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Atticus Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

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“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” - Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird. A character like atticus is why To Kill a Mockingbird can explain the ugly things in the world like racism through his words to Jem and Scout which lets us understand what Atticus is saying but also the deeper meaning behind it. Similar effects of this is also seen through symbolism in the books with mockingbirds but most important would be the dog. As in chapter ten of To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee uses symbolism and character to come to a theme that racism is a disease that drives one mad until death is a better option than living.

In To Kill A Mockingbird …show more content…

As Atticus’s character is the enforcer of anti-racism and proves how killing the dog was necessary in taking a step in stopping racism. Which in the beginning of the chapter ten Atticus states “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee 119) What atticus is implying is that the mockingbirds are black people and they do nothing to us but sing yet they still face racism. So, when Atticus shoots the dog being like the blue jay it's more of atticus stopping racism showing how Atticus plans to try to abolish racism even by death.

Racism seems to seep through one’s mind,latter burrowing into more as the idea spreads infecting the judgement of people. It's curable to an extent, but the idea can’t be stopped only unsupported by the people, people whom can look past a color of one's skin and accept them as a human being. Which throughout To Kill a Mockingbird we can almost experience the effects of racism, but one would be inspired by the acts of rebellion against racism. As one who understands the symbolism and use of character in the book can conclude how racism is this mad disease deservable by

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To Kill a Mockingbird shows that children grow and learn quickly when exposed to an adult world as seen through Atticus Finch’s teachings that uses symbolism, metaphors, and similes. Atticus teaches his kids about the world through the use of symbolism of a mockingbird, representing people who have moral standards, but are persecuted. “Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,” Atticus exclaimed to his children that harming African-Americans

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Lee uses the mockingbird as a symbol of evoking empathy in the novel. She writes, “I’d rather you shoot a tin can in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after the birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee119). Atticus is explaining to Scout to not kill the mockingbird because it’s a sin. Lee evokes empathy by using the mockingbird to symbolize innocence.

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To others, it is natural for him to do the deed because of his talent, however, it is very difficult for Atticus to shoot the dog because of his hatred of both guns and his natural talent because it gives “...him an unfair advantage over most living things” so he “...he decided he wouldn’t shoot until he had to” (130). For him to be able to finish the job means that he set aside his very strong sense of morals and his goal to teach his children morals in order to protect his town. Since the dog represents the racism of Maycomb, Atticus both symbolically rose up against racism by killing the dog and literally by defending a black man. When the rabid dog came to Maycomb, everyone in the town cowardly ran into the safety of their house and locked everything up, except for Atticus. No one stands up to the evilness of racism even if they do not agree with it, such as Mrs. Maudie, who had clear opposition to racism.

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“To Kill a Mockingbird” also highlights the truth towards the whole society can alter the definition of justice. Here, Atticus defends a black man for his words for the right to have a voice within society and not to be misjudged due to racism. Hence, Harper Lee uses the novel to convey the

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The main metaphor of the book is that African Americans are similar to mockingbirds, but the way that Miss Maudie, Scout’s neighbor, describes mockingbirds paints African American people into something they’re not: “‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, 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 103). By saying that mockingbirds don’t do anything, Lee is implying that African American people were just bystanders.

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The mockingbird in To Kill A Mockingbird is symbolic of innocence. Early in the novel, Atticus, the father tells the children Scout and Jem that it is a "sin to kill a mockingbird". Later Scout asks Miss Maudie what he meant by that because she has never heard her father say anything was a sin. Miss Maudie explains his reasoning by saying that all mockingbirds do is provide beautiful music. They do not harm anyone, they don't bother anyone, and they "sing their hearts out for us."

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The novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” was written in 1960 by Harper Lee in the point of view of a young innocent girl named Scout. One of the main messages that Lee has (need a new word than – indicated or set out) is racism, it plays an important role which strongly impacts many character’s lives unfairly and changes the relationship between two. Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” shows that it is wrong to hurt someone who does no harm to you, for example, black people are innocent but no way did they have as many rights as white people did. Black people lived hard lives because society was judgemental, irrational and most importantly, racist. As Scout and Jem grow older they learn to cope, take responsibility and are introduced to new aspects of life, one of which is racism.

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“You never understand a person until you consider things from their point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” is a quote from the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” This book is about a family of three, living in a household with the addition of their aunt. This includes Scout (daughter), Jem (son), Atticus (father), and Aunt Alexandrea (aunt). The kids do not call their father by that title, but by his name Atticus. The second part of the book is about a black man on trial who was accused of raping a woman.

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The poet, Lascelles Abercrombie once said, “There is only one thing which can master the perplexed stuff of epic material into unity; and that is, an ability to see in particular human experience some significant symbolism of man 's general destiny.”. He talked about how powerful of a tool symbolism is and how it is the only thing that can truly define a highly complex ‘destiny’ or series of events. Symbolism is something that is found throughout Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee shows the reader that racism is a product of society,she portrays the matter through her symbolism of the mad dog, the birds and the bugs.

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Effects of Racism “Racism is taught in our society, it is not automatic. It is learned behavior toward persons with dissimilar physical characteristics. ”-Alex Haley To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel that is greatly affected by the way others see the world. Scout, a young girl, growing up in Maycomb a place where racism is accepted.

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Harper Lee’s purpose was to show that race doesn’t define anything. In the novel, Miss Maudie says, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (90).

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Mockingbirds are an important symbol because they represent goodness and innocence. In this book, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are two innocent men, similar to mockingbirds, who get taken advantage of due to their innocence. Atticus and Miss Maudie teach Scout and Jem that it’s a sin to harm anything innocent by using the example of mockingbirds. Mockingbirds are innocent because they only positively affect people through their singing.

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