Symbolism Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a story about Jem and Scout growing up to learn the reality of the world. Along with their friend Dill, the three of them become engaged with the idea of catching a glimpse at their neighbor, Boo Radley, whom they have never seen before. Meanwhile, their father, Atticus Finch, is involved in Tom Robinson’s court case where Tom is accused of raping a white woman. The children get involved in the case, in which Tom Robinson ends up convicted guilty. Tom later gets shot while attempting to escape from prison. Bob Ewell tries to kill Jem and Scout one night until Boo Radley steps in to save them, killing Bob Ewell. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the mockingbird symbolizes the innocence that has been broken by evil.

The bird is a symbol of innocence and goodness. Mockingbirds are creatures that are harmless and gentle. Jem and Scout first hear that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird from Atticus. “’I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em [sic], but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’” (Lee 119). Miss Maudie later explains to the children the reason why Atticus said it is a sin. “’Your father is right. 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. That’s why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird’” (Lee 119). The bird brings only pleasure to humans, Miss Maudie explains, without bothering or hurting anyone. “Lee communicates the need to cherish and protect those who, like mockingbirds, do not harm but are especially vulnerable to the violent injustices of our society” (Felty 300). It would be wrong to harm something that does not affect or hurt anything, therefore, the mockingbird's damage or death symbolizes any loss of

Tom is wrongfully accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, when the only thing he did was try to help by doing her chores. “Tom Robinson is imprisoned within his community but has never committed any action that might produce punishment” (Reisman). Tom even states that he did so because he felt sorry for Mayella. This demonstrates Tom’s humble and respectable character, symbolizing himself even more with a mockingbird. “His only crime is to have been born black in a society that has certain assumptions about black people” (Reisman). Tom Robinson is proven innocent and yet is still found guilty due to the way the community views him. “He states that he ran, he says, because he was ‘scared I’d hafta [sic] face up to what I didn’t do’” (May). Most people recognized his innocence, but due to his race, decided it was acceptable and right to accuse him wrongfully. “It brings out forcefully the condition of Negro subculture in the white world where a Negro, as dark as a mockingbird, is accepted largely as a servant” (Dave). Tom’s innocence of the crime he's accused of makes him similar to the mockingbird because he is just as harmless and guiltless. The death of Tom Robinson is compared to "the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children” (Lee 323). It was wrong to cause the good in Tom Robinson to be destroyed by the evil in