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To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is one the best and most remarkable novels ever written. Although it is fiction, the novel offers an intimate feeling to readers as is written and based on reality. As mentioned in the title, the term ‘mockingbird’ is an important theme in this novel. The two characters in the novel, Jem, and Scout, were told by their father, Atticus, that it is a sin to kill mockingbirds, since they never harm anyone but only sing their hearts out for the people. The term ‘mockingbird’ symbolizes the idea of innocence. Thus, to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Out of numerous characters, Tom Robinson, Boo or Arthur Radley, Jem, and Scout, are the people that can best be regarded as mockingbirds. They share a characteristic

To begin with, I would like to review what people said about the mockingbirds in the novel. Mockingbirds were first mentioned in the novel, when Atticus gave Jem and Scout their Christmas presents which were the air-rifles. He told them ‘I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’ Later on in the story, Scout asked Miss Maudie about what Atticus said previously. Miss Maudie explained, ‘Your father’s right, 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.’ Mr. Underwood also mentioned mockingbird by writing in his editorial on the newspaper, which was noted by Scout that: ‘Mr. Underwood simply figured that it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, sitting, or escaping. He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children.’

Tom Robinson is a perfect example for a mockingbird that died. He is regard as a mockingbird because he did no harm to anyone,...