In To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper lee, the mad dog, Tim Johnson, symbolizes Tom Robinson. The mad dog symbolizes Tom Robinson because the names of the dog and Tom Robinson sound alike. For example, the names Tom Robinson and Tim Johnson have six of the same letters. Additionally, the mad dog symbolizes Tom Robinson because they both die similar deaths. For example, the mad dog is shot with a gun, and Tom Robinson is shot with a gun later in the book as well. The mad dog is also infected with rabies. The rabies that infects the dog symbolizes racism. The rabies symbolizes racism because the words “racism” and “rabies” sound alike; they contain four of the same letters. Because the dog has rabies, the dog is shot. It is very similar
