Tim Johnson is an old rabid dog that lives in Jem and Scout’s neighborhood. He is acting very strange, “He’s gone lopsided,” (93) as Jem says when showing Cal. Cal calls Atticus and tells him about Tim, “I swear to God there’s a mad dog down the street a piece,” (93), when Atticus arrives he is the person chosen to shoot the dog. Lee implements this as a metaphor for the Tom Robinson case. Atticus is chosen to take the shot on Tim just like he is chosen to defend Tom in court.
This shows us the symbol of evil because of what the court case did to Atticus because he was simply defending a negro. Bob Ewell had come across him at some point in time spitting on him and threatening him saying that he was going to kill him. Eventually, the whole town turned against Atticus just because he was simply trying to make a change in the town. Harper Lee uses Atticus to show that good and bad can happen to someone who is simply trying to be
The town’s sheriff, Heck Tate, is called to kill the dog. Even the town’s sheriff asked Atticus, who the town would describe as “...civilized in his heart,” to shoot the mad dog. Atticus is very clear that he doesn’t want to do it when he says, “don’t waste time, Heck,” after Mr. Tate hands him the rifle. The main reason that Atticus was so hesitant about killing the dog was that he didn’t want Jem and Scout to believe, “...that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.” In many ways, the mad dog in this chapter symbolizes racism in the community.
Scout was amazed because she did not know that Atticus knew how to use a gun. In the book, the dog symbolizes anger, racism and danger. Scout learned that people need to make sacrifices to eliminate all negative feelings to protect others even if it is uncomfortable for you. One reason why the dog symbolizes anger is because in the story, Atticus is a humble, understanding and tranquil man. After all the anger that has built up within himself during the Tom Robinson case he sacrificed to keep calm in the
Tim Johnson had does been walked up the road to get where he needed to get to. He hadn’t harmed anyone or done anything to hurt the people. He had done nothing at all. Beside that fact he was shot for looking like a mad dog even though he only fit a small part of the description. Tim Johnson was like a mockingbird because he was killed for doing nothing wrong to
For instance, the scene where Atticus shoots the dog. The dog had rabies and had been roaming the neighborhood, and Sheriff Heck Tate calls Atticus to kill the dog since he is the only one who can shoot well enough. This is also the first time Scout and Jem learn that Atticus is a sharp shooter. Some simply see it as a dog being put down, but it actually symbolises the innocence of the poor dog who was sick being ripped away from him as his life was. In this instance, the dog was the innocent carefree mockingbird and the burden of his rabies/him getting put down were the evil outside occurrences that tore away that same
In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus believes Maycomb is unjust because the town is inconsiderate of other people’s view, which is shown when Atticus gets targeted for defending a black man, worries that his kids will become bitter and catch Maycomb’s disease, and Aunt Alexandra advising Atticus that he is raising his kids wrong. To begin with, Mrs Dubose addresses to Scout and her family about how Atticus is disgracing his race and his color by defending Tom Robinson on the alleged rape case. Mrs Dubose says, “Your father’s no better than the ni**ers and trash he works for” (135). Atticus views Maycomb as an injustice town because during this time period black people were seen as a lower class. Atticus is mark as an overall victim because in the trial the county is shocked that Atticus is
Many people would agree that a hero is not necessarily someone who saves lives, but someone who is courageous enough to help people in need no matter what their situation is. In the literary work, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the reader is introduced to a character named Atticus, a lawyer and a father of two children. Throughout the novel, Atticus teaches his kids, Jem and Scout, life lessons through his heroic actions. Despite living in Alabama during a racist time period, Atticus decides to full take on the task of defending a black man in court against a white woman. Atticus displays heroism and courage before, during and after the Tom Robinson trial in order to set an example for his children and the town of Maycomb.
Later, Jem discovers that she was sick and addicted to painkillers. Through this experience, Jem learns not to condemn people right away because everyone is fighting their own battle. Atticus represents the theme of tolerance all throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. He is a moral man and keeps everyone in check in his society.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the term mockingbird symbolizes innocence in a person. In the novel it focuses on the fact that innocence, represented by the mockingbird, can be wrongfully harmed. There are two characters: Tom Robinson and Arthur “Boo” Radley that are supposed to represent the mockingbird. In the novel, Tom Robinson is the best example of a mockingbird because he is prosecuted for a crime he did not commit. Also, he was judged unfairly based on the color of his skin in his trial.
A second time when Atticus was courageous was when Tim Johnson “The Mad Dog” was threatening everyone on the street. The minute Calpurnia called Atticus at his office he came home straight away to deal with the dog. “Maybe I can tell you,” said Miss Maudie. “If your father’s anything, he’s civilized in his heart. Marksmanship’s a gift of God, a talent—oh, you have to practice to make it perfect, but shootin’s different from playing the piano or the like.
Mockingbirds only “make music for us to enjoy… [they] sing their hearts out for us” (Lee 103). As a result of the teachings from Atticus, Calpurnia, and the town, the mockingbird perishes. Scout portrays a perfect mockingbird; in the beginning of the novel, she did not know many concepts except how to read and write. As time progresses, she sees the small town change and become insane. A mad dog wandering through the town represents this insanity; the “streets were still and the mockingbirds were silent” (Lee 108).
At this time in To Kill a Mockingbird, Calpurnia, the servant, spots a mad dog running around Maycomb near the house and panics. She decides to call Atticus because she is worried someone or something will recieve the disease from the peculiar dog. “Tim Johnson was advancing at a snail’s pace, but he was not playing or sniffing at foliage: he seemed dedicated to one course and motivated by an invisible force that was inching him towards us,” Scout explains, “We could see him shiver like a horse shedding flies; his jaw opened and shut: he was alist, but he was being gradually pulled toward us” (Lee 126). Tim Johnson himself epitomizes Tom Robinson. In addition to representing Tom, the disease that Tim Johnson is carrying demonstrates how quickly racism can spread, along with how deadly and terrifying it can be.
Firstly, Lee depicts the mad dog to represent racism and foreshadows Atticus’ willingness to shoot it, which shows that he wants to abolish racism. As the dog, Tim Johnson, walks down the street, everybody runs inside and locks their doors, fearing the abomination that stands before them. But as everyone does so, Atticus “takes the gun and walks out into the middle of the street…” where no one will stand, facing this monstrosity of an animal. “The rifle cracked. Tim Johnson leaped, flopped over and crumpled on the sidewalk...
He is showing that no matter the race you do what is right. No matter the opinion of others, if you know something is wrong, stand tall and take charge. This is a positive role model where his kids can follow in his footsteps, look up to him and understand the rights and wrongs of things. Lastly, Atticus says, ‘’’I wanted you to see what real courage is... it’s when you know you 're licked before you begin