All human children are born with a certain innocence that they must lose at some point in their life through experience. Harper Lee’s book titled To Kill a Mockingbird depicts two children’s lives in the Deep South in Alabama, specifically in a town called Maycomb. These two children named Jem and Scout are both good kids who are growing up in a society of constant racism and segregation. This time period is also during the Great Depression and mostly everyone in Maycomb is poor. Their dad Atticus persistently teaches them and examples to them that they should live by their morals and always treat everyone with respect, no matter who they are. Atticus is a lawyer who goes through a tough trial in which he must defend a Negro man who is convicted …show more content…
The Mockingbird overall represents innocence, and a few characters in the book are examples of this symbolic bird. On page 119 Atticus says, “Remember it is a sin to kill a Mockingbird.” This statements is supported by Miss Maudie saying, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, 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 is a very significant part in the book as it shows that it is not okay to harm something or someone who is innocent and does not mistreat anybody else. Based off of this description, Tom Robinson is an example of the symbol Mockingbird. When Tom goes through his trial the evidence continuously shows him innocent and he didn’t harm anyone, yet he is still sentenced to prison where he ends up dying. Tom was unlucky and happened to get accused for something that led to his death. This was Tom Robinson’s loss of innocence. Boo Radley is the second example of a Mockingbird, as he is a secluded man who has stayed inside for majority of his life. Boo is rumored to be a ghoul or a beast because everyone is scared of him, but in reality he stays inside and does not harm a soul. In fact, he ends up saving Scout and Jem’s lives when a man named Bob Ewell who became angered at Atticus and his family after the trial attacks them. Boo Radley is just an innocent man, and he must step away from that innocence to save their lives. Overall, the Mockingbird is a symbol of innocence, and when the bird itself or someone who exemplifies it is harmed, it represents the loss of
The symbolism of the mockingbird plays a huge role in the development of the theme in the novel. The mockingbird symbolizes innocence. In the book, it is believed that it is a sin to kill a man mockingbird because they bring about no harm, only beautiful music to enjoy. In the same sense, killing a mockingbird would be the equivalent of evil defeating good. This is represented multiple times in the novel through characters like Atticus Finch, Boo Radley, and Tom Robinson. All of whom try to bring about the good in people rather than focus on the evil in the community.
Mockingbirds do no harm to anything they just sing. The two characters in this book that represents this symbol is Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley. Tom Robinson is a “mockingbird” because he is wrongfully accused of raping a white girl. Through the prejudice of the people in Macomb he later convicted and killed, even when he never did anything to Mayella Ewell. Boo Radley is also another great example of a “mockingbird” because no accepts him throughout the town which forces him to hide in his home. He had rumors spread about him how that he was a bad guy. But he was nothing but kind to the children and even saved their lives (Dave).
Innocence is defined as the state of being not guilty of a crime or other wrong act. The definition does not have any exceptions depending on race, age, gender or other physical characteristics. Yet in the south, the innocence of a guilty white man, is more important than the innocence of an innocent black man. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is about a young girl named Scout who lives in Maycomb County, Alabama. The novel is separated into two parts, the first part is about the adventures of Boo Radley. While the second part is about the trial of Tom Robinson. In the first part of the novel, Scout along with her brother Jem and her friend Dill investigate the mysterious life of their neighbor, Boo Radley. Boo has not left
In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee tells the story of coming-of-age and the loss of innocence through the character Jem. Through recurring events, Jem is faced with the realization of society’s injustice, and is left questioning the world he lives in. During a time of rampant racial discrimination and prejudice in the south, Jem transforms from naivety to maturity.
“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.
The mockingbirds in the story symbolize peace and innocence because they don’t do anything wrong and they only bring joy to people. “‘But remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird [said by Atticus]’....’Your father's right,’ she [Miss Maudie] said. ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy” (Lee, 119). The title also has meaning in it, since mockingbirds represent innocence, to kill a mockingbird means to destroy innocence. Some of the characters in the story can be represented as mockingbirds, or innocent people destroyed by evil things. One of the major mockingbirds in the story, Tom Robinson, who was killed by the police, was an innocent man who was destroyed by the evil of the Ewell’s. “‘Tom’s dead.” [said by Atticus]. Aunt Alexandra put her hands on her mouth. ‘They shot him,’ said Atticus. ‘He was running. It was during their exercise period’ (Lee, 315). Tom had the misfortune of knowing the Ewell’s, it was because of Mayella and Bob’s lies that he died. “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (Lee, 323). There are other mockingbirds in the story too, such as Jem and Boo Radley. Jem’s innocence was destroyed during Tom Robinson’s trial, where he sees Tom undergo an unfair trial. Since the trial took place in the deep South in the 1930’s, what a white man says is held higher than what a black man says, even when it’s not true. "The jury couldn't
It is then stated that killing a mockingbird is a sin, therefore meaning that killing innocent people is also a sin. Lee’s eye-opening novel reminds the reader that one should protect the beauty of the innocence by not allowing the society to promote their downfall. First of all, mockingbirds constantly reappear throughout the novel, as they are significant symbols. Mockingbirds are beautiful birds that are known for their remarkable voices. These birds are first introduced when Atticus instructs the children on how to use the toy riffles.
