In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the mockingbird symbol is mentioned multiple times. The mockingbird is symbolic for innocence hence the quote by Miss Maudie Atkinson, “... that’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (pg.119). Mockingbirds do not do anything but sing for their enjoyment. In the novel there are three mockingbirds, they are Boo Radley, Mayella Ewell, and Tom Robinson. The mockingbird is symbolic for innocence. According to Miss Maudie Atkinson, “Your father is right, 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.119) Logically mockingbirds
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For example when Mayella was asked how old she is she answered, “Nineteen-and-a-half” (Pg.265). This quote shows that Mayella is uneducated and doesn’t know any better than to do what she is told to do. During a conversation between Mayella and Atticus she revealed some other information supporting that she is a mockingbird, “He does tollable, ‘cept when-” , “Except when he’s drinking”(Pg.245) This revealed that Mayella’s father harms her the most when he is drunk, which scares Mayella to death forcing her to do anything her father tells her to do. Mayella’s innocence has been taken advantage of by her father. Mayella Ewell is a mockingbird due to the reasons that she is educated and scared to death of her father.
Similarly Boo Radley is a mockingbird. Everyone would think of Boo Radley as a monster or a murderer because of all the rumors about him, but in reality he is not a monster. During a conversation between Boo Radley and Scout, she said, “You can pet him Mr. Arthur, he’s asleep. You couldn’t if he was awake, though, he wouldn’t let you, go ahead.”(Pg.372). Boo Radley obviously is not a murderer, he is just like a 6 year old boy. He isman example of a mockingbird because of him being innocent of all the rumors about
For example when Mayella was asked how old she is she answered, “Nineteen-and-a-half” (Pg.265). This quote shows that Mayella is uneducated and doesn’t know any better than to do what she is told to do. During a conversation between Mayella and Atticus she revealed some other information supporting that she is a mockingbird, “He does tollable, ‘cept when-” , “Except when he’s drinking”(Pg.245) This revealed that Mayella’s father harms her the most when he is drunk, which scares Mayella to death forcing her to do anything her father tells her to do. Mayella’s innocence has been taken advantage of by her father. Mayella Ewell is a mockingbird due to the reasons that she is educated and scared to death of her father.
Similarly Boo Radley is a mockingbird. Everyone would think of Boo Radley as a monster or a murderer because of all the rumors about him, but in reality he is not a monster. During a conversation between Boo Radley and Scout, she said, “You can pet him Mr. Arthur, he’s asleep. You couldn’t if he was awake, though, he wouldn’t let you, go ahead.”(Pg.372). Boo Radley obviously is not a murderer, he is just like a 6 year old boy. He isman example of a mockingbird because of him being innocent of all the rumors about