ipl-logo

Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

591 Words3 Pages

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee foreshadows a loss of innocence through the symbolic significance of the snowman, fire, and mad dog.
First, Lee uses the snowman as a symbol. It is shown in this passage, “ Jem, I ain’t ever heard of a nigger snowman… He won’t be for long.” (89) When this quote was said jem was patting the dirt down, building the torso of the snowman. It shows a loss of innocence because after they built the dirt snowman they covered it in the snow. It shows racism, that white is a superior race and are on top/better than the rest. It could also be seen as good and evil. The dirt represents black people and they are the foundation of the county and white people are the snow, they built off of the black community. It relates to the trial and tom when Atticus says “ didn’t you think she …show more content…

Scout narrates “ He’s looking for a place to die.”(126). The dog got rabies when his owner was out, He started to wobble down the street. Heck Tate (sheriff) told Atticus to shoot the dog, He had the best shot in Maycomb County. “The rifle cracked...Tim flopped over and crumpled on the sidewalk.” (128). This was one big Foreshadow to Tom’s death. Atticus killed the innocent dog with a bullet of justice. Just like in court, he was trying to prove Tom’s innocence to the jury. He used the law to show he is not guilty. Judge Taylor said “ Guilty..guilty..guilty… guilty...guilty.” The jury had convicted an innocent man of rape. Tom Robinson was later shot 17 times for trying to ‘run away’. They convicted and then killed an innocent man.Scout narrates “ Well it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it.” (370) Tom, was symbolic to a mockingbird. It was a sin to kill a mockingbird because they didn’t do anything but sing, they were there for people to enjoy and listen to.
To conclude, Harper Lee used the snowman, fire, and the mad dog as a symbol to a loss of

Show More
Related

To Kill A Mockingbird And Marigolds Analysis

1100 Words | 5 Pages

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.

Read More

To Kill A Mocking Bird Response To Tkam

951 Words | 4 Pages

To Kill a Mockingbird Responses TKAM is a story rich with symbolism. Pick at least three symbols and explain their significance and what they mean. There are many symbols in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Three of which are the snowman that Jem and Scout constructed, the house fire at Miss Maudie’s, and Mayella’s geraniums.

Read More

Snow Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

257 Words | 2 Pages

Symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee utilizes a snowman to embody race equality in To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee writes, “Jem scooped up some snow and began plastering it on. He permitted me to cover only the back, saving the public parts for himself. Gradually Mr. Avery turned white” (Lee88-91). This quote shows how Jem and Scout plaster the snow onto the dirt.

Read More

How Does Lee Present The Theme Of Race And Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

813 Words | 4 Pages

The sheriff, Heck Tate, says to “take him, Mr. Finch” (126) because Atticus is the only man good enough to shoot the dog and handle the emotions that come with it. Atticus is also the only man good enough to stop racism. He can handle the sensation of Tom Robinson’s trial and make sure to do the right thing. After Atticus takes the “one-shot job” (126), the town is very distraught. They take action without reason, assuming that the deranged dog means danger.

Read More

Examples Of Failure In Dracula By Bram Stoker

613 Words | 3 Pages

Failure is a key component to becoming successful. People do not become successful without experiencing some sort of failure; the lessons that are learned from failing are very crucial to becoming successful. Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula believes, “We learn from failure not from success.” Personally, I wholeheartedly believe in his message. I believe it is easier to learn from mistakes than it is to learn from being successful.

Read More

Examples Of Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

1045 Words | 5 Pages

After hours of waiting, the jury came back in. Scout explains how “A jury never looks at the defendant if it has convicted, and when this jury came in, not one of them looked at Tom Robinson… Judge Taylor was polling the jury; ‘ Guilty...Guilty...Guilty’”(211) When Scout and Jem hear the verdict, they are distraught. As they were walking home, “It was Jem’s turn to cry.. ‘It’s not right, Atticus’”(212)

Read More

What Does Mr Raymond Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

671 Words | 3 Pages

Symbolism is used by many authors to convey a specific message that carries a deep meaning. In Harper lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the primary symbol is the Mockingbird. There are numerous references to the mockingbird in the novel, which can be seen through some of the characters. The allusion of the mockingbird is used to represent the idea of innocence.

Read More

What Does Tom Robinson Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

1915 Words | 8 Pages

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, the symbol of the Mockingbird represents how innocence can be misconstructed as being guilty. Harper

Read More

Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

1117 Words | 5 Pages

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.

Read More

Compare And Contrast How To Read Literature Like A Professor And To Kill A Mockingbird

751 Words | 4 Pages

For instance, the scene where Atticus shoots the dog. The dog had rabies and had been roaming the neighborhood, and Sheriff Heck Tate calls Atticus to kill the dog since he is the only one who can shoot well enough. This is also the first time Scout and Jem learn that Atticus is a sharp shooter. Some simply see it as a dog being put down, but it actually symbolises the innocence of the poor dog who was sick being ripped away from him as his life was. In this instance, the dog was the innocent carefree mockingbird and the burden of his rabies/him getting put down were the evil outside occurrences that tore away that same

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Point Of View Essay

614 Words | 3 Pages

In society, there are very few people who have the unwavering dedication to stand up for what they believe. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, a black man was convicted and accused of a crime he didn 't commit, raping a white women, which is not in anyway tolerable in society. In Harper Lee 's To Kill A Mockingbird, the author used point of view and symbolism to acknowledge how the the several social divisions which make up much of the adult world are shown to be both irrational and extremely destructive. To begin with, the short story To Kill A Mockingbird, used point of view to show how the many social divisions in the world are irrational and destructive. Scout; a first grade student at the time, was telling the story from her point of view and what had occurred from her childhood perspective.

Read More

Minor Characters In To Kill A Mockingbird

1339 Words | 6 Pages

Miss Maudie also helps Scout and Jem put their father more into perspective. After the mad dog incident,which was when a dog named Tim was not alright and Atticus shoots him, Jem is astonished at his father’s shooting abilities because at first, he thought his father couldn’t do anything. Miss Maudie tells them, “Atticus Finch was the deadest shot in

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus Compassion Analysis

622 Words | 3 Pages

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the character Atticus possesses the most compassion out of the other characters. Atticus is a man of profession, however, his compassionate heart can not be overlooked. Atticus tells Jem to "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 81) to display his compassion for those who are innocent. Compassion is the concern for the suffering or misfortune of others.

Read More

Human Nature In To Kill A Mockingbird

955 Words | 4 Pages

Lee has many intentions and beliefs for her writing the novel, she highlighted equality, civil rights, racisms, prejudice and bigotry. This ties in with the title of the novel because there are two characters that are portrayed as mockingbirds Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Mockingbirds in the novel are proven to be a sin to kill, as quoted on page 98 “mockingbirds don’t do one things but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up peoples gardens, don’t nest in the cribs, don’t do one thing just sing their hearts for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

Read More

Social Inequality In To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis

1108 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout the novel Harper Lee uses symbolism of many things to strengthen the theme of social inequality. The title of the book is the most obvious use of symbolism. The mockingbird is an animal meant for pleasure. It sings a beautiful song and hurts nothing and no one. When she receives an air gun as a gift, Scout is instructed to leave the mockingbirds alone for “its a sin to kill a mockingbird” and they pose no threat.

Read More

More about Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

Related Topics

Open Document