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Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

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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, …show more content…

“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 …show more content…

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

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“Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.”(Lee 119 ) To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee about two young kids named Scout and Jem who live in the town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930’s. Maycomb is a town infected with racism like much of the south in that time, but it is also a quiet town where nothing really happens. That is until Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused by the Ewell’s, a white family, of raping their daughter. As Tom’s trial occurs, a chain of events is set into place that teaches Scout and Jem about the harsh reality of innocent people who fall victim to circumstance. That is why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because mockingbirds symbolize innocent people who are hurt by evil, and it is a sin to hurt innocent people.

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“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” A mockingbird is a type of bird that imitates other birds’ songs; not unlike children, including the main character Scout in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout is a representation of these birds in the sense that they imitate what they hear others say even if they do not know what it means. Scout is a young girl who is living in an incredibly complex world.

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Later Scout asks Mrs. Maudie, the Finch's next-door neighbor, about what Atticus said and she explains, “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” (Lee 103). This means mockingbirds directly symbolize innocents, when Mrs. Maudie says they don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs she means they don't do anything wrong. So it would be a sin to kill something or someone that is innocent. Later in the book after Tom Robinson is found guilty even though Atticus proves his innocence beyond responsible doubt and it is shown to the courtroom that Bob Ewell is the true perpetrator.

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Atticus knowing he would lose in the end, still put all the work into defending Tom as he was Tom’s lawyer. Numerous people in the town, including Bob, could not bear Atticus due to the decision he made to truly defend Tom. Atticus however, just wanted to make a change in his

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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” (To Kill a Mockingbird 119). Lee put this into the book because she wanted the Mockingbird to represent

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But since Atticus does everything in his power to help Tom, the people who don’t want a fair trial turns their anger towards him. They could ruin so many things: his business, his life, even his children’s lives, as seen in Bob Ewell’s threatening “he’d get him if it took the rest of his life” (Lee 217). Because Atticus followed his integrity, every aspect of his life is put at

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That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird”(Lee 93). Atticus is a mocking bird because he wants to bring good and peace into this world.

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Killing a mockingbird is a sin because they never do anything wrong, and they only try to make other people happier. Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, is an example of a mockingbird in Lee’s novel. He always tried to help Mayella Ewell complete tasks, and never asked for any payment or compensation in return. He was just a good man trying to do good things. On one of these occasions, while Tom was trying to fix something,

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In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the author Harper Lee shows how it's a sin to kill a mockingbird throughout the story by proving to the reader that Tom Robison and Boo Radley were the “mockingbirds” of the story so the reader can see the role of innocence. It's a sin to kill a mockingbird. “Shoot all the bluejays you want if you can hit em but, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird” (108) Atticus tells Scout this when she and Jem get air rifles for Christmas from Uncle Jack as gifts.

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In To Kill a Mockingbird we learned why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. The idea that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird is still present in today's society. There is a person in my life that can be considered to be a mockingbird his name is Kevin. I can prevent Kevin from being “killed” by telling the truth and only the truth. It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they’re innocent and all they do is sing; mockingbirds do not cause destruction.

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Here we enter into ethics and integrity. The integrity to match word and action with values and ideals. It’s not about who we claim to be around our children and to others but who we reveal ourselves to be through our words and actions. Atticus shows this throughout the book as well. Atticus was doing the right thing defending Tom even when the risks involve opposition and the disapproval of others.

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Atticus defending Tom makes his life way more problematic than if he were to not take the case. For example an angry mob forms in front of the jail. “In ones and twos men got out of the cars. Shadows became substance as lights revealed solid shapes moving toward the jail door.”

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Atticus 's strong sense of morality and justice motivates him to defend Tom with vigor and determination, giving it all he 's got with one mission in mind. He wants the people of

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Additionally, Atticus deserves to stand up for him because he’s always standing up for people even if they criticize him, and Atticus was appointed to stand up for him, so there’s no reason for Atticus to say no to defend an innocent person. Conclusion: Claim:It is clear that Atticus’ decision to take a stand makes sense. Thesis:He wanted to give Tom the voice he deserves.

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In the first appearance, just after Christmas, Jem and Scout just received rifles for a present, and their father Atticus was giving them a talk about them. “Shoot all the blue jays you want if you can hit’em but remember it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.”(chapter 10). Mrs. Maudie said that the mockingbird is so said “innocent”. The mockingbird does nothing bust sing songs for the joy and happiness of other people.

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