To Kill A Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee, takes place in the 1930s during the Great Depression (a time of prejudice and discrimination), which opens up as an account of injustice to the most polite, yet unjustly blamed citizens of the town of Maycomb. The kind hearted, African-American Tom Robinson is unfairly put on trial for the alleged rape of young Mayella Ewell. Despite racial injustices, Boo Radley is mistreated by the community based on the town legends and stories the citizens of Maycomb have created about him, forcing him to live inside his house. Atticus Finch (a strong figure in Maycomb) is made fun of by its people for being a decent human being and sticking to his morals in defending an innocent coloured man. It also features …show more content…
The idea of “mockingbirds” are innocent people who are frequently misunderstood, discriminated and bullied out of jealousy, prejudice, racism, arrogant assumptions and ignorance. It first appears when Jem and Scout are learning how to use their shiny new air rifles. Atticus won't teach them how to shoot, but he does give them one rule to follow which is shown in the following quotes, “...shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee, 119) and Miss Maudie further explains it by stating, “...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, 119) The similarity between the quotes shows that mockingbirds do nothing but create beautiful music for the enjoyment of others and to kill it would be killing an innocent creature that has tried to serve others. It is a sin because these kind-hearted souls have done no harm, but make the world a better place for those around them. Those kinds of people, according to Atticus, deserve to be protected. The first is Tom Robinson, a black man who did nothing to deserve trouble except try to help a young girl who seemed desperately lonely and in need of his help. In an ironic exchange for that innocent act of kindness, he was wrongly accused of rape. This is seen in the quote, “I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my …show more content…
The name sounds like Tom Robinson, giving off the implication that the dog and the Negro are related to each other. The mad dog represents the racism and "madness" that Atticus has to face with Tom Robinson's case. The community has rallied against Atticus because they believe that Tom is guilty simply because he is black. It also shows how something friendly and known can become dangerous to those around it. The insertion of the mad dog who Atticus says, “...is just as dangerous dead as alive” (Lee, 128) is a brilliant way to show good, brave (Atticus) overcome evil (the dog). While Atticus may attack that racism in court, no matter what the outcome of the trial is, the racism is still there, still dangerous, whether dead (a dismissal) or alive (a conviction). Throughout the book, the Finch family have to protect themselves against this racism (i.e. fighting off the mob). Additionally, the description of the mad dog and the scene surrounding him is seen in the following quotes, “In a fog, Jem and I watched our father take the gun and walk out into the middle of the street…” (Lee, 127) and “The rifle cracked. Tim Johnson leaped, flopped over and crumpled on the sidewalk... He didn't know what hit him.” (Lee, 127) This is symbolic of Atticus’s strength and his desire to protect his family as the dog was a danger. It also shows that the disease the dog carried is related to the racism in Maycomb
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is based during the era of racism and prejudice. This era is commonly referred to as The Great Depression and is during the mid-late 30’s. The novel is set in a small town and county called Maycomb, Alabama. The novel follows the story of the Finch’s and their struggle before, during, and after a rape trial that is set against an African American by a white woman and her father.
Also the most significant symbol in this novel is the mockingbird symbol which represents innocent people victims of a cruel society. There were two mockingbirds that were killed because one was black and the other was creepy. This was a case of injustice because two people’s lives were taken away from them because of one’s race and one being different from others. Even in a court of law some people do not get a fare trial. Only in the end when we all stand before God he will give us all a fare trial. Mockingbirds and Finches are type of song birds. Harper Lee gave the main characters’ the last name “Finch”, because the family was innocent and accepted all their neighbors.
In the story it says, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Smykowski pg. 2) This quote shows how the mockingbird symbolizes Tom Robinson because just like Tom, mockingbirds are innocent and would hurt anyone. Based on information on mockingbirds, they tend to sing beautiful “songs” and don’t cause harm in any way. Atticus represents a hero in Maycomb to pursue the end of racism.
Thus, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Arthur “Boo” Radley are all victims of rumour, humiliation, and prejudice. Firstly, Atticus is humiliated by his family and his neighbourhood because he has stood up to an African American man, and then, is nicknamed “nigger-lover” for his decision. By strong evidence, Tom Robinson is proven innocent of rapping a young white woman, but is still convicted, and then shot to death because he is black. Finally, Arthur Radley is greatly misunderstood because of his mysterious background and is forced to isolate from society to escape the awful and untruthful rumours about him in Maycomb. Through the storytelling of Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Arthur “Boo” Radley, the reader understands how the mockingbird symbol is used to represent those who are innocent, and have good intentions at heart.
