To Kill A Mockingbird
...a phrase that will not be repeated again in the book but continues on in it as an underlying theme. It is a sin to kill a mockingbird, Atticus states this and when he does he is not just talking about birds. He is also talking about people and objects. He uses a mockingbird as a metaphor of innocence. This innocence represents Scout, Tom Robinson, and even “Boo” Radley. Atticus may not have directed this quote towards these people but they are included in it. Scout is seen as a mockingbird to the reader during the Tom Robinson trial, Tom Robinson is also seen as a mockingbird during his trial, and finally “Boo” Radley is seen as a mockingbird throughout the story but mainly towards the end.
Scout is seen as a mockingbird to the reader during the Tom Robinson trial because she was picked on at school on the street and elsewhere even when she had not done anything wrong to anyone. They are picked on because their father, Atticus, is defending Tom Robinson. For example, when Scout is at school, Cecil Jacob, a student, begins taunting Scout by saying, “Scout Finches daddy defended niggers” (Lee, pg.74). Scout has done nothing to Cecil so she is innocent, but he still picks on her. This makes Scout a mockingbird because of Scouts innocence. Scout is also made into a mockingbird indirectly because of the trial. When Ms.Dubose talked about Scout and Jem‘s father this indirectly hurt Scout by angering Jem. For example Ms. Dubose is insulting Scout and Jem’s family and says, “Your father is no better than the niggers and trash he works for!” (Lee pg.102). later as Scout and Jem are passing the house of Ms.Dubose Scout states “For a few minutes he simply went mad….he did not begin to calm down until he had cut the tops off every camellia bush Ms.Dubose owned……By that time I was shrieking, Jem yanked my hair, said he didn’t care, he’d do...
View Full Essay