In addition to mentioning the name of the novel, this passage just goes to show the similarities between Atticus and Miss Maudie. Both agree that it is nothing but a sin to kill a mockingbird. The mockingbird could be symbolic of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, both have done nothing, neither has caused any kind of harm, and have so far only proved to have pure
hearts.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee there are many representations of mockingbirds. A mockingbird in the novel, is an innocent soul. One of the most famous quotes from the novel is “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”( Pg. 103) The reason it’s considered a sin to kill a mockingbird is because they are innocent and do no harm. In the novel there are three main mockingbirds. Boo Radley, Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson
“I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after the birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird.” Atticus Finch recites these lines to his two children, Jem and Scout after he gives them air-rifles for Christmas. Scout is curious, as this is the first time that she has ever heard her father refer to anything as a sin, Scout asks Miss Maude what Atticus meant by this. Miss Maude tells Scout that mocking birds don’t rip up people’s garden’s or annoy them in any way, all they do is play beautiful music for us to listen to.
Beyond buzzing courtrooms of segregated townspeople and skies raining ashes reeking of kerosene, Harper Lee’s Atticus Finch (To Kill A Mockingbird), and Ray Bradbury’s Guy Montag (Fahrenheit 451) are both sui generis characters in their own stories because of their shared similarities deeper than eyes, ears, and noses. From their burning passions for knowledge and literature to their patient, unbiased hearts, the two men shake their communities to new realizations. Their idiosyncrasies made the relentless lawyer and runaway fireman standout in a society where laws are governed by people blinded in the bliss of oblivion.
To Kill a Mockingbird "I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father's one of them." – Miss Maudie The quote above states that Atticus Finch was a man who did unpleasant things, but this quote is false. Miss Maudie had every good intention when she told Jem and Scout this and her point was taken in the way she intended it to be taken by the children. Her point could have been better worded if the portion that reads "our unpleasant jobs" were replaced with "what is right." Atticus did unpleasant things only because he knew that they were the right thing to do. Miss Maudie told the children about their father in this way only to avoid saying that the rest of the town was wrong.
Secondly, this part of the plot refers to the time when it was Christmas time Jem and Scout were given rifles, and before Atticus would allow them to shoot birds he wanted to make them aware that shooting mockingbirds are sinful. To illustrate this idea, in the text, it states, “but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (93). The evidence highlights the symbolic meaning of the mockingbird. It is known that after this point in the novel, Tom Robinson was being connected to mockingbirds. Tom was being symbolized with a mockingbird because it is a sin to kill a mockingbird due to them not being harmful animals.
The two characters in this book that represent this symbol are Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley. Tom Robinson is a “mockingbird” because he is wrongfully accused of raping a white girl. Through the prejudice of the people in Macomb he later convicted and killed, even when he never did anything to Mayella Ewell. Boo Radley is also another great example of a “mockingbird” because no one accepts him throughout the town, which forces him to hide in his home. He had rumors spread about him saying that he was a bad guy.
When interpreted with keeping the symbols in mind, it suggests that killing or discriminating innocent people is sinful because they have done anything immoral to deserve their death or criticism. Atticus’s advice relates back to theme because the children need to take a pause and identify what type of bird they are aiming at before they “shoot all the bluejays.” Essentially, they learn about the bird before making their decision to shoot. Correspondingly, the children embody Atticus’s advice and the theme. After Miss Maudie’s house caught fire, Scout discovers that the "blanket around [her]” was placed by Boo Radley, the person that “ain’t ever hurt [them]” according to Jem (Lee 96). The excerpt shows that Boo Radley is an example of a mockingbird. In the beginning of the book, Boo Radley is unjustly portrayed as a violent savage due to rumors. However, the children eventually learn Boo’s caring personality through the gifts, mended pants, and the “blanket.” These events gave Boo Radley many chances to harm the children, but he never did which makes Jem and Scout conclude his caring
What is a hero? What is a leader? Both of these words could be used to describe Odysseus and Atticus Finch in their times and, maybe still could be described as a leader/hero. Odysseus who lived in Ancient Greek was the picture of a hero and leader in that time. He … . Atticus who lived in Alabama in the early-mid 1900’s, could also be classified as a hero of some sort but he seemed like more of a leader. He, … . Atticus from To Kill A Mockingbird, and Odysseus from The Odyssey both are leaders and Heros in their own way, they also have people surrounding them that question them, and also people that support them.
