What Does The Typoly Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

People are always trying to find a deeper meaning to things. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” she uses other symbols besides the mockingbird, such as the roly poly, rabid dog, and snowman. These symbols contribute to a larger meaning and purpose in the novel and each play a part into the decisions the characters make and foreshadow many events that occur.

To start off, the roly poly signifies underprivileged individuals. As Lee states in the novel “Why couldn’t I smash him? I asked. Because they don’t bother you” (320). Scout tries to take advantage of the roly poly because, it is small and insignificant to her. She tries to kill the roly poly due to the fact that its death wouldn’t affect her. For example, in the text Lee states

In the novel, Lee writes “Jem scooped up an armful of dirt, patted it into a mound on which he added another load, and another until he had constructed a torso” (89). The snowman symbolizes the youthfulness and happiness in them that they had during the early years of their life. Jem and Scout building it represents how they’ve built their lives to that point. Each heap of snow represents the good moments in their lives and each heap of mud represents the not so good ones. Later on in the chapter Lee states “Miss. Maudie’s sunhat was suspended in a thin layer of ice, like a fly in amber, and we had to dig under the dirt for her hedge-clippers” (96-97). This quote shows the loss of innocence Jem and Scout experienced the night that Miss. Maudie’s house burned to the ground. The snowman has melted and all the snow and mud is melted into a puddle. The snowman is gone as is their innocence and Miss. Maudie’s hat and hedge-clippers represent how they could have lost not only their innocence that night but, also a good family friend like Miss. Maudie.

Ultimately, the roly poly, rabid dog, and snowman are other symbols in the novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird” that contribute to a larger meaning and purpose in the novel. The roly poly symbolized underprivileged individuals, the rabid dog represents the built up of madness, and the snowman portrays the loss of innocence. Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” uses detailed symbolism that would otherwise be overlooked if not comprehended indepthly. These symbols tie into the overall theme whilst foreshadowing many events to come in the