To Kill A Mockingbird
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee there are many representations of mockingbirds. A mockingbird in the novel, is an innocent soul. One of the most famous quotes from the novel is “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”( Pg. 103) The reason it’s considered a sin to kill a mockingbird is because they are innocent and do no harm. In the novel there are three main mockingbirds. Boo Radley, Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson
All three of these people are innocents that have been done wrong, rumored about or made fun of. All of the mockingbirds are truly good people that either know no better or they can’t help whatever the problem is. “Mockingbirds” are good people but everyone makes mistakes.
The first mockingbird being discussed is Boo Radley. “It’d be sorta like shooting a mockingbird wouldn’t it?” (Pg. 370)Boo Radley is a mockingbird because he’s been judged by everyone in the town his whole life. He has been rumored about without anyone actually knowing him. Boo acts as Scout and Jem’s guardian angel. He watches over them to keep them safe and out of trouble. With him being so innocent and caring supports the fact of him being considered a mockingbird.
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“... Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s garden’s. They don’t nest in the corncubs. They don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (pg.103)Mayella is innocent because she grew up in an abusive household. The book gives hints that her father Bob Ewell sexually assaults her and leaves her to take care of her so called “brothers and sisters.” Mayella Ewell was put on stand and was made to lie to the judge and jury by her father, Bob Ewell, who beats her and abuses
Mockingbirds symbolically represent innocent, defenceless individuals, who bring nothing but joy to the world. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Arthur Radley, Tom Robinson and Dolphus Raymond are all symbols of the mockingbird. Many people in Maycomb see these people as mean and cruel but in reality they “don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.”
middle of paper ... ... This is why it is considered a sin to kill one. Jem Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley can all be seen as “mockingbirds”. They never attempt to hurt anyone, yet Tom Robinson was framed for rape, Boo Radley was unlawfully labeled as a vague recluse and the innocence of Jem Fitch was unfairly stolen due to the evil nature of society.
One of the major events in Harper Lee’s award-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird is Tom Robinson’s trial. It is based on the Scottsboro Case that took place in 1931 in Alabama, in which several black men were accused of raping two white women. Both the Scottsboro Boys and Tom Robinson are unfairly judged, however, because of prejudice against colored people. The racial discrimination makes whites’ testimony more believable even when it contradicts itself. The same happens in To Kill a Mockingbird. As we delve deeper into the case and get increasingly closer to the truth, it is quite suprising to see that Mayella Ewell is the true villain rather than a victim. She shall and must bear full responsibility for her actions because she makes the decision to tempt Tom Robinson, gives false testimony in court that directly leads to Tom’s death, and has been well aware of the consequences of her behaviors.
To Kill a Mocking Bird (referred to as ‘TKAMB’ hereafter) is a novel set in the 1930, South
In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, she shows how society in the 1930’s affects the lives of many people. One of these people is Tom Robinson, who is expressed to be a “mockingbird” of the story. A mockingbird is unlike several other birds and never harms anyone, therefore should not be killed because it would be like killing peace. Tom is used in the novel as a mockingbird to show how the town of Maycomb, Alabama is racist.
The mockingbirds in the story were Tom Robinson, Calpurnia, and Boo Radley. Boo Radley was a man who was mysterious and different at first to Scout and Jem. One of the nicest things Boo Radley did was when Scout, Jem, and Dill were trying to escape Jem got stuck on the fence, so he left his pants there. Then later he went back for them they were still there. The next day Jem noticed that they were sowed and that was Boo Radley who sowed those pants. Another nice thing Boo Radley did was when Jem and Scout were getting attacked by Bob Ewell Boo Radley saved them from getting hurt. Through out the story people in the town, especially Jem, Scout, and Dill are wondering why Boo Radley never came out and played with them during the day. But they also heard rumors that Boo Radley only comes out at night not during the day. Scout and Jem start thinking that Boo Radley is a sca...
Mayella Ewell is a character in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. She lives in the town of Maycomb, Alabama where the inhabitants are very sexist and judgemental. In the book Mayella is not powerful considering her class, race, and gender. The community members she lives near are a very large contributing factor to her powerlessness. Mayella is mistreated a great amount throughout her lifetime. After all that physical and mental abuse she faces becomes enough Mayella does something drastic. She accuses an African American man of rape knowing, her being a white woman, he would get in tremendous trouble. People cannot say whether it was right or wrong of her to do what she did. What they can say is that at the moment she was powerless to do otherwise.
