In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, many symbolic references are made. Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent the ideas of a story. The most important theme in the novel is the mockingbird. Harper Lee uses mockingbirds to benefit the readers, so they have a better understanding of the novel. Mockingbirds are used symbolically several times in the novel. The first time mockingbirds are mentioned is when Atticus says to the children, "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Upon Scout's confusion, Miss Maudie explains that mockingbirds 'don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us." After an explanation of the saying, it's quite obvious that mockingbirds not only symbolize innocence but also beauty and ethicality. Mockingbirds,
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.
“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird...mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. “ In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the title itself is symbolic. Atticus Finche tells his children that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they are innocent, navie, and mind their own busniess to all, which is why it is a sin to kill them for no reason. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the mockingbird is symobloized in four specific characters in the novel representing innocence of being a mockingbird.
The idea of mockingbirds in this text carries great symbolic weight, mockingbirds are considered the innocents in the novel. It is considered a sin to kill a mockingbird, which symbolizes the destruction innocence. Tom Robinson, Arthur “Boo” Radley, Jem and Mr. Raymond can all be identified as mockingbirds - innocents who have been injured or destroyed through contact with evil.
The Mockingbird is a symbol of innocence in To Kill a Mockingbird: “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.” (Lee 90). Ms. Maudie is trying to explain to the kids that it is a sin to kill something innocent. The Mockingbird does nothing harmful to them they just sing songs to the humans . There are many connecting symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird. Not only do many things in the book such as mockingbirds there are things in the book that represent these symbols. A mockingbird is innocent, keeps to itself, makes others happy much like Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Scout Finch throughout the novel.
Harper Lee also represents the themes through key symbolism. The most important symbol and the one that represented innocence and goodness was the mockingbird. Tom Robinson, Boo Radley and even Atticus and Scout were the metaphoric mockingbirds in the novel. When Scout asked Miss Maudie about
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
Lee employs symbolism to illustrate Tom Robinson being falsely accused; as mockingbirds are often mistaken for a bird they are imitating. Symbolism is important because it shows the connection between the title of the book and the storyline. As the reader, we are able to see that just like a mockingbird mistaken for other birds, Tom Robinson was mistakenly seen guilty.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a book with several examples of symbolism. Although the story is seen through a child’s perspective, it includes multiple instances of symbolism, some more obvious than others. Mockingbirds, Mayella’s geraniums, and the Radley household are all big symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Symbolism is used extensively in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The theme of prejudice in the novel can be best perceived through the symbol of the mockingbird. Atticus advised his children that if they went hunting for birds to "shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (96). Miss Maudie explains this further by saying that "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" (96). Bluejays are considered to be the bullies of the bird world. They are very loud, territorial and
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (90). Mockingbirds symbolize innocence in the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The story takes place in Alabama during the Great Depression. The three characters are Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Dolphus Raymond who are mockingbirds.
There are many significant symbols used to represent the different themes in To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the book Harper Lee transmits a message to the reader using examples and symbols to get her point across. Some of these symbols include the dresses, Tim Johnson, and dependencies.
Authors utilize many different literary devices when writing a novel. Harper Lee is especially fond of symbolism. Symbolism is used many times through the novel. The tree symbolized Boo’s connection to the community .In the beginning of the story Boo Radly was seen as a bad guy through the end he became a symbol of good. The title To Kill a Mockingbird is symbolic in the book because mockingbirds usually mean innocence.Thus, to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence.
What does the mockingbird metaphor mean? It is about different races treated in unfair ways with injustice acts. There is a known fact that mockingbirds are innocent birds who sing harmonies for us to enjoy. Since all they do is sing harmonies, Atticus says it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. Racism has been apart of our world for centuries. Many stories are told about black people, and how they were treated. A boy from Chicago named Emmett Till shows the struggle of a fourteen-year-old boy, who was brutally tortured, but in reality, he was as innocent as a mockingbird.
In the novel “To kill a mockingbird” by Harper Lee, where innocence is being destroyed by evil. The symbol “mockingbird” is best fitted for the novel because The mockingbird is a bird that sings sweetly and does no harm to any other creature. The mockingbird represents the idea of innocence, and thus, to kill a “mockingbird” is to destroy innocence. There are a number of characters who may be considered “mockingbirds”, namely, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.
Symbolism is a major literary device using a concrete object to represent an abstract idea, and is commonly used among all types of writers. Symbols help writers convey different emotions or signals—such as love, hatred, and danger—behind what may seem to be merely a meaningless object. This major literary device frequently appears over the course of the novel, The Call of the Wild. In this novel, the club, the killing of the Yeehat Indians, and Mercedes are shown to be the major symbols that appear over the course of the novel to convey more profound meanings behind what it seems.