Sample outline for essay about mockingbirds: While one of the main themes of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is understanding another human's perspective, it is also important to look at how people treat each other. The story's protagonist, Scout, is a young girl from Alabama whose father, Atticus Finch, is asked to defend an African-American man who is charged with rape. The southern way of life during The Great Depression won't allow Tom Robinson a fair trial, and Scout and her brother Jem are forced to deal with a county's ignorance and racist attitudes. Atticus and a compassionate neighbor, Miss. Maudie, try to teach the children not to hurt mockingbirds as they don't harm anything and "...don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy" (90).
Perhaps the most relatable event to the symbolism, the Tom Robinson case depicts the destruction of innocence first hand. Robinson, a respectful black man, is wrongly accused of raping and beating Mayella Ewell. Atticus clearly shows the whole courtroom that Tom is incapable of this crime, and even brings light to the person who actually beat Mayella. Instead of recognizing Tom Robinson's innocence, the jury was blinded by racism and found him guilty. This directly relates to the symbolism Harper Lee implemented previously in the book, showing how wrong it is to harm something, or someone, that did nothing but sing, and in Tom’s case, help Mayella.
Atticus tries to persuade the jury in changing their ways and look past race and stereotype: "They were confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption- the evil assumption- that all Negro's lie, and that all Negros are basically immoral beings. I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty". Tom Robinson was convicted despite Atticus’s efforts, the more plausible explanation was more due to the fact that he was a black man and his word wasn’t considered truthful or as important as a white man’s word. Also in the book ‘To Kill a Mocking bird there is racism shown towards Atticus and his family.
The meaning of killing a mockingbird, how it represents Tom Robinson and how it represents Boo Radley. To kill a mockingbird means to kill something innocent, something pure, something that does no harm to anyone. Mockingbirds do nothing but make music for people to enjoy that is why “it is a sin to kill a mockingbird” (pg.90) In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” Tom Robinson is one of the characters who represent the mockingbird. He is a lot like the mockingbird because he did nothing but try to help Mayella Ewell who is the daughter of Bob Ewell. Tom Robinson was blamed for raping Mayella Ewell because her father has caught her kissing a black man, Tom Robinson, and at that time it was unacceptable to do so.
The racist views of the town are against Atticus defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, and Atticus is often discriminated against for not agreeing with them. His children, Scout and Jem, also feel the hatred of others against them because of what their father's beliefs are. "But Mrs. Dubose held us: "'Not only a Finch waiting tables, but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers' ... 'Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for.'" Although Atticus is criticized for what he decides is right, he bravely ignores the disapprobation. Mrs. Dubose is courageous because she recognizes she has a flaw and that she has to help fix it to make it go away.
These two novels are based on struggles between good and evil. In the novel To kill a Mockingbird on struggle between good and evil is when Atticus finch becomes an attorney for Tom Johnson. An African American accused of raping a 19 year old girl. The reason why this is a problem because the town of Maycomb is very racist So the townspeople of Maycomb think that supporting and standing up for the black man is just wrong. The good is Atticus Finch because he is doing what is right., and the evil are the townspeople because they think Atticus is wrong for standing up, and fighting for a black man.
Atticus Finch is ridiculed by the townspeople for being a moral human being and sticking to his beliefs in defending an innocent colored man. As explained by Lee through her characters Tom Robinson, Boo Radley and Atticus Finch, the mockingbird is a symbolic representation of innocence, purity and virtue. To begin, the community of Maycomb basically indirectly murdered Tom Robinson. Despite the fact the man was helpful and kind - especially toward Mayella, who charged him of raping her - Tom was sent to trial and then found guilty even after Atticus Finch had verified his guiltlessness. His responsibility was all based on the color of his skin, not his true moral character.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” helped voice Harper Lee’s opinions of injustices in America. Throughout the text the following characters suffered prejudice: Scout Finch, Atticus Finch, Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson symbolises the millions of black people who were convicted unfairly of crimes they didn’t commit. Scout experiences many injustices because she is so young and just a child. Miss Caroline unfairly punishes her when she tells Scout she’s not allowed to be taught to read anymore.
When the mob in Maycomb came to harm Tom Robinson in chapter 15 they had every intention for getting revenge on Tom for the rape he was accused of: “I looked around and up at Mr. Cunningham, whose face was equally impassive. He then did a particular thing. He squatted down and took me by my shoulders. “I’ll tell him you said hey, little lady,” he said.” (175) If it were not for Scout, Walter would have been more concise and persistent with harming Tom. Scout helped him realize the faults in what his actions were generating.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, in a court trial. The town of Maycomb turns against him due to this. Atticus, furious about the reaction from his town, explains, “…why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand” (Lee 88). Atticus does not have any racial biases, and he does not agree with the views of the majority of the people of Maycomb. Atticus, describing his beliefs to Jem, “…The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be