Imagery In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Harper Lee once said, “The book to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one which makes you think…” In that case, To Kill A Mockingbird is the perfect fit with its detailed incorporations of imagery and symbolism in which makes the reader think about its significance. The novel focuses on the childhood of Scout Finch in the town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930’s. Throughout the story, lessons and morals are given by the community resulting in the maturity of not only the children, but everyone involved. The combination of topics tied into one makes this novel a classic to American literature. After reading the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, it is clear that Harper Lee purposely continued to keep symbolism relevant throughout the story to help contribute to the central topics of the novel. Harper Lee uses symbolism to intensify …show more content…

In chapter 29, Scout recalls the events taken place on the night Jem got hurt. “[M]r. Ewell yanked him down, I reckon. They tussled some more and then there was this funny noise--Jem hollered…”(270). As he tries to be a good big brother, he is caught off guard and is forced to fight back in order to keep his sister safe. In the process, he is injured for standing up and doing what was right. In this moment Jem is seen as a “mockingjay”, innocent and trying to do good only to be hurt from his efforts. In hopes of keeping Boo Radley out of the limelight, Heck Tate made it his priority to change the story of what happened that night. “To my way of thinkin’, Mr. Finch, taking the one man who’s done you and this town a great service an‘ draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight—to me, that’s a sin”(). Boo Radley was only trying to do what was right and the aftermath of the situation could have traumatized him and brought him into the public, something he was not use to. Heck’s morals saved Boo from becoming someone else’s

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