How effective is Harper Lee's title of To Kill a Mockingbird?
'" Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember
it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."
That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do
something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it.
"Your father's right," she said. "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."' (p. 96)
From the above quote we learn that a mockingbird gives only pleasure
to people. It does not harm anyone, or destroy people's gardens, like
other birds might do. The book can be said to contain 'human
mockingbirds' who, each in their own way, are persecuted or treated
badly through no fault of their own.
Probably the two main and most obvious mockingbirds in the novel are
Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. These two characters very much contrast
each other, but the way they are treated by other persons in the book
gives them a mutual bond. Both of these characters had to pay for
their actions with their lives - Boo Radley being deprived of
friendship and the outside world by his own family, and Tom Radley
being convicted of a crime he did not commit, which ultimately lead to
his death.
Boo Radley, otherwise known as Arthur Radley, is described by Jem as a
monster-type figure: "Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging
from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could
catch, that's why his hands were blood-stained - if you ate an animal
raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar
that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten;
his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time." (p.19)
We know that this is not what Boo Radley really looks like, and Jem is
giving this description to Scout so as to tease her. Being as young as
she is, she believes this portrayal of Boo. However, though Jem is
only having a laugh, this shows us what sort of image of Boo the
children grew up with. The title could be connected with this because
the children are mocking Boo's life and making fun of it.
I also think that the following words from Jem are important: '" I
think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in
Throughout the book we watch the narrator, Scout Finch, go from a naive first grader that think Maycomb is the best place out there, to finally maturing and understanding the world around her. Throughout the book Scout is impressioned by so many people that Boo Radley is a monster that should be kept in at all times. Later we learn he isn’t, but one of the first impressions we get from him is a brute
“I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after the birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird.” Atticus Finch recites these lines to his two children, Jem and Scout after he gives them air-rifles for Christmas. Scout is curious, as this is the first time that she has ever heard her father refer to anything as a sin, Scout asks Miss Maude what Atticus meant by this. Miss Maude tells Scout that mocking birds don’t rip up people’s garden’s or annoy them in any way, all they do is play beautiful music for us to listen to.
In this book, Harper Lee clearly demonstrates the importance of not judging a book by its cover in the person of Boo Radley. Boo was a boy never seen outside his house ever since he was caught by the authorities involving himself in mischief. Rumors had been spread that he was locked in his house and chained to his bed by his overly religious family. Since people never really knew what Boo looked like, Jem made up his own theory. “Boo was six-and-a-half feet tall judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained – if you ate an animal raw you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face…” (13). Although nobody really knew Boo, he was blamed for everything that went wrong in the town. As the story goes on Boo starts to secretly involve himself in Jem and Scout’s lives. He does things like putting a blanket on Scout’s shoulders during a fire at Miss. Maudie’s house. “You were so busy looking at the fire; you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you.
The children laugh and imagine the reclusive life of Boo Radley, yet their father quickly puts a halt to their shenanigans, as they should not judge the man before they truly know him. Atticus unforgettably tells the children, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” During Dill’s last night in Maycomb for the summer, the children wrongfully ventured onto Boo Radley’s property. He shoots at the children, and in their escape, Jem loses his pants. He later returns to find them mended and hung over the fence.
In the beginning of the story, Boo represents the unknown. The children wonder about Boo and his strange way of life, but really have no concept of who he is. At first, the children ask questions about Boo with regards to his "weird" living style. When this does not satisfy their curiosities, they make up games and stories about Boo which present him as being a monster. At one point, the children invade the Radley property in hopes of finding some clue which will better explain Boo's character
In the case of Scout and Jem, they believed that Boo Radley, who is an outcast of Maycomb, possesses a horrific appearance, and that he is a savage, "he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained." However, as the story progresses, it is revealed that Boo is actually a kind-hearted person who has not done anybody wrong, but unfortunately, he was ruined by the hands of his family. Thus, Boo is an example of a mockingbird, as mentioned by Atticus. The disclosing of the character of Boo demonstrates Scout and Jem's loss of innocence. They can no longer see Boo as a mysterious threat in their life, instead they saw Boo as a person. "...he's crazy..but Atticus I swear to God he ain't ever harmed us, he coulda cut my throat...but he mend my pants instead..." In a way, Boo serves as a symbol of the transition of Scout and Jem's maturity, as the kids exhibit their ability to empathize with
Who would want to kill a mockingbird that sings and keeps people at peace? Only mean and cruel people for example Bob Ewell, a drunk and abusive father. This symbol of mockingbird appears in the story many times. According to Merriam-Webster’s Middle School Dictionary a mockingbird is a songbird of the southern U.S. that is noted for the sweetness of its song and for imitations of the notes of other birds (482). The symbol of killing a blameless bird is repeated through out the story when Harper Lee describes Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Calpurnia. The following words of Atticus to his children explain it “…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.” (Lee 90). To Kill a Mockingbird, is the expression of the mocking bird and some people as innocent victims.