This implies how a mockingbird is an innocent, harmless creature that does nothing but sing beautiful songs, so if his children kill a mockingbird, it is considered the same as committing a sin. Harper Lee takes the title for her novel from this passage, and it is because the imagery of a mockingbird is comparable to the image of Boo Radley. Boo Radley is seen through the eyes of other people and does not have a character of his own. Whatever it is that we think we know about Boo is known from what other people believe to be true. Boo is believed to be “Six-and-a-half feet tall judging from his tracks: he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were blood-stained … What teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time” (Lee 14). Obviously most of this statement and other stories we have heard about Boo are all fiction. The symbol of the mockingbird can be applied to Boo Radley from this point of view as well. Mockingbirds are known for imitating songs from other birds, however, do not have songs of their own. Therefore, the same way a mockingbird makes itself present is seen through other birds, the same can be said about Boo Radley and his presence seen through the town of
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (p.90) Miss. Maudie, one of the main protagonists in To Kill a Mockingbird, warns the young girl Scout that mockingbirds should not to be killed or hunted down because they represent those who are kind and innocent. So, on a broader spectrum, the term “to kill a mockingbird” symbolizes cruel and improper behavior towards people with good hearts and intentions. In the town of Maycomb, unethical behaviors, such as prejudice and gossip, are most commonly used against the “mockingbirds”. Three of those “mockingbirds” that are featured in this novel are Arthur “Boo” Radley, Tom Robinson, and Atticus Finch. Due to the depiction of the mockingbird symbol in the novel, the reader understands the consequences that immoral attitudes have towards those who are innocent and kindhearted.
It is a sin to kill a mockingbird, mockingbirds are innocent birds that do not do one harm thing, but makes music for ones to enjoy. Tom Robinson is one of the novel’s “mockingbirds”, he is innocent but he was falsely convicted of rape and got killed. In a court, black man had never won over a white person. Tom Robinson, a black man was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, Mr. Ewell’s daughter. Atticus defends Tom Robinson because he had been appointed to defend for him, but it is also because of his morals. “Mr. Finch, I tried. I tried to 'thout bein' ugly to her. I didn't wanta be ugly, I didn't wanta push her or nothing” (Lee 260). During...
= = Mocking birds are used throughout the novel to represent innocence. Miss Maudie explains this to Scout. Scout is surprised to hear non-judgemental Atticus calling anything a sin.
Looking at the changes in Atticus, and the relationship he has with his daughter Jean Louise, the question that arises is Does society change for the better, or do those in society adapt to the bad? With reference to both Go Set a Watchman and To Kill a Mockingbird we see the character's adaption to society's ways whereas society making changes to embrace new views on integration within a society. This topic is explored through multiple characters in the both books. First, we see this Jean Louise’s love interest and potential future husband Henry Clinton.
Throughout this journal, one can evaluate that the symbol of the mockingbird is represented by Tom Robinson and Arthur “Boo” Radley. To begin, Tom Robinson’s character arc can be seen to symbolize the concept of the mockingbird. For instance, Tom is a righteous and honorable man. It is repeatedly indicated and proven within the novel that Tom is innocent of his convicted crimes, and that he was falsely accused of his assault on Mayella Ewell. This virtue of Tom aligns with the pure, untarnished description of the mockingbird, as both are innocent creatures. Another reason Tom can be compared to a mockingbird is due to his natural drive to help others. Tom Robinson can be inferred to be a kind and sympathetic man, as he completes a number of
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