Symbolism Of Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

Think of the saying, “you are the apple of my eye”. Most of today’s society understands that somebody is referring to someone that they cherish above all else. This phrase is a common metaphor that is used all around the world. Many times authors use a metaphor to convey a message without telling it right out to the reader. This technique is used by Harper Lee in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The title of the novel refers to persecution of the innocent which is highlighted by showcasing Arthur Radley as the mockingbird of the story, and the oppression of refugees relates this metaphor to today’s society.

In the nineteenth century, mockingbirds were kept in cages so they could sing their beautiful music. Because of this, mockingbirds were nearly almost wiped out of parts of the East Coast. All Mockingbirds do is bring beauty to the world. Mockingbirds symbolize innocence and do not deserve to be wounded by the cruelness of the world. In the story To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Dill, Mayella Ewell, Mr. Dolphus Raymond, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are all mockingbirds. They are innocent people that have been harmed or injured in the past and have learned the misery of the world.

Throughout the majority of the book, Lee uses a motif related to a mockingbird. This symbolizes how hunting harmless and innocent beings is senseless and the worst crime one can commit against humanity. Mockingbirds are harmless animals who do nothing but bring joy to people with

A composer uses their text to explore themes that are pertinent to the human condition to highlight their purpose and message. This concept of exploring themes becomes ignited in To Kill A Mockingbird (1960). In her text, Lee maintains the essence of society during the civil rights movement and the Great Depression. She embarks on a journey to present the consequences of a society built on bigotry, prejudice and racism through the theme of the coexistence of good and evil. Lee’s purpose is to raise awareness and make society recognize its mistreatment of others through critiquing the Southern States of America through the microcosm of Maycomb.

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Maycomb is a town that looks perfect on the outside but is very flawed on the inside. The symbols hidden throughout the novel broaden the reader’s understanding and comprehension of what is going on. The symbols also reveal the many themes of the novel. There are many symbols that reveal the themes including the mockingbird, Tim Johnson, and the snowman.

“ I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, 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.” [p.119] In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, this issue is mentioned various times. There are three mockingbirds, Mayella Ewell, Boo Radley and Tom Robinson.

The novella 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee, is a very well known book which uses symbolism to further push the issue of racism. The way the ideas of racism and further issues are shown through smaller parts of the book such as the Mad Dog Atticus is forced to shoot and other things are represented by the Mockingbird itself, this essay will explain how some of these important symbols may be interpreted. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the mad dog to represent Prejudice and the Mockingbird to represent racism.

    In To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, themes and central ideas of the novel are emphasized by subtle symbols. Symbols shown throughout the novel not only represent concrete objects but also ideas, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes of the characters. Some symbols even represent more than one thing. Lee's recurring use of symbols contribute to the underlying themes and ideas of the novel. Lee's unusual title is a symbol itself and it keeps the reader in anticipation while waiting for a mockingbird to enter the story. Symbols contribute to literature by causing the reader to examine the piece of work and look for meanings other than the literal one. In To Kill a

Symbols, symbols, and more symbols everywhere we look. For example the recycling symbol, the caution symbol, and even the symbols on your television remote. The book To Kill a Mockingbird features various symbols, but one in particular is what the book focuses on, and that is the Mockingbird symbol. The Mockingbird is a symbol that represents many things, it represents innocence, a mocking behavior, and defense. This symbol is crucial to the book because throughout the story many characters display these characteristics in a time of need.

When is it okay to kill? There are so many symbolic figures and analogies in To Kill A Mockingbird, that it would be very difficult to put a finger on all of them. But one that I find very important is the theme of mockingbirds throughout the book, everywhere from the title to the trial. The symbol of mockingbirds, as well as Tim Johnson, and their foil, help illustrate the meaning, circumstances, and conditions of different deaths in To Kill a Mockingbird.

“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. […] That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 90). Harper Lee is an American author known for her Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960 and is widely accepted as an American classic today. The novel is narrated by a young girl named Scout and explores prejudice in America. The title, as well as many characters in the book, coincides with the symbolic mockingbird. In the novel, Harper Lee used the mockingbird to symbolize the innocents.

Good symbolism is arguably a key attribute for a great novel. An author who effectively knows how to leave unspoken meaning behind objects usually so ordinary, for readers to interpret and understand, is one worthy. Said symbolism is can be, not only for the audience’s anazlyzation, but also for the writer to develop or emphasize themes, which is what Harper Lee did in her novel To Kill A Mockingbird. Harper Lee effectively uses the mockingbird as a symbol to develop key themes social injustice and family.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a book thick with symbolism and metaphors. It is a debatable fact that Scout, the female protagonist, is a symbol for innocence. Though the validity of her symbol is in doubt, I am certain that the symbol in this novel for injured faith, or broken innocence, is Boo Radley. That puts in question the reason why Boo continues to amble down the same road of apathy while Scout is being led down the path to unbiased maturity. I believe that Atticus, the father figure in the novel, is the subtle influence that raises Scout to be aware of the immoral actions around her but not to accept them. Prejudice corrupts a child’s progression of innocence to maturity, but Atticus keeps his children from assuming the attitudes of the townspeople.

1954 Brown vs board of education was a case in the supreme court that stated segregation in schools was illegal. This was said to spark the civil rights movement. This was all happening while Harper Lee was writing To Kill a Mockingbird.

“Mockingbirds don't do one thing except make music for us to enjoy.” These famous words come from the equally famous work of literature, How to Kill a Mockingbird. The book is about a young girl, Scout, and her family who live in the racist southern town of Maycomb during the Great Depression. Scout grows up oblivious to much of the injustice around her and fascinated by the reclusive societal outcast Boo Radley. The book uses the mockingbird as a powerful symbol of innocence and is portrayed through several people and concepts.