In a desperate attempt to save his client, Tom Robinson, from death, Atticus Finch boldly declares, “To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white” (Lee 271). The gross amounts of lurid racial inequality in the early 20th century South is unfathomable to the everyday modern person. African-Americans received absolutely no equality anywhere, especially not in American court rooms. After reading accounts of the trials of nine young men accused of raping two white women, novelist Harper Lee took up her pen and wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, a blistering exposition of tragic inequalities suffered by African Americans told from the point of view of a young girl. Though there are a few trivial differences between the events of the Scottsboro trials and the trial of Tom Robinson portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird, such as the accusers’ attitudes towards attention, the two cases share a superabundance of similarities. Among these are the preservation of idealist views regarding southern womanhood and excessive brutality utilized by police.
...birds are one of the main symbols. Mockingbirds are innocent they do not harm anyone but makes beautiful music. However, they get killed by people every day. There are many innocent person present in this novel; three main characters that are Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mr. Dolphus Raymond, and they symbolize the Mockingbirds. Tom was a wrongly accused of rape, and he was brutally killed because he was black. Boo Radley did not do any harm to anyone, he was innocent, but people in the Maycomb County were thinking him as a monster which hurt him mentally. Lastly, Mr. Raymond symbolized the Mockingbird because he was innocent, however only because he thought different than others, he was looked down by the people in Maycomb County. Mockingbirds in this novel symbolized the innocent people who are getting wrongly accused and their innocence getting destroyed by evil.
In the novel, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee some characters suffer in the hands of justice and fairness more than others. Many characters in the novel are discriminated against such as Calpurnia, Dolphus Raymond, Helen Robinson, Burris Ewell and more. However I will be focusing on the discrimination against Tom Robinson for his race, Walter Cunningham for his low socioeconomic status and Boo Radley for the rumors and supposed mental instability he holds. I chose those three because they are the most prominent and I will discuss how the discrimination against the characters therefore leads to their injustice or unfairness.
Jem is a “mockingbird” because he protects his sister (as in the case when Bob Ewell attacks them) and respects all people deserving of his respect, including African-Americans. Even Jem’s name, “Finch”, seems to suggest that he is a mockingbird. A finch is a small songbird, like a mockingbird, that also does nothing but bring melodious music for people to relish. Jem Finch also does nothing but good things (or tries to) and like a finch, or a mockingbird, is vulnerable to the cruelties of humankind. Jem is also defenseless to the evils and racism of the people of Maycomb County.
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy………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) In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee we see the theme of injustice woven throughout this whole book which takes place in the 1930’s. We see injustice in our world today, which is why it is easy to relate to Lee’s book. The theme of injustice is shown in the stories about Boo Radley, the case against Tom Robinson, and the attack on Jem and Scout.
When people stand before a jury, they expect to be judged on the content of their character rather than on stereotypes. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, justice fails even the most innocent of people. Harper Lee seems to be saying that justice will fail when faced with prejudice. However, Atticus Finch, a strong-willed lawyer, has full faith and confidence that the court system will always prevail. When he discovers the case of Tom Robinson, a black man who is wrongfully accused of rape, his determination to defend equity is unshaken despite the odds of winning being low. The Ewells are considered to be the trash of Maycomb. They are dirt poor, but not by choice. The father and head of the
As a child we are too innocent to understand the wrongdoing of the world. Even harder, when we do start to realize what's going, we have so many question that might go unanswered until adulthood. The children in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, are thrown into a two year journey that unexpectedly uncovers the evil and injustice in the way their world is, all starting with the rape trial of Mayella Ewell and colored man, Tom Robinson.
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest” Ellie Wiesel. Readers may find the amount of injustice in Harper lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird a little shocking. This could be why it’s such a popular book. People like the suspense of knowing someone’s right, but still being found guilty for something they did not do. There are many times throughout the book when people are powerless to prevent injustice but they still protest it. This shows that even when people unjustly punish there should always be someone to protest it. The theme of injustice is a common one in harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, whether it be through racism, misinformation, or Arrogance.
Once known as harmless silly jokes, swiftly turned to incompetent stereotypical slurs, these are the threats that wound. Social Injustice is not an avoidable topic because it touches base with the discrimination of innocent people. It’s existed as long as many think, roughly around the 1860’s. Social Injustice consists of perpetuating stereotypes about race, gender, and religion. Realistic examples of Social Injustice emerge from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, The Scottsboro Boys Trial, and an incident that occurred with the Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club.
The mockingbird represents an innocent figure. Near the beginning of the film, Atticus gives Jem and Scout guns and tells them not to shoot mockingbirds because they do anything but sing for others. There are multiple mockingbird figures in the movie, the most significant of which is Tom Robinson. He was falsely accused of raping one of the Ewells. Because the Ewells are a white family, everyone immediately assumed it was true, but Atticus and a few others decided to do what is right and defend
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