In ¨To kill a Mockingbird¨, Lee uses symbolism and imagery to convey the idea that a loss of innocence happens because of a certain characteristic in Maycomb. There's an overwhelming amount of characters in the story that Lee uses to persuade this but three distinctive characters that he generally focuses on is Tom Robinson, Scout and Boo Radley.
In chapter 10, Atticus shoots a rabid dog. This incident relates to the theme of the story. Before a school trip, Atticus explains that “it's a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 90). Atticus describes the mockingbird as an innocent and beautiful creature that would have no agency over its own fate. Both rabid dog and mockingbird symbolize the innocence Tom Robinson whom Atticus tries to defend on court. Atticus had an …show more content…
It’s purpose is to give an expression, to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly. The most vivid use of imagery is the description of the Radley’s house. "....jutted into a sharp curved beyond our house. Walking south, one faced its porch; the sidewalk turned and ran beside the lot. The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the color of the slate-gray yard around it. Rain-rotted shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda (porch); oak trees kept the sun away. The remains of a picket (fence) drunkenly guarded the front yard - a 'swept' yard that was never swept - where johnson grass and rabbit-tobacco grew in abundance." (Lee 8). Johnson Grass is considered a weed because it grows so fast it can choke out other crops or grass. Rabbit-tobacco is not a type of tobacco, but a type of daisy that grows. So the yard was filled with weeds and tiny daisies. Lee uses this imagery to give a tone how the house currently remains neglected due to the fact that he doesn’t go outside. The condition of the house helps the children to imagine Boo as a
In chapter 10, Atticus shoots a rabid dog. This incident relates to the theme of the story. Before a school trip, Atticus explains that “it's a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 90). Atticus describes the mockingbird as an innocent and beautiful creature that would have no agency over its own fate. Both rabid dog and mockingbird symbolize the innocence Tom Robinson whom Atticus tries to defend on court. Atticus had an …show more content…
It’s purpose is to give an expression, to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly. The most vivid use of imagery is the description of the Radley’s house. "....jutted into a sharp curved beyond our house. Walking south, one faced its porch; the sidewalk turned and ran beside the lot. The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the color of the slate-gray yard around it. Rain-rotted shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda (porch); oak trees kept the sun away. The remains of a picket (fence) drunkenly guarded the front yard - a 'swept' yard that was never swept - where johnson grass and rabbit-tobacco grew in abundance." (Lee 8). Johnson Grass is considered a weed because it grows so fast it can choke out other crops or grass. Rabbit-tobacco is not a type of tobacco, but a type of daisy that grows. So the yard was filled with weeds and tiny daisies. Lee uses this imagery to give a tone how the house currently remains neglected due to the fact that he doesn’t go outside. The condition of the house helps the children to imagine Boo as a