Scout’s teacher is new to the own, and does not know the background to the families, but Scout assumes that her teacher knows it already. The fact that Atticus tells this lesson to Scout shows how simple the meaning of the quote is, and how we learned this at around Scout’s age. Later in the story, Atticus has given Jem and Scout air-rifles asking that they can shoot anything they can hit except for mockingbirds. Their neighbor and good friend, Miss Maudie, later explained that “mockingbirds don’t do one thing but to 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” (Lee 119). Though this is the title of the book, the meaning that the lesson is teaching is easy to understand. The quote means to not harm someone who has not done anything wrong to anyone. Which is the golden rule which everyone learned at around kindergarten time. In this story, Boo Radley is the mockingbird, since he never comes out, Atticus does not want the spotlight on Boo, and what …show more content…
One day after going to the post office, Atticus is on his way home, Bob Ewell stopped Atticus, started cursing and spitting on him, and also threatens to kill him, but Atticus has no reaction to Bob’s actions besides wiping off the spit is calm when he walks away. Atticus later explains to Jem that, “if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take… I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there” (Lee 292). Most people after getting yelled at will have some sort of reaction. Atticus’ initial reaction was wishing Bob did not chew tobacco, but his kids were worrying a lot about Atticus’ life, he says that it was not a big deal. His reaction shows that he is still thinking about other people even in the times when others spit on him and receive death threats. He would rather “save” Mayella Ewell, then his own life and the life of his own kids. On the other hand, some may consider Atticus as a realistic character because of how he stands up for what he believes is right and goes save Tom Robinson from the mob trying to lynch Tom. While this is true, when he comes home, he tells his kids “that proves something, that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they’re still human” (Lee 210). Even though the men are dangerous, and