Throughout the novel, mockingbirds and other songbirds are representations of purity and generosity. Many characters refer to the killing of a mockingbird when a character is hurt or corrupted by prejudice and the harshness of society. “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 .
but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (90). Atticus tells his children this, and the lesson is then reinforced by a neighbor, Miss Maudie, telling the two children that their father was right in his teaching. Atticus effectively told his children not to harm the innocent, who do harm to nothing or noone. Arthur Radley is later called a mockingbird by Scout, after she realizes that bringing him to court for saving her and her brother by stabbing Bob Ewell would be similar to shooting a mockingbird.
Human Mockingbirds Mockingbirds do no harm to humans, nor do they pose as any threat. Miss Maudie explains to Scout: “[Mockingbirds] don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in the corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us” (119). Unfortunately, few individuals continue to mistreat and slaughter mockingbirds for their own amusement, one such example being killing these birds as a sport or a recreational activity. These individuals realize their mistake much too late, that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are three characters that the mockingbird symbolizes: Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley.
This shows a reference to what Atticus and Miss Maudie had said earlier in the book about mockingbirds. Atticus had said “Remember, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Miss Maudie had later added to this by saying “Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . .
That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" From this life lesson Scout learns that, that life lesson doesn't just apply to birds but also humans in fact Tom Robinson. This applies to Tom as he is found guilty of raping Mayella Ewell, but Scout realises he isn't guilty but that he was blamed for raping her because of skin colour (black). Scout helps readers understand this life lesson and shows that this is important for people to
Arthur "Boo" Radley - A recluse who never sets foot outside his house, Boo dominates the imaginations of Jem, Scout, and Dill. He is a powerful symbol of good... ... middle of paper ... ...oin the novel's parade of innocent victims-she, too, is a kind of mockingbird, injured beyond repair by the forces of ugliness, poverty, and hatred that surround her. Lee's presentation of Mayella emphasizes her role as victim-her father beats her and possibly molests her, while she takes care of the children. Pity must be reserved for Tom Robinson, whose honesty and goodness render him supremely moral. Unlike the Ewells, Tom is hardworking, honest, and has enough compassion to make the fatal mistake of feeling sorry for Mayella
A person might not really know a person until they live in someone else’s shoes. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout a maturing lost young girl learns to see the world by living in someone else’s skin. Although Boo Radley is seen as a monster through the eyes of a small town of Maycomb , It is through Scouts maturity and her view of Maycomb that she is able to see Boo as a man and not a monster. Being different is a sin to some people and especially in the prejudice town of Maycomb especially for Boo Radley a misunderstood boy is seen as weird and different. Hiding from the world or just the strange world of Maycomb county was seen as odd, and many people made up stories about Boo saying he was crazy and strange.
The events throughout this story are seen through the eyes of a young girl named Scout. In the movie there is a scene of Scouts father, Atticus, he tells Boo and Tom “I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want if you can hit them, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird". The meaning of this quote has the mocking bird symbolizing the characters Boo and Tom being that a mocking bird does not have a song. Since a mockingbird does not sing its own song, we characterize it only by what the other birds sing.
One major archetype in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is the quest that the kids try to achieve; to have Boo Radley make an appearance for them. At some points, they even take it upon themselves to find him, deciding one of the ending summer nights to find him “Because nobody could see them at night, because Atticus would be so deep in a book h wouldn't hear the Kingdom coming, because if Boo Radley killed them they'd miss school instead of vacation” (58). This can show that Jem and Dill had decided to put careful planning on their ideas. If they were going to see him, they decided to make the most of their situation. However, the kids still had a mindful watch for their safety in the worst case scenario.
To Kill a Mockingbird Symbolism In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses symbolism as a way to represent prejudice in Maycomb. The three symbols that are used to explore the prejudice theme are; a mockingbird, the fire and the snowman. This novel is a true story based on Harper Lee’s life when she was a 6-year-old child. The mockingbird symbol represents the injustice of Negroes, for they don’t harm anyone. It is sinful to shoot a mockingbird.