Stories of Innocence “Nice guys finish last,” an unfortunate truth where the innocent are sometimes persecuted, harassed or even killed even though they have done nothing to harm anyone else. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, A mockingbird symbolizes innocence and is shown through few characters .Tom Robinson and Arthur Radley are the two main mockingbirds. Real life mockingbirds could be found as civil rights activists who fought for the rights of African Americans during the 1960’s. According to Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, the meaning of the mockingbird as a symbol of innocence is shown through Tom Robinson, Arthur Radley and real life civil rights activist Rev. Bruce Klunder. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, …show more content…
Scout and Jem’s father Atticus choses to be his defence attorney because he believes his innocence. Even though the jury is biased and all white atticus still tries to save Tom Robinson. In one of his closing arguments, he addresses the prejudice in saying, “The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is." (Lee 171) the “somebody” atticus is referring to may be multiple people or ideals of the time. Since the prosecution relied on the testimony by Mayella Ewell (the girl who was allegedly raped), however she is inconsistent and has bruises that would be hard for Tom Robinson to inflict. Her father Bob Ewell is most likely the reason for her bruises. The other “someone” that may be guilty is not actually a person but the racism that exists, preventing a fair trial for an obviously innocent man. The mockingbirds in the novel aren’t necessarily prosecuted in a court of law, but rather by quixotic rumours somehow spread and believed by many of the