...birds are one of the main symbols. Mockingbirds are innocent they do not harm anyone but makes beautiful music. However, they get killed by people every day. There are many innocent person present in this novel; three main characters that are Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mr. Dolphus Raymond, and they symbolize the Mockingbirds. Tom was a wrongly accused of rape, and he was brutally killed because he was black. Boo Radley did not do any harm to anyone, he was innocent, but people in the Maycomb County were thinking him as a monster which hurt him mentally. Lastly, Mr. Raymond symbolized the Mockingbird because he was innocent, however only because he thought different than others, he was looked down by the people in Maycomb County. Mockingbirds in this novel symbolized the innocent people who are getting wrongly accused and their innocence getting destroyed by evil.
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the prevalent symbol is innocence. The general idea of innocence is seen in many characters, including Scout, Jem, and Atticus. The attribute of innocence is mainly directed at the mockingbird, which is mentioned several times in the story, including when Atticus tell Jem and Scout, “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”. The mockingbird is also referenced in the title. This is very symbolic, mainly due to the fact that throughout the novel, innocence is “killed”.
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
The capacity for humans to do good and evil the shows ethics of humanity. In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, she is flashbacking her experiences growing up in Maycomb as a six-year- child from an adult perspective. Scout describes the situations her widowed father Atticus is dealing with, such as his legal defense of the Tom Robinson case. In the realistic fictional novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding the behaviour of the children changes when they are away from society. A group of British schoolboys were stranded on a secluded island, in the middle of a war. Throughout this period the boys change overtime from being civilized to allowing savagery to take over. In both books To Kill a Mockingbird
The mockingbird is the symbol of innocence in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird. It symbolizes the essence of peace and guiltlessness in a world of chaotic evil that has been plaguing the world all around Scout. It is through her that the mockingbird is revealed and it is sad to see that Scout has to experience such a cruel thing happen at such a young age. Tom Robinson: the symbol of all things good in a man, is the most righteous man out of both the black and white communities, and is without a doubt an icon for what a man can be. All the terrible deeds done to him came from Robert Ewell, the evil of Maycomb as he destroys the innocence of such a good man.
Loss of Innocence in Killing a Mockingbird Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather, the streets turned red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. " (Lee 9). This environment, as Scout Finch accurately describes, is not conducive to young children, loud noises, and games. But, the Finch children and Dill must occupy themselves in order to avoid boredom.
The illusion of innocence is deeply instilled in the outlook of children. Reality soon takes its grip as kids begin to grow and mature, and they lose their pure qualities that they have once possessed. Their father Atticus shelters Jem and Scout from the town’s disease, teaching them the act of sympathy and how to distinguish the good aspects over glaring at the imperfections of people. The loss of innocence portrayed in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is exposed as the lives of Jem, Scout, and Dill go through their racist and prejudice society, learning how the worlds dreamlike qualities is nothing more than just a childhood fable. The children’s judgment of people and society quickly sheds as Lee displays the harsh realities to Jem, Dill,
The main symbols discussed and portrayed in the book were Tim Johnson, the Mockingbirds and Boo Radley. Tim Johnson was a neighbourhood dog who appeared down the Finch’s street one day, but looked very ill and was rabid. Calpurnia the black maid working at the Finch’s rang Atticus and he shot it. Tim Johnson could symbolize the prejudice and mob mentality of Maycomb at the time and because Atticus shot Tim this represents Atticus’s morals beliefs about stopping racism and creating equality. The Mockingbird used in the title of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is the most important symbol depicted in this novel. One day Atticus told Jem that he’d rather Jem shoot at tin cans, but he knew Jem would go after birds. He gave Jem permission to shoot all the blue jays he felt like, but it was a sin to kill a mockingbird. Jem then went to Miss Maudie to ask about what Atticus had just said, "Your father’s right," she said. "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. As the novel progresses, the children’s perspective towards Boo Radley matures and this replicates the development of the children. Boo Radley was once an intelligent child, only to be ruined by his cruel father is one of the most important mockingbirds as his innocence was destroyed. Luckily for Jem and Scout, Boo was merely a source of childhood superstition often leaving presents for them. Despite the pain that Boo