To Kill A Mocking Bird Quote Analysis

Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill A Mocking Bird’ is a fictional novel written/published in the midst of the sixties that gave light to the provocative themes of prejudice and racial discrimination in the deep south of Alabama during the 1930s. The memorable quote said by Atticus Finch, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin", (Lee, 2004, p. 94), is the basic message the author is trying to get across, to get to know a person rather than to judge and discriminate someone based on their race. Harper Lee explores these themes through the construcion of events and characters that challenge and reinforce the societal ideologies at the time. An example of this is the character Atticus Finch and his values, attitudes and beliefs toward the trial of a black man charged with the rape of a white girl.

Lee

The main theme of racism can be summed up by one quote spoken by Atticus Finch, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee, 2004, p. 98). This device of symbolism represents mockingbirds such as Tom Robinson as innocent creatures prejudiced by society based on race and misconceived beliefs. It is a sin to kill a mockingbird as they have done no wrong and committed no crime. An event that reinforces this theme is the murder of Tom Robinson and how it can be compared to the senseless slaughter of songbirds. Atticus challenges the theme of racism by defending Tom Robinson in court to the absolute best of his ability, despite his community’s disapproval. This positions the audience to believe in Atticus’ morally right beliefs. Lee has also explored the segregation of the black community from the white through the construction of key events that in that time would be seen as