To Kill A Mockingbird Title Analysis

Author uses Atticus teach these lessons through his wise words. Atticus teaches these lessons to not only the audience, but Jem and Scout too. Some of the main things he teaches his kids about are understanding people, using the mind instead of the body, the cruel reality of stereotypes, and true

¨ ‘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 is a sin to kill a mockingbird.’ ” (Lee 119)

The title, To Kill a Mockingbird, is a huge aspect of this book. Harper Lee chose an appropriate title because it explains how innocent people can be destroyed in the face of evil. The two people who symbolize the mockingbird are Boo Radley and Tom Robinson.

Even though this innocent would most likely represent Tom Robinson, another good person to represent a mockingbird would be Boo Radley. Boo Radley was found out to be an innocent person as the story continued, even though thought to be a crazy person at the beginning. This character Boo Radley, appearing only in some situations, helps develop the theme in this novel of not judging a book by its cover. Boo helps develop this theme because of the rumors that sound very odd and silly about him that were said by some of the people in the town of Maycomb. He also shows that since his name has a negative connotation, it is assumed he is a bad person, but in reality, it’s the opposite. After saving the children from the murderous Bob Ewell, they realized Boo wasn’t crazy and looked like a monster, but he was actually a kind, innocent, and friendly

Tom Robinson is another mockingbird figure. He was a genuinely caring person who is destroyed by his willingness to help Mayella Ewell. Just like a mockingbird, Robinson never hurt anyone. Yet, he was also persecuted by society for his kindness and his race. Tom Robinson was killed because of his kindness and the color of his skin; “ a harmless songbird that was shot down by a senseless hunter.” Lee uses the character of Tom as a mockingbird figure to express the innocence of the mockingbird and exhibit the narrow-mindedness and biased opinions of the towns folk.

Lee implies that people learn lessons through life experiences that school can ever teach. Throughout this novel, Atticus taught his kids many lessons that was hard for them to hear at times, but it later on helped them in the story. Or it helped them grow up and mature. On page 40 of To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus was explaining to Scout that Miss.Caroline was new and didn’t know anyone, and she especially didn’t know the Cunningham’s story, Atticus states, “Atticus said… but if Walter and I had put ourselves in her shoes we’d have seen it was an honest mistake on her part” (40). This quote by Atticus is meant to explain to Scout that Miss. Caroline just made an honest human mistake. He tried to get Scout to realize that if he put herself in Miss.Caroline’s shoes then she might better understand the confusion. Obviously you can’t really be in her shoes, but he said it figuratively to show her why it was important to give her another chance, or at least try to be nice and listen. Atticus taught this to Scout at home later on that night. At her school after that she tried to just get by in her class. Lee also shows mainly throughout that the school system doesn’t help when it comes to teaching children life lessons. As shown in the earlier quote Atticus, had told Scout to jump in Walter’s shoes, and walk around in it. This other quote shows how Scout actually takes into consideration of Atticus’ words, and chooses to not bother Jem because she tried to imagine what it had

He went by the name Boo Radley. Jem and Scout were terrified of Boo but Jem still decided messed with him. People described Boo as being “ 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 bloodstained, there was a jagged scar that ran across his face and he drooled most of the time.” (Lee, pg 16) Harper Lee made Boo sound like the most terrifying person ever, but as readers get further in the book, readers and Scout realize he is not as terrifying as people make him sound. Scout realizes that Boo has a heart and he is not terrifying when he saves Jem.

Mockingbirds bring beauty and happiness into the world. Miss. Maudie 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."(119). This is referring to Tom Robinson and Boo Radley who are both portrayed as mockingbirds in the book. They both brought happiness into the world and did nothing wrong, but were punished and in Tom’s case, killed.

