What Is The Knot-Hole Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

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In the book To Kill a Mockingbird the author Harper Lee uses symbolism to give forth meaning to the book and help develop a better understanding of the characters. As Jem and Scout would walk home everyday after school they would always have to pass the Radley house. As it was getting closer to the end of the school year they began to find things in a knot-hole. The tree belonged to the Radley’s because it was on their property. At first it didn't seem like any harm. It had started off with Scout just getting gum from the tree and she didn't think much of it. Jem on the other hand thought everything and anything at the Radley house was poisonous. He quickly began to forget about this thought as they continued receiving gifts in the tree. Scout states, “We were walking past our tree. In its knot-hole rested a ball of grey twine.” (Lee 66) When you …show more content…

This starts to frighten them so they decide to write a letter to the mystery person who is sending them gifts. They sign their names and hope to find out who their gift giver is. They think it is Boo Radley but they can't be certain. The next morning they find out the knot-hole has been cemented. They ask Mr.Radley why this has happened and he tells them that the tree was old and dying so it had to be cemented for its own good. Jem was still not having it so he asked Atticus about the tree. Atticus told him that the tree was for sure healthy and Mr.Radley must've had a good reason to put cement in the knot-hole. Jem was hurt he wouldn't talk to anyone not even Scout. After a while Scout realizes Jem had been crying, his face was dirty and yet no one had even heard him hurting. “When we went in the house I saw he had been crying; his face was dirty in the right places, but I thought it odd that I had not heard him.” (Lee 71) The emotions revealed in this part of the chapter shows that the tree did in fact have a huge impact of

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