Use of Symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird
It is quite noticeable that some characters' names in To Kill a Mockingbird are implicitly symbolic. Scout, for example, like the familiar military scouts who were dispatched from the main body to gather information, is a seeker, scouting out new areas of experience. Additionally, Atticus's name is a reference to the district Attica of ancient Greece in which Athens was located. In some way Atticus's rational approach to life is similar to that of ancient philosophers, especially the Stoics: "The four cardinal virtues of the Stoic philosophy are wisdom, courage, justice and temperance. All people are manifestations of the one universal spirit and should, according to the Stoics, love and help another, regardless of rank and wealth" (Encarta Encyclopedia). Atticus is the main character who serves these four virtues, justice, wisdom, courage and temperance in the story, just like the ancient philosophers of Athens did. As a lawyer he is a faithful servant of justice for all people, black or white. His wisdom lies not in his education but in the way he raises his children and his knowledge of people's attitude. For him courage is Mrs Dubose's effort to break from morphine. He says to Jem the day she died: "I wanted to show you what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" (118). From his point of view, Atticus showed his courage when he accepted the Tom Robinson case even though he knew beforehand that it was a lost battle. And, finally, the reader knows he believes in temperance when he advises Scout and Jem not to get carried away by people's provocation, and sets the example when he does not react to Bob Ewell's threats. Therefore it becomes evident that Atticus could easily be considered a Stoic as he made their philosophy his way of living. He could be a citizen of ancient Attica as his name implies.
Another symbol in the story is Jem's broken arm as well as Scout's ham costume. It has been mentioned that Atticus did not expect Jem to be so greatly affected by the events of the trial. Scout was more likely to be influenced because she was younger.
The history of Puerto Rico under Spanish rule is one of European exploitation of non white peoples for the purpose of economic gain. The ‘discovery’ made by Columbus in 1492 had a great impact on the highly competitive countries in Europe who saw, in lands like Puerto Rico, the possibility of prosperity and advancement. More than hoping to spread their influence or religion, Europeans wanted to take advantage of the lands and resources which seemed unused. Actually the lands were being used quite successfully, but in unfamiliar ways which did not concern many Europeans. With little regard for the native people, Europe began conquering the eastern hemisphere in the name of colonization. Areas which had only known one race for centuries were flooded with people from all over the world seeking money and status. As the stakes grew, and select people and countries heavily prospered off their colonies, ethical and moral restraint declined. The result was a world filled with a diverse group of races, extreme distinctions in class differences, and mixing of culture. This was the case for Puerto Rico, which was just as much affected by colonialism as other areas, but has certain qualities which make the Puerto Rican identity unique.
Laura Briggs's work Reproducing Empire: Race, Sex, Science, and U.S. Imperialism in Puerto Rico continues a recent trend in connecting colonial histories to that of domestic issues affecting imperial powers, “colonialism was not something that happened ‘over there,’ with little or no effect on the internal dynamics and culture of the imperial power itself …. On the contrary, colonialism has had a profound effect on the culture and policy of the mainland.” Additionally, Briggs work pushes back against the traditional belief that U.S. colonial policy forced the sterilization of a large segment of the island’s female population. This argument was made famous by the documentary film “La Operacion”.
In order to understand the current situation of Puerto Ricans one must look at their history and retrace the sequence of events that led to the current formation of the Puerto Rican people. An important component of this history is the time Puerto Rico spent under Spanish rule. Studying this portion of Puerto Rican history forces us to acknowledge the contribution the Spaniards, European immigrants, and African slaves had on Puerto Rican identity as we consider it today. This also addresses contemporary debates on Puerto Rican identity. An example of this is evident in an essay written by Jose Luis Gonzales entitled "Puerto Rico : Th Four Storied Country". In the article Gonzales points out what he feels is a disregard toward the African contribution to the Puerto Rican identity. He argues that the first Puerto Ricans were black , based on his interpretation that Africans were the first group to come to Puerto Rico and reproduce who did not have ties to a "motherland" because they were slaves. This is unlike the Spaniard elites and Criolles that demonstrated their commitment and loyalty to Spain. Since they had no other place to go, Puerto Rico was their motherland. Gonzalez also points out that the culture of a region is always the culture of the elite, not the popular culture.
del Valle Atiles, Francisco. "The Spiritual Life of the Jibaro" form :Iris M. Zavala and Rafael Rodriguez (eds.), The Intellectual Roots of Independence: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Political Essays (New York: Monthly Review Press, 1980), 95-103.
