Examples Of Figurative Language In To Kill A Mockingbird

509 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Self reflective essay on writing improvement

Figurative language is in most well written novels. It helps develop the overall theme the author is trying to portray. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, I noticed Harper Lee distinctively used two types of figurative language. The first is symbolism, Lee used this twice during the novel with the mockingbird representing beauty innocence and Boo Radley representing the good in people. The second is motifs, Lee used this to emphasize the small town life in Maycomb, Alabama and helps give a better understanding of the people in the town. The symbolism of the mockingbird plays a huge role in the development of the theme in the novel. The mockingbird symbolizes innocence. In the book, it is believed that it is a sin to kill a man mockingbird because they bring about no harm, only beautiful music to enjoy. In the same sense, killing a mockingbird would be the equivalent of evil defeating good. This is represented multiple times in the novel through characters like Atticus Finch, Boo Radley, and Tom Robinson. All of whom try to bring about the good in people rather than focus on the evil in the community. …show more content…

Boo Radley is more subtle in showing how he represents the mockingbird, as he is more of a quiet, shy character. Boo was confined to his home but is still aware of the people around him. The children view him more as a superstition than a person in the beginning of the novel but Scout realizes just how good of a person Boo really is when he saves her and Jem from Mr. Ewell. Tom Robinson represented the killing of the mockingbird. He was looked down upon by most of the community but he was an innocent man who had no intention of harming anyone, yet he was still convicted of the crime and sentenced to

Show More
Related

  • How Does Atticus Use Figurative Language In To Kill A Mockingbird

    201 Words  | 1 Pages

    the reader into the book with the use of imagery, syntax, and figurative language. Also, the story was good, Atticus was like a modern story about the Prodigal Son Parable. The book was interesting to read and enjoyable. However, the book was all over the place. It started off with Scott coming over and then Scott dying and then finding Scott and then Scott’s point of view of what caused him to fake his death. If the reader was not able to fully understand what was going on throughout each chapter, the reader would have been lost. The shift of point of view confuses the reader for a little bit but then it all starts to click. This book will have a lasting effect on me

    Read More

  • Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Figurative Language

    501 Words  | 2 Pages

    Figurative language is used in a lot of writings to pull you more into the words. Figurative language uses the five senses to place a deep picture in your mind of what is actually happening. Metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, etc. are all figurative devices used in writing. Without using any of these things writing would be straight forward and not so complicated to understand. When figurative language is used it makes the reader really think about what is being said by the author and what point the author is trying to make. Both "The Iroquois Constitution” and "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” use figurative language but for different reasons.

    Read More

  • Boo Radley Parallels In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1141 Words  | 3 Pages

    When the children were given toy guns for Christmas from their uncle, Atticus tells them that is a sin to kill a mockingbird, because mockingbirds are innocent creatures that only make pretty music and do not harm anything. Boo Radley is shown throughout the story as a gentile man when he covers Scout up with a blanket the night she was waiting on the sidewalk for the fire burning from Miss Maudie’s house to be put out. He also leaves the children presents in the knothole and saves their lives when Bob Ewell tries to kill them. His bad reputation comes from the idea that all people who isolate themselves from their communities are horrible, violent people who need to be shut off from everyone for their own safety, when in reality we are left to guess that he detaches himself from Maycomb because of some form of social anxiety or dislike of socializing. The comparison of him to a mockingbird is prominent at the end of the book, when Heck Tate is explaining to Atticus that it was Boo who killed Bob Ewell, and not Jem. He tells him that it would be best to pretend that Bob Ewell fell on his own knife because sharing the actual story would bring Boo into the spotlight, which Scout compares to being a sin as bad as killing a mockingbird. Tom Robinson also represents a Mockingbird because he is just as innocent as one. During the time when Mayella and Bob

    Read More

  • Examples Of Figurative Language In To Kill A Mockingbird '

    2684 Words  | 6 Pages

    “My hair was black like my mother’s but basically a nest of cowlicks, and it worried me that I didn’t have a chin.” (36).

    Read More

  • Figurative Language In The Iroquois Constitution

    242 Words  | 1 Pages

    Many authors incorporate figurative language in their writing to get their meaning across to the audience. There are many ways to use figurative language, some authors use it to scare their audience or some times is to make them feel happy sad or have sympathy to a cause.

    Read More

  • Figurative Language In The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow

    313 Words  | 1 Pages

    Authors use figurative language to add detail to the story. One example of literature that uses figurative language is The Outsiders. The dramatic short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, by Washington Irving uses many types of figurative language.

    Read More

  • The Crucial Role of Symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird

    2059 Words  | 5 Pages

    In To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, themes and central ideas of the novel are emphasized by subtle symbols. Symbols shown throughout the novel not only represent concrete objects but also ideas, feelings, beliefs, and attitudes of the characters. Some symbols even represent more than one thing. Lee's recurring use of symbols contribute to the underlying themes and ideas of the novel. Lee's unusual title is a symbol itself and it keeps the reader in anticipation while waiting for a mockingbird to enter the story. Symbols contribute to literature by causing the reader to examine the piece of work and look for meanings other than the literal one. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the use of symbols play a crucial role in the development of the novel.