It is a sin to kill a mockingbird, mockingbirds are innocent birds that do not do one harm thing, but makes music for ones to enjoy. Tom Robinson is one of the novel’s “mockingbirds”, he is innocent but he was falsely convicted of rape and got killed. In a court, black man had never won over a white person. Tom Robinson, a black man was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, Mr. Ewell’s daughter. Atticus defends Tom Robinson because he had been appointed to defend for him, but it is also because of his morals. “Mr. Finch, I tried. I tried to 'thout bein' ugly to her. I didn't wanta be ugly, I didn't wanta push her or nothing” (Lee 260). During...
She asks Miss Maudie. why Atticus has said it is wrong and she replies with the explanation. Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't mess with corncribs, they don't do. one thing but sign their hearts out for us.
Boo Radley, also known as Arthur Radley, is the scary, evil creature that lives in the creepy old house down the street from Jem and Scout, and is misjudged at first. Jem and Scout, two main characters, first see Boo as some sort of scary monster. Jem described him in the first chapter as “...six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks...” and said “...he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained- if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off...” Jem also mentioned Boo had a “...long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.” Scout and Jem also call Boo a “...malevolent phantom...” As if that isn't bad enough, the kids hear and tell horrible stories about Boo. One is of how he stabbed his dad with a pair of scissors; another tells how he was locked up in the courthouse basement. Even with such a grisly initial perception at the beginning of...
Persona can be loosely defined as the face value that is usually a positive image, while the shadow is the buried reality that is the polar opposite of what is seen. Shirley Jackson wrote "The Lottery" which is about a town's annual mandatory lottery; it shockingly concludes with the murder of the winning person."The Lottery" illustrates the psychological concepts of persona and shadow through the yearly, unjustifiable stoning in the midst of a seemingly modern and thriving town.
Helen Keller, a deaf and blind writer and lecturer describes life as “a succession of
Harper Lee, the author of the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, certainly and effectively used symbolism with flowers throughout the story. The first example of symbolism would be how the author used Camellias to describe Mrs.Dubose. The Camellia is the state flower of Alabama which is where To Kill A Mockingbird takes place. It thrives in acidic soil, has fairly deep roots and grows rapidly, up to 20 feet. It grows in Mrs. Duboses's garden and has an alternate meaning of prejudice in Maycomb. As evidence, "he [Jem] . . . cut the tops off every camellia bush [she] owned, until the ground was littered with green buds and leaves" (Lee page 74). Jem does not understand as he acts rashly, and wasn't thinking when he cut all of Mrs.Dubose's flowers. This means that prejudice cannot be dealt with simply. For example, '"Your father's no better than the n*****s and trash he works for!" [said Mrs,Dubose]' (Lee page 73) As Mrs.Dubose is prejudice, much like how the flower, is deep-rooted, especially in Alabama, she is very racist as this quote proved. Looking at the world through the eyes of a morphine addict, Jem forgave Mrs. Dubose for the hurtful things she said later on. To get rid of prejudice, you must attack the root, like Miss Maudie does with nut grass, '"Pull it up, child, pull it up?" She picked up the limp sprout and squeezed her thumb up its tiny stalk.' (Lee page 29) The white camellia shows that Mrs. Dubose was a kind, brave, yet pure lady deep in her heart. All in all, the Camellia represented the very little beauty there was in a seemingly ugly lady's heart. Secondly, Mayella was symbolized by Geraniums as they were thought to be the "poor man's rose". The description of Mayella Ewell's home was that of a small dump, a place tot...
In the book, To Kill a Mockeningbird by Harper lee, Charles Baker Harris, also known as Dill, is one of the most important character. He’s curious, wants attention, and he can be dishonest.
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, 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.