To Kill A Mockingbird Symbolism Essay

To Kill a Mockingbird is filled with symbolism used to display different themes. A major symbol is the mockingbird. Mockingbirds are harmless creatures that just sing and make the world a happier place. Lee uses three main characters that resemble greatly to mockingbirds to get her subtle, but imperative points across. One of these mockingbirds is forced to meet his maker, another is forced is forced to kill, and the last mockingbird’s innocence is forced to slowly die. Lee uses these characters to portray the theme of morality and ethics in a small, southern town where the citizens’ warped morals cloud their judgment of right and wrong. In her book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes the phrase “to kill a mockingbird” to represent …show more content…
He spends most of the book as merely a figment of collective imagination. He never comes out of his house, and in a town like Maycomb, that is a sin in and of itself. Subsequently, this this makes Boo Radley a mysterious figure that no one knows about. The majority of adults spread gossip and, the children make him into a scary story to tell their friends. His nickname, Boo, even came from one of the stories fabricated to fill in the holes in Arthur’s life. In essence, Arthur becomes a fictional character among the world of fictional characters. The narrator, Scout, and her brother, Jem, become prejudice towards Arthur Radley and judge him based on only the stories they have heard. They become infatuated with the idea of Boo Radley, and, as a result, spend years devising schemes and games to solve the mystery of Boo Radley. Arthur watches Jem and Scout grow up from the Radley Place, and over the years they become like his children. He helps them and communicates with them as much as he can without his family interfering. He gives the children gifts, covers them with blankets, and, when it comes down to it, risks his life for them. When Jem and Scout are attacked by a drunken Mr. Ewell in front of the Radley Place, Arthur comes out and exposes himself to defend them. In the end, there is blood on his hands, but the sheriff covers it up because, as Scout says afterwards, turning him in would be “…sort of like shootin’ a …show more content…
Jem Finch starts off as his sister’s partner in crime. During their youth, Jem, Scout, and Dill run through the neighborhood, playing games and exploring with Jem as their fearless leader. As a ten year old boy, Jem has the innocence of a mockingbird and wants to grow up to be just like his father. When Atticus takes on the Tom Robinson case, Jem is forced to grow out of his naivety a little too quickly. Throughout the novel, Jem becomes more mature and develops a “…maddening air of wisdom…” (155). He has to come to terms with the fact that not everything is as it seems. Jem’s gradual change into adulthood first began when the citizens of Maycomb began to insult him and his family because of the Tom Robinson case. He has to become the bigger person and ignore all of the hateful remarks. He understands that fighting will not make the gossip and insults go away, and tries to relay that to Scout. His second experience was brought on by the death of Ms. Dubose, a woman who could not be labeled as simply an old, cantankerous woman. After she dies, Jem finds out that Ms. Dubose was addicted to morphine and was trying to get off of it. Although both experiences were difficult, Jem struggles with the conviction of Tom Robinson the most. Through the trial, Jem learns more and more about the adult society, but does not quite agree with it. The more the trial progresses the more he