He was a black man, who dared to feel pity for a white woman, and for it he ends up dead. (Lee 264)Harper Lee Contrasts Tom Robinson with the final mockingbird, Arthur Radley, more commonly known as Boo Radley. If a Mockingbird should not be shot because all it does is sing, then Boo Radley is the ultimate mockingbird. He stays away from society and allows them to whisper about him, but when he is needed, first giving Scout a blanket, then giving Jem and Scout things like gum and coins, and finally by saving their lives, he acts as the ultimate mockingbird. It is when Atticus is talking to Scout about the decisions of the sheriff that Harper Lee makes the way that mockingbirds are treated in society clear, “Atticus looked like he needed cheering up. I ran to him and hugged him and kissed him with all my might. “Yes sir, I understand,” I reassured him. “Mr. Tate was right.” Atticus disengaged himself and looked at me. “What do you mean?” “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin‘ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?”” (Lee 370) This is one of the aspects of this book that makes it so well written, the ending is very full circle, in the first half Scout learn about mockingbirds, and at the very end she is able to fully understand it. However, the racial status of that time is also something Scout comes to fully understand, Harper Lee even emphasises this racial separation with the mockingbirds, Tom Robinson, a

The title “To Kill A Mockingbird” is taken from a quote in the book, where Atticus says "Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (lee Later, Miss Maudie Atkinson states that "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy." (p.177). This shows that mocking birds are innocent, and that is why Atticus strongly forbids his children to kill them. To Kill a Mockingbird novels theme is how prejudice affects the town of maycomb,alabama. Also, the mockingbird symbolizes innocence. All the birds do is sing for you and give you pleasure in what is natural and enjoyment to them (singing for you). Theydont harm,. They are fragile,loveable, weak, and helpless birds. In the

The mockingbird is referred to commonly in this novel. The town of Maycomb seem to believe that the mockingbird is peaceful, pure, and innocent. "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up peoples gardens, nest in corn ribs. 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). This quote from miss Maudie describes the nature of the mockingbird, showing its kindness and innocence. The mocking bird can be portrayed as Tom Robinson, Atticus, and Boo Radley. Though these three figures are innocent without doubt, they still receive criticism of prejudice throughout the town, though they still hold courage. "It's when you know your liked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do." (Lee 112). Atticus gets ridiculed by the town of Maycomb just for defending a black man in court, the place where each man should have as much as a chance as the other. Atticus still follows through with what he believes in, what he thinks is right throughout the story, in his own definition he held his

To Kill A Mockingbird” is marvelous and unforgettable novel. The novel shows what a dramatic old town such as Maycomb is like. In Lee’s unique writings, she integrates large conflicts concerning major political issues in the South. Not only

However, Tom Robinson is not the only mockingbird in the story. Boo Radley is another harmless creature who falls victim of cruelty. He is unjustly regarded as an evil person and used as the scapegoat for all the bad happenings around town. Women are afraid of him and so are children. When the sheriff decided that he would not arrest Boo Radley for killing Bob Ewell and that would present his death as an accident, Atticus asked Scout if she understood the meaning of this decision. Scout replied that she did. Her exact words were: "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?" (282). Boo here is also compared to the gentle bird and again it would be a 'sin' to punish him. The symbol of the mockingbird can be applied to Boo Radley from another point of view as well. The mockingbird has no song of its own. It just imitates other birds. Therefore it makes itself present and is seen through other birds. In the same way, Boo Radley is seen through the eyes of other people. He does not have a character of his own. What the reader knows about him is what other people say. He is believed to " dine on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, his hands were

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has become a mainstay in American high-schools. This is a classic novel that has inspired many people of all ages. It had a big impact on how people viewed and treated each other. This is a story that teaches everyone about the value of honesty, love, friendship and trust. Every word written in this book has a truly deep meaning to it. The time period that the book was written in was during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. This setting was in a small town in Maycomb, Alabama with people who did not get along. During this time there was a lot of segregation within America and different races. To Kill a Mockingbird is about a family who believes in doing the right thing and being honest. There was a

did not allow anyone to visit him or have the slightest contact with him. Eventually Boo's mental state triggers him to stabbed his father with a pair of scissors. Boo's fathers causes Boo to suffer innocently by stealing his childhood experiences away from him. This indicates that Boo is a mockingbird because he did very little to deserve this torment and isolation that his father inflicted upon him. Then, Jem and Scout from the beginning of the story never fully understood Boo's past life at all, yet they judged him on things they hear about. They suspect he was basically an evil monster that never comes out of his house. Scout starts the stereotyping by creating a nickname “Boo” for the innocent Arthur Radley. This nickname robs Arthur of his true name and identity, causing him to suffer. Furthermore, Jem and Scout constantly pester Boo in an attempt to discover his actual identity. They tell their best friend Dill that Boo is like a zombie. Jem describes Boo as being: “About six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cat 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; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he and he drooled most of the time” (Lee 13). The stereotypical image created by Jem completely robs Boo