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How Does Lee Use Foreshadowing Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

1373 Words6 Pages

Estella Schuetz
Vande Guchte
Honors English 10B
May 16, 2023
Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird What was it like for you to grow up and lose your innocence? For Harper Lee, she has chosen to describe her experience to the world. Harper Lee's 1960 novel To Kill A Mockingbird has received much praise (and controversy) for its portrayals of racism, childhood, and growing up in the 1930s. The story, which is loosely based on Lee's childhood, takes place in a fictional county in Alabama named Maycomb. It is narrated by a woman named Jean Louise "Scout" Finch. She recalls everything that led up to her brother Jem breaking his arm when he was thirteen and she was nine. It follows a young Scout and her older brother Jem, the children of a lawyer …show more content…

Lee is no stranger to using foreshadowing, as in her novel To Kill A Mockingbird, she uses the death of a mad dog, …show more content…

Atticus is described as being different from the other fathers in Maycomb. He is considered different because he didn't have kids until later in life, he didn't work a special job, and he didn't want his children to use guns for the wrong purposes. When speaking to Jem about the latter, Atticus famously states, "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 119). When put into the context of the mockingbird as a symbol of innocence, the phrase "to kill a mockingbird" can stand for "to kill one's innocence." This loss of innocence can be seen later on in the story, after the verdict of Tom Robinson's trial. Tom's description of what he saw at the scene, as well as his crippled left hand (which could not have inflicted damage to Mayella's right eye or the strangle marks on her neck) both point to his innocence. However, the jury thinks otherwise, and Tom is declared guilty. Despite being told not to, Scout and Jem had gone to the trial with Jem anyway. Witnessing the outcome, Jem becomes upset. As they go home with Atticus, Scout narrates, "It was Jem's turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. "It ain't right,... "It ain't right, Atticus," said Jem." (Lee 284). Jem's realization that the outcome of the trial

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Jem was positive they would say yes, “Don’t see how any jury could convict on what we heard. ”(p.238 Harper Lee) but him being wrong haunts him for a while as he needs time to think it off. Jem learns to look at the world in a different way instead of through a child's eyes as Atticus tells him “There’s a lot of ugly things in this world, son. I wish I could keep ‘em all away from you.

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The Mad Dog and Tom are held to the same level and both have their respective inevitable fates because of the illness of racism throughout Maycomb County. In To Kill a Mockingbird, The Rabid Mad Dog foreshadows Tom Robinson being shot and killed. Next, the White Camellia Flower is the second symbol Lee uses to foreshadow Jem’s newfound maturity and understanding. The flower makes an entrance to the book in chapter 11 when Jem gets angry at Miss Dubose who is the angry old woman neighbor that always insults Jem and Scout, she makes comments about Atticus defending Tom Robinson in court. Jem takes Scout’s new baton and destroys every one of her White Camellia Flower bushes, for this she makes him come to her house every day for a month and read stories to her.

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Foreshadowing is when you use events, people, or irregular changes to hint that something big is happening. In her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee notably uses the symbolism of Mad dog, Snow, and the White Camellia flower to foreshadow events to transpire later in the novel. To begin, Lee uses Mad Dog to foreshadow the death of Tom Robinson and the way he died.

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This became a big deal in town and Jem and Scout were being bullied by their dad defending Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson had to testify against Bob Ewell and Mayella Ewell in the case. Scout narrates, “He was pounding the balcony rail softly, and once he whispered, ‘We’ve got him.’ (Lee 178). This shows that Jem is confident that Atticus is going to with the case because Bob Ewell had to show that he could write and he wrote with his left hand and Mayella Ewell was beaten up on the right side of her body, which means someone who leads

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