Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

What is a mockingbird, and why is it a sin to kill one? In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows through the symbol of a mockingbird how innocents are harmed by evil like racism, injustice, and lack of empathy. Some of the characters that represent mockingbirds in this story are Atticus, Tom Robinson, and Arthur Radley. These characters were harmed when they didn’t deserve it, and throughout the story, Harper Lee has shown that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird using these characters as symbols.

It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they just mind their own business, and they don’t ever bother anyone. “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,

“To Maycomb, Tom’s death was typical. Typical of a —----- to cut and run. Typical of a —----’s mentality to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw. Funny thing, Atticus Finchmight’ve got him off scot free, but wait-? Hell no. You know how they are. Easy come, easy go. Just shows you, that Robinson boy was legally married, they say he kept himself clean, went to church and all that, but when it comes down to the line the veneer’s mighty thin. —-always comes out in ‘em”(275). In this quote, it is shown that the “norm” is for people of another race to be killed and blamed. People will go with the stereotype, which is unfair and racist towards people like Tom Robinson. It is shown how it is expected for black people to be careless and wild, but that is not true, and does not apply to all people. “‘My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an’ that —----- oughta hang from the water-tank!’”(87). This quote shows the unfair treatment towards black people because Tom Robinson did not do anything wrong, but because of these toxic racial stereotypes, he is made a villain and blamed for

Atticus is a nice man who defended Tom because he knew it was the correct thing to do. Atticus was harmed by evil like lack of empathy. “‘Lemme tell you somethin’ now, Billy,’ a third said, ‘you know the court appointed him to defend this —---.’ ‘Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That's what I don't like about it.’ This was news, news that put a different light on things: Atticus had to, whether he wanted to or not. I thought it odd that he hadn't said anything to us about it- we could have used it many times in defending him and ourselves. He had to, that's why he was doing it, equaled fewer rights and less fussing. But did that explain the town’s attitude?”(186). In this quote, it is shown how people are mad at Atticus for aiming to defend Tom, but they fail to empathize with Atticus, because if he was appointed to defend someone, he is supposed to defend someone. These people are so blinded by toxic stereotypes and get mad at Atticus along the way. “According to Miss Stephanie Crawford, however, Atticus was leaving the post office when Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat on him, and threatened to kill him”(248). In this quote, Bob Ewell hurts Atticus, and embarasses him, just because Atticus went against him in the court trial. Bob Ewell is blinded by rage and fails to empathize with Atticus. He thinks Atticus is horrible because he went against him, when Atticus was just doing his job. Bob Ewell