When someone is trying to help other people, even if they are a mockingbird, they can be found doing something they shouldn’t; just because they are trying to help. They don’t often realize the full consequence of helping someone that needs help but has someone around that doesn’t provide that help.”Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”(Lee 119). People can do many terrible things, like cheating, stealing, and plagiarizing, but they can also do something that hurts a good innocent person.
Atticus said to Jem one day, “I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,”(pg. 92) In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch teaches his children not not to kill mockingbirds because they are innocent; all they do is help and get treated poorly. All throughout the novel multiple people are seen as “mockingbirds”. In the novel, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo (Arthur) Radley are all metaphorically portrayed as mockingbirds because they all try to help others, yet they are mistreated.
Contrary to Mr. Arthur Radley, also known as Boo, being considered the mockingbird of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, it is Mr. Tom Robinson who is the true mockingbird of the novel. Atticus Finch says to his children, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird,” (Lee, p. 98). Atticus tells his children this because a mockingbird does not do any harm to you, but the mockingbird brings songs and joys, consequently is a sin if one were to take it away. Tom Robinson fits the role as the mockingbird that Atticus provides for his children. With this symbolism of Tom Robinson and a mockingbird in place, the use of symbolism in the novel is a literary masterpiece, with compelling and accurate relationships between characters, animals, and symbols.
They, along with their friend Dill engage in many adventures with the fascination of their recluse neighbor Boo Radley. In chapter ten of the novel, Atticus tells Jem, “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee 90) and though some
A mockingbird never does anything wrong, they are calm souls, all they do is sing. The author describes the characters Tom Robinson and Boo Radley in negative ways. Most of the other characters in this story think these two men are criminals, crazy, and something to be ashamed of. Therefore showing that Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are a representation of the mockingbird.
The author of To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee had wrote Atticus to say “...it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee 103). He said this to Scout and Jem because mockingbirds give nothing but music for the world to enjoy and it would be cruel and uncalled for to take their life. The reason Lee wrote this is because the story has a few metaphorical mockingbirds. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are all metaphorically portrayed as mockingbirds because of their good deeds and pure hearts, such as the birds. Mr. Atticus Finch has been proven multiple times in the story that he is a good hearted gentleman that only wishes to do the right thing.
They don’t eat up people’s gardens, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,’”(Lee 119). The statement ‘to kill a mockingbird’ symbolizes innocence, so it really means the death of innocence. This shows not only Atticus’ sense of justice but also his overall moral value as well. This is not the only instance of this happening in To Kill A Mockingbird though.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the mockingbird is referenced multiple times as a thing that should be respected and unharmed, because it is a creature that only serves others by singing its music. They don’t eat peoples gardens, or nest in corncribs, making them one in many of birds that don’t cause grief or any type of annoyance to the people of Maycomb. Mockingbirds are seen by the majority of the characters in the book as innocent creatures. It is wrong to kill them because they don’t hurt anyone. Some of the characters in the book resemble mockingbirds, carrying some of the same statures given to this influential symbol.
Due to the book being around the subject of race, it is easy to recognize that the mockingbird is some type of reference to the subject. Readers learn this by hearing a conversation with Miss Maudie and Atticus saying, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us.
In addition, Atticus went against his moral code and principles he had always upheld before, especially in the Tom Robinson trial. Now, Atticus is faced with the decision of abiding by the law or breaking it in order to do the right thing. He knew that incarcerating a man, as withdrawn and solitary as Arthur would have been unforgivable. Especially, after Arthur had performed a great deed by saving his children 's life. He knew that exposing him would be an awful way of repaying him; it would have been like "shooting a mockingbird."