Preview

Essay On Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
771 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Essay On Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird
Symbols refer to ideas beyond the words, and are used to develop themes by making the reader interpret an idea for him/herself. To Kill A Mockingbird written by harper Lee in 1960 is a prime example of how symbolism can be effectively used to develop a theme. Lee uses many symbols throughout the novel to present thematic ideas to the reader. For example, the symbol of The Mockingbird is used to symbolize moral injustice. This symbol is essential to understanding the message of the book and is even referred to in the title. The mad dog is another important symbol used to represent challenges an individual must face, and the craziness of Maycomb. As a result, Harper Lee uses the symbols of The Mockingbird and The Mad Dog to develop the theme of a society’s moral injustice.

The symbol of The Mockingbird represents various characters throughout the novel and helps develop the theme of moral injustice. Tom robinson is an example of a “Mockingbird” because he never did anything wrong, however he was shot and wrongfully accused. The explanation of “a mockingbird” can be found in the book when Miss.Maudie says “ Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy (...) they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird”(Lee, 119). This explains why it is wrong for one to kill a mockingbird; since they do not cause anyone misfortune, it would be morally unjust to cause them misfortune. Tom Robinson is symbolized as a mockingbird …show more content…
Lee uses the symbols to represent the unjust in an individual’s life, which shows the reader the injustice and Maycomb. Moral injustice, whether it be a way of thinking, or in a society, can create unnecessary conflict in one's life and only has negative effects. These effects will drastically change an individual’s life and their
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird Themes
    • 1434 Words
    • 6 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird Themes

    Hyperboles are used to further express the feelings of the narrator, "two geological ages later, we heard the soles of Atticus ' scrape the front steps.""Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it 's a sin to kill a mockingbird. ' Harper Lee effectively uses symbolism in To Kill A Mockingbird. The mockingbird itself is a symbol, the symbol of innocence. Tom Robinson is an example of a 'mockingbird ' in the novel as he is shot down even though he was innocent and never did anything to hurt anybody. Boo Radley is another example of a mocking bird, he is the symbol of good that exists within people but no one ever understood that, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. '"Uses of irony also exist in the text including the use of the name Robert E. Lee Ewell, a brave confederate general, as the name of the white trash, evil man who accused Tom Robinson of raping his daughter. Also irony is present when Scout 's teacher Miss Gates tells them to repeat that "we are a democracy" and don 't believe in prejudice, but Scout had just witnessed an innocent black man being sentenced for…

    • 1434 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

    Symbolism is used throughout the novel To Kill A Mockingbird. A mockingbird is used as a metaphor in the book. Some characters are portrayed as a mockingbird, including Tom Robinson, Scout Finch, and Boo Radley. These characters represent mockingbirds in different ways.…

    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Is The Theme Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 574 Words
    • 3 Pages

    What Is The Theme Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    To Kill a Mockingbird is the title of the novel written by Harper Lee and published in 1960. The mockingbird stands out to be one of the most outstanding symbols in the book: from the cover page picture to the title, the symbol is highly useful to pass a message that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbird, as locals believe, is an innocent creature which is not known to cause harm to other creatures, so Scout and Jem, the main characters in the novel, teach us a lesson that one should not kill such an innocent creature.…

    • 574 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird Response to Literature
    • 712 Words
    • 3 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird Response to Literature

    There are many significant symbols used to represent the different themes in To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the book Harper Lee transmits a message to the reader using examples and symbols to get her point across. Some of these symbols include the dresses, Tim Johnson, and dependencies.…

    • 712 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    What makes To Kill a Mocking Bird an appropriate title?
    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages

    What makes To Kill a Mocking Bird an appropriate title?

    The mockingbird is seen as the most significant symbol in the book as it is continually repeated through literal and metaphorical means. This poignant motif runs through the entire book as it foreshadows the events which occurs in the latter part of the book. It seems very fitting because of the unnecessary destruction of innocence by the antagonists of the book.…

    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Literary Elements Used in "To Kill A Mockingbird"
    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Literary Elements Used in "To Kill A Mockingbird"

    Lee uses many motifs in this novel. The reoccurring symbols can also be interpreted as foreshadowing. Hands and arms play a big role as well as the distinction between left and right. This mostly pertains to trial of Tom Robinson. References to birds and the color red also show up quite often in the novel. These motifs are associated with Arthur 'Boo ' Radley. Use of some of these symbols (in context) create curiosity and suspense for the reader.…

    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Coming Of Age To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 780 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Coming Of Age To Kill A Mockingbird

    In the book To Kill a Mockingbird the author Harper Lee uses symbol to show the theme coming of age involves recognizing different perspectives. The great thing about having a symbol in the writing is that you might not figure out that something is a symbol until the end of the book or until someone explains the significance to you. For example, the term “to kill a mockingbird is a sin” comes up multiple times in the book as a symbol telling Scout and Jem not to bother innocent people. This symbol shows that coming of age involves recognizing different perspectives because Jem and Scout did not notice that they were bothering Arthur Radley until Atticus told them that maybe he just likes to be by himself and that they should not try to get him out when he is doing nothing bad to them or anyone else. He was basically being a mockingbird because he did nothing to cause harm and he was there to help when he saw someone in need…

