What Does Fire Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

At some point in our lives, the world's harshness is revealed to us. For Scout Finch, the main character in To Kill a Mockingbird, as she grows up, the reality becomes clearer. During the 1930s, when this book takes place, racism is evident. Times were hard and the Great Depression was taking its toll on everyone, but especially white people. As an effect, black people received extreme hatred along with ongoing racist ideologies. Scout and Jem, the kids of the town’s white anti-racist lawyer, Atticus Finch, stood up with their father against any hatred they received. They support their father, fighting racism throughout the entire book. In her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee masterfully uses the symbolic significance of Fire, a Mad

One day, Scout and Jem are walking in the woods when they see Tim Johnson, the neighborhood dog that, “...walked erratically, as if his right hind legs were shorter than his left legs” (Lee 123). Rabies in dogs can be common during a certain time in the year while the Great Depression continues. However, these types of dogs only get rabies in February and it is August during this event. Still, Calpurnia, a black woman who is the family’s cook, warns her neighbor by exclaiming, “I know it’s February, Miss Eula May, but I know a mad dog when I see one. “ (Lee 124). Despite rabies not being in season, the fear of a mad dog will still occur. Any dog who may be “walking erratically” could be classified as having rabies. This creates a fear of the dog, without having any knowledge about who the dog is. As a result of the fear the dog caused, Atticus takes a shotgun and kills it. We can connect this to Tom Robinson, who later on in the story is imprisoned in the jailhouse, and found guilty of rape even though Atticus Finch has physical evidence to prove Tom Robinson is innocent. Atticus shows the court that Tom Robinson’s entire left arm is disabled, meaning it would be extremely difficult to rape somebody with one arm. Yet the thought of a black man raping a white woman will overpower the truth. After one day passes of Tom Robinson being in jail,

After Christmas, the kids receive a gun from Atticus. Atticus tells them that they can, “Shoot at all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee 119). Miss Maudie expands the conversation by stating, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” (Lee 119). Mockingbirds don’t harm us or affect their lives at all, they don’t do anything wrong which makes them innocent or have a sense of innocence. In part one of To Kill a Mockingbird, the plot revolves around silly childhood activities showing their innocence. Then, their life completely flips in the second part of the book when the real world is introduced to Scout and Jem. Near the end of the book Scout and Jem encounter something that will forever strip their innocence. On a dark night walking home from a Halloween party, Jem sensed they were being followed. Scared, Jem turns around to see if there is someone behind them, Scout hears Jem scream, “Run, Scout! Run! Run!” (Lee 351). In the moments that follow Scout describes, “More scuffling, and there came a dull crunching sound and Jem screamed.” (Lee 351). Scout and Jem were both attacked, their life so close to being taken away. When Jem and Scout get home, a doctor assesses Jem and concludes that he has a broken arm. Scout, fortunately, was not injured, but very well could’ve been if she had not worn one piece of clothing. Within