What Does Raymond Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

Mockingbirds symbolically represent innocent, defenceless individuals, who bring nothing but joy to the world. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Arthur Radley, Tom Robinson and Dolphus Raymond are all symbols of the mockingbird. Many people in Maycomb see these people as mean and cruel but in reality they “don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.”

The first person to represent a Mockingbird is Arthur Radley. One of the first times we get a hint at this is when Dill Harris says: “Well how'd you feel if you'd been shut up for a hundred years with nothin' but cats to eat?" (5.72-76). If he was in the house all the time how could he do anything wrong. he is also defenceless because people think he is mean, but he is too shy to come out, so he cannot defend himself from the rumours. Another time we get a hint that Arthur Radley represents a Mockingbird is when Scout is talking to Miss Maudie: “I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Spoke as nicely as he knew how" (pg. 61 chap 5). He is a

very kind person and he has brought joy to the world. Even thought people thought he was mean he tried his very hardest to be nice. One of the last times that Arthur Radley represents a mockingbird is when he protects Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell:
Know what’d happen then? All the ladies in Maycomb includin’ my wife’d be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes. 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. It’s a sin and I’m not about to have it on my head" (chap 30 pg. 369-370)
Heck Tate hints at his innocence and shyness and even says it would be a sin to bring him into the limelight. Arthur Radley has done many good things and the people of Maycomb begin to realize this at the end of the book scout even says: “it be like shooting a mocking bird wouldn’t it”
The next person who represents a Mockingbird is Tom Robinson he doesn't do one thing wrong. All he does is provide pleasure to the folks he encounters. That is exactly how he got in trouble. . He was trying to help Mayella: “one day she asked me to come inside the fence and bust up a chiffarobe for her”(chap 19 pg 255) he was trying to help not thinking anything of it just doing what he likes to do. The next thing that represents him as a mockingbird is him being and finally him being shot innocent done nothing wrong but got shot
Last but not least Dolphus Raymond is a symbol of a mockingbird because he does no harm to anyone.

When Dill comes out of courtroom because he is upset Dolphus Raymond says: come on round here, son, I got something that’ll settle your stomach” (pg 267 ch 20). This is the opposite of him doing harm he is trying to help. Another example of this is when we find out he always drinks coke out of the brown bag: here, he said, offering Dill his paper sack with straws in it … scout, its nothing but coca cola” (chap pg 267) he is just trying to help the people of Maycomb understand why he stays with black people. last example of him being a mockingbird is him sitting with the colored folks: “why ‘s he sittin’ with the colored folks? Always does he likes ‘em better’n he likes us I reckon” (pg 214 chapter 16) he is not Racist like all the other folks in Maycomb he like everyone he is not mean at

all.