-Shot Finch, “‘Atticus Finch was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time’” (Lee 129). On a separate occasion, Atticus accepted Judge Taylor’s request to defend a black man, despite the town’s opinion on the matter, as the judge felt he was the right man for the job. Both these incidents confirmed how Atticus’s conscience and integrity shaped his beliefs and moral standards which he was well known for. Hence, shooting the mad dog and accepting to defend a black man, was a symbol of Atticus’s battle against

It was initially mentioned by Atticus Finch when he gifted his children two air-rifles on Christmas, “‘Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’” (Lee 119). Atticus made it clear to his children that it was a sin to kill a mockingbird in the sense of destroying innocence, “‘They don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’” (Lee 119). Not only did this symbol reflect the title of the novel, but it symbolized numerous characters as well. One of these characters was Tom Robinson, a black man who was accused of raping a white girl and was expected to face her in court. He appeared to be vile and guilty to the town due to his skin color, where in reality he was a kind, caring, and respectable man. Nevertheless, the white judge dismissed these fine qualities and erroneously declared him guilty sentencing him to the electric chair. However, Tom’s attempt to escape the prison resulted in him getting shot and killed, “‘Seventeen bullet holes in him. They didn’t have to shoot him that much’” (Lee 315). Tom was killed even though he was innocent of all accusations. Mr. Underwood shared the same views on the incident, “He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds” (Lee 323). On that account, Tom Robinson depicted a mockingbird who was killed by the hateful guns of