    • 780 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird: Irony and Sarcasm
    • 1447 Words
    • 6 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird: Irony and Sarcasm

    Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is a highly regarded work of American fiction. The story of the novel teaches us many lessons that should last any reader for a lifetime. The messages that Harper Lee relays to the reader are exemplified throughout the book using various methods. One of the most important and significant methods was the use of symbols such as the mockingbird image. Another important method was showing the view through a growing child's (Scout Finch) mind, eyes, ears, and mouth. There is another very significant method that was used. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes the effects of irony, sarcasm, and hypocrisy to criticize a variety of elements in Southern life.…

    • 1447 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Lee Use Literary Techniques In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 1128 Words
    • 5 Pages

    How Does Lee Use Literary Techniques In To Kill A Mockingbird

    Throughout the novel the mockingbird is a symbol of innocence, of goodness and pure heart that contrasts starkly with the social prejudice and the lack of empathy present in the majority of characters. This is established by Miss Maudie in her explanation as to why Atticus said it’s a sin to shoot mockingbirds: "Mockingbirds don't … eat up people's gardens, don't nest in cribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us"(p.49). The symbolism is further reinforced when Mr Underwood likens Tom’s death ‘to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters’ in the Maycomb Tribune; thus further positioning readers to understand that regardless of how solid Atticus’ case was, Tom never had a chance – his innocence was destroyed by the prejudice of society (p.128). Similarly, Scout states that putting Boo Radley on trial would be “sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird” for he is pure of heart and to go “draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight… that’s a sin” (p.126). Through the mockingbird symbol, readers are positioned to understand the destructive nature of prejudice and the threat it poses to…

    • 1128 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 601 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    First, Tom Robinson symbolizes a mockingbird. Tom Robinson represents a mockingbird because he had died for a crime had not commit. He was accused because of his skin color and his relation with the Ewell family. "I…

    • 601 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Why Is Tkam Important In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 1266 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Why Is Tkam Important In To Kill A Mockingbird

    The mockingbird may have only been mentioned once, but is played a very important role throughout the entire book. It symbolized many different things, but mainly innocence. Lee uses the bird to symbolize many different characters, all because of its meaning. ““Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. “Your father’s right.” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy...but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird””(Lee 119).The only time Atticus told Scout something was a sin is when she is going to harm an innocent being. You can not kill something that has done nothing wrong.”The analogy between the senseless slaughter of innocent songbirds and Tom;s tragic death becomes clear to Scout”(Zaidman). Tom Robinson was someone that was innocent, but the killed him for his sweet song. “...the title of a novel, students should know, often points to one of its key themes and this is obviously the case in To Kill a Mockingbird. Mockingbirds are mentioned in several places throughout the book, often in key scenes. Best of all, the tracing of this motif will reveal clearly to the students that Tom Robinson is not the only mockingbird in the novel” (Schuster).There are many different symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird, the the most important is the…

    • 1266 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Symbols In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Symbols In To Kill A Mockingbird

    The use of this symbol is mainly innocence, how a young african american got accused and killed for no reason. It symbolizes innocence, hope and peace. I have chose Tom Robinson and Atticus to be mockingbirds because they played a wonderful part in the book.…

    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 600 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

    The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, was written by Harper Lee in 1960 and narrated by the main character, 6 year old Scout Finch. The setting of the novel is a small town in Alabama in the 1930s. Scout’s father, Atticus, was a lawyer who defended a young black man named Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a young white girl named Mayella Ewell. The novel is also about the relationship between Scout, Jem who is Scout’s brother, and their friend, Dill. They believe that Boo Radley, a neighbor boy who never comes outside to play, is insane. The title of the story is symbolic of the goodness of a mockingbird that never hurts anyone but can get hurt by the cruelty of others. In the novel, there are innocent people…

    • 600 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird – Critical Response
    • 946 Words
    • 4 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird – Critical Response

    Lee explores various themes such as the symbol of the mocking bird as a metaphor for innocence , social justice issues such as racism and prejudice and the everyday attitudes of people living in small Deep South towns such as Maycomb. She successfully uses a variety of language techniques including irony, satire, humour and the use of metaphors and colloquial language to develop characters and convey these themes in a way that is interesting engaging and thought provoking.…

    • 946 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird Symbols
    • 892 Words
    • 4 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird Symbols

    Symbols are the key components in a story because it takes the work and adds another dimension that writing without symbols do not have. They conceal a deeper meaning and understanding in contemplation of extending the story beyond the imagination. Additionally, they often represent ideas that relate to the theme without the author implying it in the text, which allows the reader to reflect and interpret the writer’s viewpoint. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee skillfully demonstrates how society can impact a character based on class and identity by applying symbols like a mockingbird to represent innocent individuals who do no harm…

    • 892 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More