Symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, symbolism is used throughout the story. The main symbol, however, is the mockingbird. It used over and over throughout the novel and it also has a literal connection to the main plot of the story. This story is about innocence being destroyed by evil. The mockingbird represents the innocence. Therefore, if you kill a mockingbird, you are destroying innocence. There are many characters that could possibly represent the mockingbird, and most of them have come in contact with some type of evil or pain in their lives. The first time that the mockingbird is mentioned is when Scout and Jem get their air rifles. Atticus was not interested in guns and did not teach them to
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.
There is a very powerful symbol that carries much weight throughout the story, and that is the mockingbird, seen even in the title of the book itself. This symbol initiates its appearance in chapter 10 of “To Kill a Mockingbird” on page 103 where Atticus Finch, a character synonymous with making impactful, deep statements through the book, says, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee, 10). This is supplemented by Mrs. Maudie soon after where she says, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy... ” (Lee 10). This evidence explains the basis of this symbol, that killing innocence is sinful, pointless, and cruel and that from the beginning this symbol presence causes massive insight and deeper connections throughout the whole book and to history itself (Great Depression/Pre-Civil Rights Movement), especially through the motif of innocence. Its presence is
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.
The Mockingbird has a very deep and powerful meaning in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird. It represents peacefulness, innocence and kindness which is portrayed through the characters of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. The mockingbird's influence can also be applied to the relationships between humans. The Mockingbird is a powerful symbol that echoes a strong meaning 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 this book, the author uses multiple techniques of symbolism to achieve a goal which is for the reader to stir up empathy for the characters. Take notice in the middle of the book, when the author mentions the main example of symbolism, which is said by Atticus while speaking to Jem. During Christmas when the Finch’s are at Finch's landing Atticus gives Jem and Scout their own air rifles. He then tells Jem, “I’d rather you shot a 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.” (Lee, 90) Mockingbirds are innocent and only play soothing music for people. They don’t destroy gardens, only soothe us with the music they produce. So, mockingbirds are innocent and so it’s a sin to kill them because they do not do anything wrong. In short simple words, it is a sin to kill the innocent. In the courtroom, Tom who is being accused with rape, is in the hot seat while everyone is judging him without knowing the whole story. It makes things worse when he is charged guilty. This makes the reader feel empathy for him because he is being accused
There is a dominant motif in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, regarding the symbolic importance of the mockingbird and how it relates to some of her characters. In Harper Lee’s portrayed world as well as our present day world mockingbirds represent nothing but pure innocence, thus to kill a mockingbird would be to destroy innocence. Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley are all perfect examples representing a mockingbird; innocents who have been injured or destroyed through contact with
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 mockingbird symbolizes innocence because they only make music for people to enjoy. They do not harm anyone or anything, which
Throughout the duration of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are many instances where Lee uses symbolism to help deepen our understanding of the text. This successful novel is set to show the racism of the south in the 1930s. One of the more prominent symbols would be that of the ever so famous mockingbird. You can see examples of this throughout the novel, but more specifically when Atticus says “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (page 99) The mockingbird is the symbol of innocence. It is used to link the two main plot points in the novel, Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. They are the mockingbirds because they are innocents who have been destroyed by the evil of the world. This helps to deepen the understanding by connecting the importance of their characters with the innocence of the mockingbird.
Symbols can have many powers with helping the novel contain a more structured story. The story suggest the mockingbird, the mad dog, and Boo Radley all have a key part to do with innocence, prejudice, and courage. To Kill a Mockingbird uses these symbols as the foundation of the story. It describes the people of Maycomb using objects that can't represent people
The Mockingbird carries a large amount of symbolism, as it represents the idea of innocence. If a Mockingbird is killed, it symbolises the killing of innocence, so the deaths of specific characters in this book, could be described as the death of a Mockingbird. Characters including Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Jem, are all examples of Mockingbirds, as they are characters of innocence, yet are accused of, or experience things that kill their innocence.
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