Throughout the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the theme of the mockingbird to describe innocence and only helping others. Although this novel’s theme is mainly about racial discrimination, the theme of innocence is just as prevalent. Harper Lee displays the theme of innocence through Tom Robinson, an African American falsely convicted of rape, and compares him to a mockingbird, an innocent songbird that helps humans by delivering joy. Another character Harper Lee compares to a mockingbird to display innocence is Arthur “Boo” Radley, a recluse who saves Scout and Jem Finch from getting killed by Bob Ewell. To Kill a Mockingbird’s theme of innocence shows readers it doesn’t matter if someone looks or acts different, they can still have good morals.
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Like mockingbirds, he did nothing to harm others, but instead helped others. During the trial, Tom testified that he had accepted many invitations onto the Ewell property many times by Mayella to assist her in various tasks (255). Tom’s testimony shows his willingness to help people, similar to that of a mockingbird. Later on in the trial, right before Mr. Gilmer begins questioning Tom Robinson, Link Deas stands up and exclaims, “‘I just want the whole lot of you to know one thing right now. That boy’s worked for me eight years an’ I ain’t had a speck o’ trouble outa him. Not a speck.’”(261) Mockingbirds are similar to Tom in this way since they cause no harm to humans. After Tom Robinson was killed, Braxton Underwood, the owner of The Maycomb Tribune, wrote an editorial comparing Tom’s killing to the killing of mockingbirds, proclaiming each a sin (324). As one can see, Tom Robinson is similar to that of a mockingbird, making his death sinful, because he does nothing wrong and only helps others, just like a mockingbird only sings for
Like mockingbirds, he did nothing to harm others, but instead helped others. During the trial, Tom testified that he had accepted many invitations onto the Ewell property many times by Mayella to assist her in various tasks (255). Tom’s testimony shows his willingness to help people, similar to that of a mockingbird. Later on in the trial, right before Mr. Gilmer begins questioning Tom Robinson, Link Deas stands up and exclaims, “‘I just want the whole lot of you to know one thing right now. That boy’s worked for me eight years an’ I ain’t had a speck o’ trouble outa him. Not a speck.’”(261) Mockingbirds are similar to Tom in this way since they cause no harm to humans. After Tom Robinson was killed, Braxton Underwood, the owner of The Maycomb Tribune, wrote an editorial comparing Tom’s killing to the killing of mockingbirds, proclaiming each a sin (324). As one can see, Tom Robinson is similar to that of a mockingbird, making his death sinful, because he does nothing wrong and only helps others, just like a mockingbird only sings for