This shows that the first stage in race relation was motivated by the dominance of the invaders over the invaded. In this way, segregation in the early years of Puerto Rican development under Spanish rule was based on the fact that the Spanish population exploited the island’s people and resources, setting up a situation where the native population was marginalized. In other words, the marginalization of the native population was rooted in the economic desires of Spain. This created both a racial and class segregation, for the upper class Spaniards had control over the island, while the native population was forced to flee or be forced to work for the invaders.
The intention of this essay is to demonstrate to a vision rational, concordant political leader to the Puerto Rican, American and worldwide reality. It responds to the necessity that to the statehood it is necessary to imagine it and to expose it with all the evidence available, since many Puerto Ricans, including many political leaders, do not know like defending it or exposing it before the peculiar ones or our adversaries.
Trías-Monge, José. "The Shaping of a Colonial Policy," from Trías-Monge, Puerto Rico:The Trials of the Oldest Colony in the World (New Haven: Yale U Press, 1997)45-121.
Valle Antiles, Francisco del, "The Spiritual Life of the Jibaro, " from: Iris M. Zavala and Rafael Rodrigues (eds.) The Intellectual Roots of Independence, An Anthology of Puerto Rican Political Essays (New York: Monthly Review Press, 1980), 95-103
Blatt, Irwin B. A study of culture change in modern Puerto Rico. Palo Alto, CA: R&E
"I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want , if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." This is what Atticus Finch tells his children after they are given air-rifles for Christmas. Uniquely, the title of the classic novel by Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird, was taken from this passage. At first glance, one may wonder why Harper Lee decided to name her book after what seems to be a rather insignificant excerpt. After careful study, however, one begins to see that this is just another example of symbolism in the novel. Harper Lee uses symbolism rather extensively throughout this story, and much of it refers to the problems of racism in the South during the early twentieth century. Harper Lee's effective use of racial symbolism can be seen by studying various examples from the book. This includes the actions of the children, the racist whites, and the actions of Atticus Finch.
Puerto Rican Statehood has been a hot issue for several years. Currently, there are three views on this issue: Statehood (New Progressive Party or NPP), Commonwealth (Popular Democratic Party or PDP) and Independence (Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP). In this report, I hope to show each view clearly and back it up with documentation.
Puerto Rico is a small island in the Caribbean that holds a vast, and rich culture. Due to its accessible geographical location, it is often called the key to the Caribbean. Puerto Rico enriched its people with one of the most innate and unique culture different from the rest of the world. The colonization of Spaniards left us not only with myriad architectural heritage, but also with language and cultural traditions that beholds Hispanic imagery and representations. Our music, our love of dancing and festivities, as well as our practice of Catholic beliefs represents
Jesus Colon, in “How to Know the Puerto Ricans,” makes a statement that I believe explains and articulates the effect centuries of exploitation has had on Puerto Rico, and on the identity of Puerto Ricans. He writes, “So when you come to knock at the door of a Puerto Rican home you will be encountered by this feeling in the Puerto Rican-sometimes unconscious in himself-of having been taken for a ride for centuries.”(Santiago, 71) This assertion is appropriate and logical in the sense that Puerto Rico was invaded, ruled, and exploited by the Spaniards from 1508 until July 1898 when the Spanish flag was lowered and the United States began its invasion. With the exclusion of the aristocrats, who were either directly from Spain or criollos , there was complete oppression in Puerto Rico during the time it was a Spanish colony. The history of Puerto Rico under Spanish rule is useful in understanding the formation of Puerto Rican identity and in understanding some of the literature written by Puerto Ricans regarding issues of identity.
Harper Lee uses symbolism extensively throughout To Kill a Mockingbird,, and much of it refers to the problems of racism in the South during the early twentieth century. Harper Lee's effective use of racial symbolism and allegory can be seen by studying various examples from the book, namely the actions of the children, of the racist whites, and of Atticus Finch.
During the 1890’s sports were still considered amateur and useless. Even though sports weren’t encouraged and popular, a swiss gentleman named Hans Gamper and a group of his friends that did other sports together founded the well known club in 1899, Fc Barcelona.