To Kill a Mockingbird

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the title is appropriate because it gives the reader the idea that the book is about killing mockingbirds. The killing of the mockingbirds isn’t taken literally; instead it symbolizes the destroying of innocence in many characters throughout the novel. Miss Maudie (a minor character in the novel) said that “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.” (pg.90) Three examples of mockingbirds in To Kill A Mockingbird are Jean Louise Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley.

Jean Louise “Scout” Finch is welcomed to racism very early in her life. In the beginning of the novel, Scout is unaware of the amount of racism around Maycomb; her innocence and ignorance hides her from the real truth that surrounds her. By the end of the novel, Scout’s understanding of racism and discrimination is clear because she begins to understand the Tom Robinson case. Her innocence began to vanish as her perspective became no longer of a young child, but of a young lady. Her innocence was broken by racism and the evil things around her which is why she is considered a mockingbird.

Tom Robinson was an African-American who was put to trial after allegedly raping Mayella Ewell--the daughter of a poor man. He was sent to prison even though he clearly was innocent of the rape because of his colour. Tom was a victim stuck in the middle of Maycomb’s racist society. When he was caught attempting to break free from the prison, Tom was shot and his death was compared to “the senseless slaughter of songbirds” (pg.241) in an editorial. Tom Robinson is considered a mockingbird because his innocence was shattered by the evil of racism all around him.

Arthur “Boo” Radley is another mockingbird mentioned in the novel. The citizens of Maycomb make Boo appear to be some sort of monster trapped away in his own house. Although he never really did anything wrong, Boo’s reputation was built on awful rumors about the things he supposedly does and his appearance; “...[Boo] dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch”(pg.13) Despite the rumors, Boo was different than what people claimed him to be. He is quite like a child himself; he left presents for the children in a tree and covered Scout with a blanket while she was outside watching the house fire. Boo is a mockingbird because he was misjudged by society, and all his innocence was covered up by rumors and false truths. It would be a sin to hurt Boo Radley after all the good he did to the children and town.

Jean Louise Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley’s innocence was all ruined by the evils of Maycomb; Scout and Tom’s from racism, Boo Radley’s from rumors and lies. These three characters are all considered mockingbirds because of the death and destroying of their innocence. The title To Kill A Mockingbird is appropriate to the novel because it shows how these three “mockingbirds” (Scout, Tom, and Boo) were “killed” through out the novel.