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To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

736 Words3 Pages

Grace Hener
Mrs. Kiefer
English I Honors
27 February 2023
To Kill a Mockingbird Essay
What does it mean to be a mockingbird? The idea of being a mockingbird is when you are killed for doing good. Being known as a mockingbird means loss of innocence when trying to do the right thing. This was a recurring theme shown in Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley illustrate the theme of being a mockingbird, because they all suffered punishments for trying to help others and trying to do the right thing.
Not only is courage a major trait of Atticus Finch, but so is kindness. Atticus decided to take on Tom Robinson’s case. When he took the case he knew he had no chance to win, but he knew “if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem to do something again” (Lee 86). Atticus took on this case because he thought that Tom deserved a fair …show more content…

Boo was often known as being an evil or dangerous man, but Scout and Jem learned that there was more to him. Boo Radley began to form a bond with Scout and Jem. After years of fearing Boo, Scout realized “Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives” (Lee 320). Not only did Boo give Scout and Jem objects to show he cared about them, but he also saved their lives. When Boo saved the kids lives he did not know the serious consequences it could have had. Boo killed Bob Ewell to save the kids, and the sheriff knew right away he was going to have to cover up what happened. The sheriff tried to reassure Atticus that “Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself” (Lee 314). If the sheriff had not covered up what happened, then Boo Radley could be sent to prison for trying to protect the children. Sheriff Tate believed what he did was right because Boo protected the kids when they could not protect

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Even though Heck Tate is a sheriff, he doesn’t follow the law. Heck Tate states that Tom Robinson is dead and the man who is responsible is dead, so there’s no point of causes anymore troubles for a problem that has solved itself. And encourages Atticus to let Bob Ewell’s death go. Talking the case to court would put to death another innocent man. Boo did the right thing protecting Atticus’s children, which he has been doing throughout the book, and carried Jem home.

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The reason Boo was able to save them from being killed was because he could see well in the dark along with rushing to help as soon as he could even though he was not armed and Bob was. One quote in the book is where Mr. Tate says “Draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight-to me, that’s a sin.”(Lee 370) as he realizes bring Boo to testify what had occurred would be akin to shooting a mockingbird. Mr. Tate comes to this conclusion as bringing him to court would cause significant gossip and fame, which Boo has been avoiding and figures out that Boo only killed Bob out of kindness, and like a mockingbird all they do is help the community. That is why Boo is considered a mockingbird in this situation as he risks danger to protect two children and asks for nothing in

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484 Words | 2 Pages

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