The book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee uses characters to show that the innocent should be left alone. The first example of a mockingbird is Jem Finch. In this story a mockingbird is something that is weak and is taken advantage of. Jem’s
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper E. Lee demonstrates that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird by symbolically representing the mockingbird as Tom Robinson; a man who is first arbitrarily prosecuted, then deprived of his innocence, and mercilessly shot down for an infraction that he did not commit. When Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman, it does not matter that he has never done or been accused of such a thing before because in a town like Maycomb, he is automatically guilty; not of rape like one would think, but simply of being black. When explaining to Jem why Tom will be found guilty no matter what happens in court, Atticus states: “Tom Robinson’s a colored man, Jem. No jury in this part of the world’s going to say, ‘We think
For example, the Tom Robinson plots “mockingbird” is on page 254 when Scout describes Mr. Underwood’s explanation of Tom’s death in The Maycomb Tribune, “He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children, and Maycomb thought he was trying to write an editorial poetical enough to be reprinted in The Montgomery Advertiser.” (This shows that) Mr. Underwood explained Tom’s death so that children could understand how bad it was that he, a cripple, was shot. (This also shows that) Tom was a metaphorical mockingbird who did nothing wrong, did nothing to harm people, and died because of a white mans word against his.
Jem, Scout, and Heck Tate all know that Boo fell on his knife, but they still say that Bob fell on his knife. Heck Tate says about Boo, “‘If it were and other man it would be different But not this man, Mr. Finch’”(Lee 370). This shows Heck Tate is beginning to see what kind of person Boo actually is. They cover for him because they realize they killed him for the safety of the kids, not for a bad reason.
He is also courageous because he puts up with Bob Ewell 's threats he gets because Bob knows Atticus will prove that Tom is innocent and Bob is really the guilty one. Atticus showed courage when he shot the rabid dog because he knew he was going to kill the dog because he’s a good shot but Heck Tate was relying on him to keep everyone safe and unharmed. He says that this isn’t courageous but I disagree because if he kills the dog and doesn’t miss. “ I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin
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’” (Lee 119). Atticus says that killing a mockingbird is a sin. It is a sin because a mockingbird is innocent.
Innocence is a motif that’s important to the meaning of To Kill A Mockingbird. Tom, Scout, and Atticus, as mentioned before represent innocence in the form of a mockingbird, an innocent creature that does no harm to others but helps others only. Innocence comes in many forms, this time it can in being wrongly convicted. Tom Robinson was an African male accused
Innocent Injustice To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has many cases of characters who illustrate the qualities of a Mockingbird such as Tom Robinson, when he did a favor for Mayella, gets killed and when he is found guilty by a jury. Miss Maudie describes why the kids cannot shoot a Mockingbird by saying “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” (Lee 119). Mockingbirds do not take what does not belong to them, and Tom will not accept payment in return for favors. Therefore he helps Mayella out of the kindness of his heart. Scout recalls the message of Mr. Underwood’s article regarding Tom Robinson’s death as being “He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter
They might have killed you ( Hilton 57) . This indicates that Jonny only killed Bob to save Ponyboy . Jonny wasn 't a cold blooded killer , his was just scared . " " Listen , I don 't mind dying now . It was worth it .
Heck then says the Bob fell on his knife because “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”(370). Heck Tate is saying that if Atticus goes ahead and tells the town that Boo Radley saved his kids, then everyone will want to reward him for saving children, and with Boo being so shy, it would be a sin to do it. Then Scout tells Atticus that telling everyone would be like killing a Mockingbird. Scout looks from Boo’s point from view by seeing why Heck doesn’t want him getting gifts and being called a
Mr. Tate was right... it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” (Lee, p. 276). Scout plainly said that Boo Radley is a mockingbird and the events in the story prove it to be true.
The bluejays were referring to people that harm others without any reason, basically the bullies in Maycomb. The mockingbirds refer to the people who did not do anything bad so why get them into problems without them doing anything bad. This can be better said with Jem and Scout discussing, “Why couldn’t I mash him?’ I asked. ‘Because they don’t bother you,’ Jem answered in the darkness” (273).
How to Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee about a kid that stabbed his fathere and guy that was framed. Boo Radley is a mockingbird because he save Atticu’s kids from getting murdered. People’s rumors can affect othere poeple. Tom Robinson is a mockingbird because he tried to help a girl out to do her chors. Both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are mockingbirds because they tried to help
The title means that the innocence in Maycomb is being corrupted by being prejudiced towards Mr. Robinson. “He’s nothin’ but a nigger-lover!” Francis says this and Scout gets angry with him, even though Scout doesn’t know what a “nigger-lover” is. Scout was symbolizing the mockingbird in this scene in the
Can one do something wrong and not feel guilty? “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” It is a sin to kill a mockingbird, why would one want to sin? To kill a mockingbird, Harper Lee. Scout and Jem are children of a passionate lawyer, Atticus Finch, they get exposed to what is right and wrong.