Symbolism in To Kill A Mockingbird

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Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in Alabama during a crucial time in American history. The book is told from the point of view of Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, and revolves around her and her brother Jem while they are growing up. While they are growing up, they learn many life lessons that are shown by different milestones. Lee uses many symbols in the novel to represent the maturing of Jem and Scout. Lee uses the camellia flower that Mrs. Dubose gives to Jem to symbolizes bravery, empathy, forgiveness, and Jem’s maturity. It symbolizes strength because Mrs. Dubose did not have to go through all of the pain that she did, she could have kept on using morphine to get through the pain. Similarly, the camellia represents empathy because Jem did not understand why Mrs. Dubose was so rude until he understood what she was going through. As Atticus said at the beginning of the book: “You never really understand a person until you understand things from his point of view…”(39). Furthermore, it shows forgiveness because Jem forgave Mrs. Dubose for all that she had said about Atticus. It also symbolizes Jem’s coming of age because it is teaching him lessons of life. Atticus wanted to show Jem what he thought was a different type of courage: “I want you to see what real courage is…” (149). Atticus is teaching Jem these lessons using Mrs. Dubose to help him mature and understand the way the world works, as he is getting older. Another symbol was the paper bag covered Coke that Mr. Dolphus Raymond drank from, that was supposedly whiskey. The lesson that was taught to just Scout and Dill was that outward appearances were not always as they seemed, and that people sometimes needed an excuse for what they thought. Le... ... middle of paper ... ... see the world through someone else’s eyes. The Coke wrapped in a brown paper bag was supposed to represent the falseness of people, and how society does not easily accept changes to what they consider to be their social norms. The cakes that Miss Maudie bakes for Scout, Dill, and Jem are significant in showing that the people around them were starting to accept Jem as a young adult. The other major symbol of the book, the mockingbird was used sufficiently to show innocence. The mockingbird tied in very well with the theme of Jem and Scout maturing. This could lead to the question of what would happen if Lee had left any one of these, or other, symbols out of the book? Would the book have changed so drastically, or just in the slightest that it was not that significant? Works Cited Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. New York, NY: Grand Central, 1960. Print.

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