To Kill A Mockingbird Innocence Theme

“‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy… That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’” Harper Lee’s infamous novel To Kill A Mockingbird revolves around the trail of an African American man, and the injustice of racism in the 1930’s. However, the title, and phrase, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” stands for something much more than a singing bird; rather it highlights an ongoing theme of innocence and light throughout the novel by showcasing Scout’s youth, Jem’s loss of innocence, Boo Radley’s ongoing symbolization of innocence, and Tom Robinson’s role in the overall innocence of the African American community.
Throughout To Kill A Mockingbird, the mockingbird symbolizes innocence, as such many characters can be described
In the beginning of the novel, Boo Radley is locked away from society at the hand of his parents; “The doors of the Radley house were closed on weekdays as well as Sundays, and Mr. Radley’s boy was not seen again for fifteen years.1” This unusual seclusion kept by the Radleys, Boo Radley in particular, allows them to live separate from the town’s cruelty and racism. Boo, especially, has never dealt with the towns injustice, seeing as he has been locked away as a prisoner in his own home since he was a young teenager. Due to this, Boo still holds on to his childhood innocence, even as a grown man. Given this, Boo is another “mockingbird” in the story as he remains innocent, and untouched by prejudice and hatred. The subplot revolving around the mystery of Boo Radley emerges again in the last chapters of the novel. As Boo kills Bob Ewell to save Jem and Scout, Scout remarks that taking Boo to court, or allowing people to know about Boo’s heroic action would, “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin‘ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?1’” It can be seen here that pulling Boo into the town’s limelight, to recount the horrors of the attack, or his own life’s treacheries, would destroy Boo’s innocence. As a result of his imprisonment, be it in his own home, Boo has the mental capacity of a teenager; he is also lacking in social skills, having had little to no human connection,
Jem’s loss of innocence stands as the death of a mockingbird, due to the injustice present throughout Maycomb. Boo Radley symbolises and highlights the underlying innocence throughout the story; as Tom Robinson suggests the innocence of the African American community. The overall use of the repeated quotation, and title, “to kill a mockingbird” speaks out against the “sin” committed by Maycomb county that is the prejudice that streams through Maycomb’s