Tom Robinson Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Mayella Ewell is a powerful character. Mayella get’s her power from her class,race,and gender. Her power mostly comes from her race. Tom Robinson has been accused of rape by Mayella Ewell. Mayella race is where most of her power comes from.

In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the mockingbird is a metaphor for Tom Robinson. While mockingbirds are discussed in the novel as literal birds that harmlessly sing and entertain, Lee clearly uses the mockingbird to symbolize Tom Robinson. One reason that supports this idea is a Robinson is a innocent man who tried to help someone but then was convicted of rape. Another reason that supports the metaphor is Tom, the innocent songbird, was put on trial for his life and was convicted guilty. This inhuman action of murdering an innocent and harmless man who wanted to help is like the killing of a harmless songbird.both are innocent, and both murders are wrong.

Tom Robinson is a mockingbird in that he doesn't do one thing wrong. All he does is provide help to the people he interacts with. That is exactly how he got in trouble. Tom Robinson was helping Mayella with some chores. He was humming a melody and when he chopped up the dresser drawers.

Although all the evidence pointed to Tom Robinson being innocent and the only witnesses were from unreliable and changing sources he was still convicted. This is a depiction of the death of a Mockingbird, ultimately destroying innocence and purity that resided with Tom Robinson that died when he was shot as he tried to flee from his inescapable doom. Mr. Underwood, the publisher of Maycomb 's newspaper as well as a respected all of Atticus, sadly compares Tom 's death to “the senseless slaughter of songbirds...” (pg.244) stating another reference to the ever-present mockingbird

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.

How did prejudice happen in this world that God made? Prejudice is an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason. In this world, there are a lot of prejudice. Prejudice doesn´t happen suddenly but it happens from a root. Everything happens from a root and that causes to be or do something.

“ ​Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat uppeople’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). Tom Robinson, a minor yet importantcharacter, is indirectly described as a mockingbird throughout the whole book, since he waskilled for entertainment purposes and not because of the crime he was guilty of, when he wastruly innocent. He did not do one thing but be honest, but his skin color made the people thinkotherwise (Gladwell).

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.

To kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Mockingbirds do not cause harm or trouble; in fact their only purpose is to convince others with beautiful music. Tom Robinson’s death can easily be compared to that of a mockingbird; it did no good but also prevented no evil. Mr. Underwood chooses to write an article that basically every citizen of Maycomb can understand, and this proves to the reader the obvious connection between Tom Robinson and the symbol of a mockingbird. Mr. Underwood chooses to ignore the prominent racial barrier that separated Tom Robinson from justice, and chooses to focus on his disability instead.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses characterization, symbolism, and irony to express the cloud in judgment prejudice causes when examining the morals of others. Scout is able to understand more about the town folk in Maycomb County through studying her teacher’s ironic and corrupted views of life around her. Lee uses Miss Gates, Scout’s teacher, to allow Scout a chance to understand the complexity of the adult world. While teaching the class about the Holocaust, Gates expresses the injustice being done to the Jews. She teaches the children that the town does not “believe in persecuting anybody” (Lee 329) because of the U.S. democratic government.

In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the “mockingbird symbol” to help the reader understand the innocence of many characters in the story one example of a “Mockingbird” Is Arthur Radley. Arthur has never really done anything wrong to become hated as he is at the time all he wants is to have a connection with the outside world like he used to, people change from when they were when they were younger to where they are now. In the same fashion, another example of a mockingbird’s innocence is the black man Tom Robinson. Tom is an example of a mockingbird; he is an innocent man who supposedly did bad things with Mayella Ewell. Mayella Ewell is a mockingbird example, during the trial her father forces her to lie about what happened between Tom and herself but sincerely she has no resemblance of him.

Lee uses the mockingbird as a symbol of purity, innocence and harmlessness. Tom Robinson is a black male “Old Mr. Bob Ewell accused... of rapin‘ his girl” (Mayella Ewell a young white girl) “an’ had him arrested an‘ put in jail—” Though all evidence points to her father, Robert Ewell Tom is convicted. In this situation, Tom is the mockingbird; shot down even though he has done no harm to anyone. Harper continues to address this theme when scout wears pants instead of dresses. She is an independent girl that doesn’t follow the social norms of wearing dresses and playing with dolls (Despite her aunt 's protest).

A Mockingbird is a powerful symbol of goodness. A mockingbird is a type of bird that mimics other types of birds songs and sings beautiful songs that are peaceful, the mockingbird is a peaceful animal that doesn't cause harm or trouble and is not to be harmed, because it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, thus killing a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. In the story To Kill a Mockingbird the two characters that are most related to being a mockingbird would be Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. Tom Robinson is a innocent negro accused of raping Mayella Ewell towards the end of the book, we don't see much of Tom until he is accused of rape. Tom was declared guilty and sentenced to jail, although the real problem about the case is that Tom Robinson

Despite the fact that he was helpful and kind especially towards Mayella Ewell, who later accused him of raping her. Tom was sent to court and found guilty even after Atticus Finch had undisputedly proved Toms innocence. Yet he was found guilty simply because he was a coloured African-American man. Harper Lee portrays Tom as a kind-hearted and respectful man, who took time out of his day to help other people, people who were underprivileged (even thought they were white). Lee's portrayal of this outstanding character and his Chivalrous acts highlights why he is the main reference to the image of the mockingbird in the title.

The poet, Lascelles Abercrombie once said, “There is only one thing which can master the perplexed stuff of epic material into unity; and that is, an ability to see in particular human experience some significant symbolism of man 's general destiny.”. He talked about how powerful of a tool symbolism is and how it is the only thing that can truly define a highly complex ‘destiny’ or series of events. Symbolism is something that is found throughout Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee shows the reader that racism is a product of society,she portrays the matter through her symbolism of the mad dog, the birds and the bugs.