Symbols In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

There are several important symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird including; the Radleys, the Mad Dog and of course the “Mockingbirds”. All of these symbols seem to be connected because they allow Atticus to teach Jem, Scout, and Dill valuable lessons. In the beginning of the novel, Scout, Jem, and Dill regularly talk about their reclusive neighbors, the Radleys. The children are specifically interested in the youngest son at about age 40, Arthur “Boo” Radley. Early on in the book, Mrs. Radley dies and Scout explains, “ Jem and I decided that Boo had got her at last” (Lee 85). When he was younger, Boo had a run in with the law and his father hadn’t let him leave the house. Boo became reclusive engendering many rumors in the small town of Maycomb

Ewell was a the father of Mayella Ewell, the woman who had claimed to be beaten and molested by Tom Robinson, a black man with a damaged left arm. Atticus Finch had been chosen to be Tom’s Lawyer in the case. When Mr. Robinson was brought to court it was found out that Mayella’s attacker had been left handed so it could not have been Mr. Robinson since his left arm was mangled. Atticus had questioned Mayella and it was found out that her father, Bob Ewell had beaten her and possibly molested her that night that she claimed it had been Tom. Even with this evidence and Mayella’s confession, Tom was still found guilty and sentenced to death. Atticus explained to the children that, even though Tom was obviously innocent, Atticus knew he would still be found guilty. He said this is because, “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life” (Lee 295). After the trial, “Mr. Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life” (Lee 290) Jem and Scout asked Atticus about this confrontation and told him he should carry a gun to defend himself. Atticus replied, “Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that [trial]. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take” (Lee

“A prickly stubble on the face told me it was not Jem’s. I smelled stale whiskey” (Lee 353). Scout had found the dying, drunken, Bob Ewell and then quickly got up to look for Jem. She saw someone, which ended up being Boo Radley, carrying Jem towards the house. Ewell had broken Jem’s arm badly and Scout said she had heard a “dull crunching sound and Jem screamed” (Lee 351). After Scout gets home and Atticus and the sheriff, Heck Tate, arrive they confirm it was Ewell who attacked the children and then was killed. Atticus says that Jem killed Ewell, trying to protect Arthur “Boo” Radley. Sheriff Tate points out that Jem couldn’t possibly have done it and that, “Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself” (Lee 366). Atticus explains that he doesn’t want Jem and Scout to see him go outside of the law to protect anyone similarly to how the court looked aside of what was right so that they wouldn’t have to convict a white man over a black one. Atticus finally agrees that they will stop the truth, that Arthur had been the one to kill Ewell, from coming out. He explains this to Scout and she say that she understands because making Arthur Radley become the talk of the town again and him possibly