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (p.90) Miss. Maudie, one of the main protagonists in To Kill a Mockingbird, warns the young girl Scout that mockingbirds should not to be killed or hunted down because they represent those who are kind and innocent. So, on a broader spectrum, the term “to kill a mockingbird” symbolizes cruel and improper behavior towards people with good hearts and intentions. In the town of Maycomb, unethical behaviors, such as prejudice and gossip, are most commonly used against the “mockingbirds”. Three of those “mockingbirds” that are featured in this novel are Arthur “Boo” Radley, Tom Robinson, and Atticus Finch. Due to the depiction of the mockingbird symbol in the novel, the reader understands the consequences that immoral attitudes have towards those who are innocent and kindhearted.
Some may say that this is the final nail in the coffin for her status as a mockingbird, but this may just represent another facet of the definition of mockingbirds. Corruption of innocence is violence, in a way, and Mayella Ewell has been conditioned many a time, that she should do whatever her father tells her to, regardless of that action's moral ambiguity, and that if she doesn’t, she will have to face the consequences, often at the price of physical harm from her father. The loss of Mayella’s innocence through the corrupted lifestyle of her father, is often more telling of her mockingbird status than, say, her geraniums. Innocence, of a child or otherwise, is all the more precious when it is taken away, piece by piece, until the last scrap someone holds on to is more than anything ever was or will be, and these Mockingbirds, Mayella foremost among them, has had that last little bit of themselves torn away, leaving a wretched husk where there used to be a glimmer of
But why should the mockingbirds be the only breed to be kept from harm? According to Miss Maudie, the answer is simple as she explains: “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. For example, Tom is put in a court case for a crime he did not commit. Mayella Ewell, a young white woman, accuses Tom of sexual assault.
In this world, everyone has an equal right; however, many people are getting falsely accused of acts they did not commit even though they are innocent. Mockingbirds, one of the most innocent birds, sing their heart out for people to enjoy, however, they getting killed every day. In this novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many racial prejudices going on. Finches stand near the top of the social hierarchy, with Cunningham and Ewells underneath. Black community in Maycomb is even below the Ewells, even if they were a hard worker; they were not treated equally. The “mockingbirds” represents the idea of innocence, so killing a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Throughout the book, many characters are considered a mockingbird. Three examples are Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mr. Dolphus Raymond. Those three characters are innocent; they are kind and were never harmful to others. However, they were destroyed through contact of evil. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the mockingbirds symbolizes the idea of innocence, and Tom, Boo, and Mr. Raymond are considered one of it.
How are birds symbolized to the human mankind society? Eagles are a symbol of bravery and great strength. Parrots are a symbol of intelligence. What about mockingbirds? How do they treat and contribute to the human mankind? Mockingbirds symbolize those who are innocent, helpful, and caring but are punished and treated badly. It is a skin to kill a mockingbird because they do not harm us in any way but sings wonderful songs to us. Some of the characters like Boo Arthur Radley, Tom Robinson, and Mayella Ewell symbolizes the mockingbirds in Maycomb. Boo Arthur Radley who is innocent is segregated from the outer world and dominated and injured by the evil. Tom Robinson who also is an innocent man is convicted and is found guilty die to the colour of his skin. Mayella who has done nothing wrong is punished severely and forced to lie to convict Tom Robinson.
A mockingbird, as Harper Lee is referring to, is a songbird that mimics the cries of other birds, like the blue jays. Similarly, the mockingbirds of Maycomb County do not have a song of their own. Instead, they keep to themselves and allow the world to make the decisions that will cast their future. In Maycomb County, readers are introduced to the blue jays as the white elites of the society. They can share their ideas whenever they want because of their so-called superior complexion. However, readers are then introduced to the mockingbirds. Boo’s position as a social outcast, Tom Robinson’s inferior complexion, and Mayella’s position as a Ewell deprived them to have a “song” of their own. They do not mimic other songbirds, they do not carry harm, nor do they have the evil heart to be vengeful for those who did them wrong. Miss Maudie state...
The mockingbird represents an innocent figure. Near the beginning of the film, Atticus gives Jem and Scout guns and tells them not to shoot mockingbirds because they do anything but sing for others. There are multiple mockingbird figures in the movie, the most significant of which is Tom Robinson. He was falsely accused of raping one of the Ewells. Because the Ewells are a white family, everyone immediately assumed it was true, but Atticus and a few others decided to do what is right and defend
Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corn cribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” This conveys the loss of innocence in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and thus killing a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. A number of characters (Jem, Tom Robinson, Dill, Boo Radley, Mr. Raymond) can be identified as Mockingbirds who have been injured or destroyed through their contact with evil.