It's A Sin To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis

“It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 119). That is what Atticus says to Scout and Jem when they first get their rifles. It brings a question. Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird? Mockingbirds can be seen as innocent, friendly, selfless creatures, which might make someone reluctant to hurt them. Harper Lee puts emphasis on mockingbirds in her book, and she even titles her book To Kill a Mockingbird. This brings up another question. Is there a specific character that is supposed to symbolize a mockingbird? In my mind, that character is Scout. Because of Scout’s innocence, friendliness, and selflessness, it makes her an ideal candidate to represent a mockingbird.

Scout’s innocence is a notable example of her likeness to a mockingbird. Like a mockingbird, Scout tries not to do harm to anyone. She is also still young and naive about the world, which is shown when Atticus says, “[I]f you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view” (Lee 39). This is one of the many examples where Atticus has to explain how to act or facts of life to Scout. It shows how she is still trying to figure out things about the world.

When Boo Radley comes over, she says, “You’d like to say good night to Jem, wouldn’t you, Mr. Arthur? Come right in” (Lee 371). This is a man she has never met before, and she is allowing him to come into her home to say goodnight to her brother. This is an example of how friendly Scout can be to people she has never met. Scout is not only friendly to Boo, but she is friendly to everyone she meets despite whether or not she likes them. This can also be seen at the lynch mob, where she was polite to Mr. Cunningham despite the fact that she knew what was going on. Her amiable character depicts her well as a