    Read More

  • To Kill a Mockingbird Metaphor Meaning

    871 Words  | 2 Pages

    A symbol in literature is an object that stands for a word, cause, belief, or another object. A metaphor is a figure of speech where a word of phrase is applied to something but it should not be taken literally. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, the mockingbird symbolizes innocence. The mockingbird is innocent, singing for people to hear its music. In the book Atticus says to Scout, “Remember it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.” When Scout asked Miss Maudie about it, Miss Maudie tells her, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy… but they sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Killing something so innocent would be a sin because it had never done anything to hurt you.

    Read More

  • Scout Finch Mood

    407 Words  | 1 Pages

    Symbolism: A mockingbird means innocence, goodness and beauty. As said above, to kill a mockingbird is to kill innocence.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Figurative Language Analysis

    324 Words  | 1 Pages

    One example of figurative language Lee uses is imagery. In the story, Scout says, “I moved faster when I saw Jem far ahead beckoning in the moonlight.”(69). This quote shows how anxious Scout was, or had to be when she saw Jem signaling her to catch up. The imagery she said about the beckoning moonlight sets an eerie mood because the moonlight is the only light that allows her to see her brother.

    Read More

  • How Does Harper Lee Use Symbols In To Kill A Mockingbird

    504 Words  | 2 Pages

    Harper Lee uses the technique of symbolism to convey the protagonist in the story. Symbolism is a key element to the novel. As the novel progresses, the reader begins to understand that the Mockingbird in the title of the novel represents two significant characters Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. It is first expressed by Atticus when he says to Scout “Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but just remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (page 99). It is evident to the reader that Atticus is implying that it is wrong to ridicule and gossip about Boo Radley as the town does because he does not do anything to harm anyone. Also, it is unjust to wrongfully imprison Tom Robinson, as he just wanted to help Mayella and cause no harm.

    Read More

  • Who Is Boo Radley Innocent

    1395 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, a mockingbird is portrayed as a symbol of innocence, goodness, and beauty. It is considered to be a sin to kill them as they do no harm and only makes songs for people to enjoy. Atticus Finch, a lawyer who believes in having high morales and treating everybody with the same equality, Tom Robinson, a noble character who is generous and hardworking, and Boo Radley, an innocent reclusive character, all share similar qualities that metaphorically portray a mockingbird. Firstly, they all share an innocent quality that defines the mockingbird motif. Secondly, they all go out of their way to help others. Finally, similar to a mockingbird, all three characters are defenseless and vulnerable throughout the novel

    Read More

  • Examples Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    A mockingbird is a unique type of bird that should never be harmed because all it does is make beautiful music. This special bird is the very symbol of innocence. Throughout Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, there are many important individuals that represent a mockingbird. From the beginning to the end of the narrative we have characters that are the embodiment of the mockingbird because all they do is help others and they themselves get harmed in some way. However, there are some characters that epitomize the qualities of the bird more than others. These three particular people are Tom Robinson, Boo (Arthur) Radley and Jeremy Atticus Finch.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Quote Analysis

    771 Words  | 2 Pages

    The “Mockingbird” represents the innocence in Maycomb, which would mainly represent Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. To Kill a Mockingbird would be to destroy innocence. Some other important mockingbirds are Jem, Tom Robinson, Dill, Boo Radley, and Mr. Raymond. In the end of the novel, Scout says that hurting Boo would be like “shootin’ a mockingbird”.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Language Analysis

    1332 Words  | 3 Pages

    The main symbols discussed and portrayed in the book were Tim Johnson, the Mockingbirds and Boo Radley. Tim Johnson was a neighbourhood dog who appeared down the Finch’s street one day, but looked very ill and was rabid. Calpurnia the black maid working at the Finch’s rang Atticus and he shot it. Tim Johnson could symbolize the prejudice and mob mentality of Maycomb at the time and because Atticus shot Tim this represents Atticus’s morals beliefs about stopping racism and creating equality. The Mockingbird used in the title of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is the most important symbol depicted in this novel. One day Atticus told Jem that he’d rather Jem shoot at tin cans, but he knew Jem would go after birds. He gave Jem permission to shoot all the blue jays he felt like, but it was a sin to kill a mockingbird. Jem then went to Miss Maudie to ask about what Atticus had just said, "Your father’s right," she said. "Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corn cribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” This conveys the loss of innocence in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and thus killing a Mockingbird is to destroy innocence. A number of characters (Jem, Tom Robinson, Dill, Boo Radley, Mr. Raymond) can be identified as Mockingbirds who have been injured or destroyed through their contact with evil. As the novel progresses, the children’s perspective towards Boo Radley matures and this replicates the development of the children. Boo Radley was once an intelligent child, only to be ruined by his cruel father is one of the most important mockingbirds as his innocence was destroyed. Luckily for Jem and Scout, Boo was merely a source of childhood superstition often leaving presents for them. Despite the pain that Boo

    Read More

More about Examples Of Figurative Language In To Kill A Mockingbird

Open Document