I believe that this quote refers back to the time when Scout and Jem get new rifles for Christmas and Atticus tells Jem that it would be considered a sin if they shot a mockingbird. Mockingbirds are not predators and they will not harm anything or anyone; the only thing they do is make music with their mouths. Scout is remembering that time and comparing it to what had recently happened in her life. I think that she sees Tom Robinson and Boo Radley as the mockingbirds. Tom Robinson didn’t harm anyone, and the only thing that he did was help those who needed assistance. He was convicted for no reason, and Scout compares that to killing an innocent mockingbird. Although Boo Radley stabbed Bob Ewell, he did it to protect Jem and Scout because Ewell was about to stab them to death. Robinson and Radley’s kindness and helpfulness turned them into the mockingbirds of Maycomb. This quote displays Scout’s understanding that taking away someone’s innocence is …show more content…
For example, Mayella takes advantage of Robinson when she accuses him of raping her and gets him convicted. It makes me really sad that people like her got away with these things and that no one in Maycomb said anything. Boo Radley is much luckier, but in both cases, they are the mockingbirds or the people who were the most harmless. Another thing this quote helps me better understand is the role of innocence in To Kill a Mockingbird. Innocence plays an important role because, throughout the book, characters like Atticus and Miss Maudie remind Scout that killing a mockingbird is not all right. When Scout is asked to say that Ewell fell on his knife she says to Atticus, “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it” (317). This shows us that she has become more mature and understands that doing harm to those who didn’t harm you is not something that should be tolerated despite your
The True Meaning of Courage Hall of Fame basketball coach Tony Dungy once said, "Courage is the ability to do the right thing, all the time, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it might be.". In other words, to be courageous is to choose your actions based on morality, even if your decision may have negative consequences. The novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee features two characters; Atticus Finch and Boo Radley, who are examples of Dungy's quote. Both characters use courage to do righteous deeds, even though harsh outcomes are bound to happen.
The Pulitzer Prize winning novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee portrays the life of a young girl, Scout, and her family who live together in Maycomb, Alabama circa 1930s. Scout lives next to some fascinating people that have legends and myths made about them because of their back story. One of them being Boo Radley. Boo was locked away in his house by his parents for most of his life after committing crimes that put him away for good. After the news got out about his vanishing into the Radley house forever many stories were made up about him.
In broad, the quote signifies that Mockingbirds are innocent creatures, who do not do anything but create beautiful music for humans to enjoy. In the story To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch; a lawyer, has been selected by Judge Taylor to take the case of a negro, named Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson has allegedly been accused of raping Bob Ewell’s daughter; Mayella Ewell. Although, in reality Tom went to the Ewell's’ house to help Mayella with some yard work. In my opinion that the two character that symbolize a Mockingbird is Judge Taylor and Atticus.
“I’ve always been fascinated with the stealing of innocence. It’s the most heinous crime, and certainly a capital crime if there ever was one. ”(Clint Eastwood) In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, this quote reigns true for many reasons. The book starts as a family and friend oriented community, but its true colors show when Atticus Finch takes on a black mans trial.
This quote shows how innocent Tom is because all he wants to do is go back to his three kids and wife. He almost made it over to freedom where he could try to get back to his family, but Tom didn't make it over. The guards say that Tom Robinson would have made it over the fence if he had two good arms, but while trying to escape Tom Robinson is shot seventeen times. Everyone Tom saw said he was so kindhearted and was always there or ready to give a helping hand if need be, and that truly does represent everything a Mockingbird stands for. Tom's death has such an impact on everyone that even Aunt Alexandra has empathy for a black man and that shows something.
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird the author Harper Lee creates a strong theme showing how two of the main characters represent the innocence of a mockingbird. The two characters that are portrayed as sinners are accused of by men who are blinded by pride to the point where lives are taken. The virtue of Tom Robinson is displayed throughout the course of this story. For example, a witness from the audience at Tom Robinson’s trial speaks out and announces, “I just want the whole lot of you to know one thing right now.
(370). She is saying this to Atticus after the sheriff was trying to hide the fact that Boo Radley is actually the one who killed Bob Ewell and saved Atticus’s children. Atticus thinks and then realized that it was actually Boo and not Jem. This quote proves innocence because Scout is saying Jem didn’t kill Bob, and putting Boo on trial would harm him because everyone thinks he is a monster and seeing him would cause everyone to ask him questions. Also proving he killed Bob would have many people coming to his house to bother him and he might be sent to jail.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee many characters are victims of the harsh conditions of Maycomb County. Often those who are seen to be metaphorical mockingbirds are punished the most. A mockingbird is one who only wants and attempts to do good. Characters such as Boo Radley, Jem Finch and Tom Robinson are exemplars of mockingbirds in Maycomb. In the novel it is explained by Atticus that killing a mockingbird is a sin because they do not do anything to harm to us like nesting in corncribs, or eating up the gardens, they only sing for us.
*MOUTH* Harper Lee’s interpretation of Boo Radley’s philosophy illustrates his courage. At times when Boo leaves his home he doesn't harm anyone instead, he leaves Jem and Scout presents, covers Scout with a blanket during the fire, and eventually saves the children from Bob Ewell. Despite the pureness of his heart, however, Boo has been damaged by an abusive father. In Chapter 30, Scout tells Atticus that hurting Boo Radley would be “sort of like shootin’ a Mockingbird.” think it will be important for you to show the theory of Boo's character and what we come to find out is his actual character as you develop this theme of Boo's courage.
A day came when they were acting out Boo’s life and Atticus says, “that you never really understand a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (36). Boo teaches Scout and Jem not to judge a person based on rumors because later in the book, they find out that Boo is not this evil person as the society perceives but he is an innocent and kind person, symbolic of a mockingbird. Boo also teaches Jem and Scout a major theme of the book which is that it's terrible to do harm to an innocent person as Atticus would say, “It is a sin to kill a mockingbird.” At the end of the book, when Tate and Atticus are hiding the case of Boo killing Bob, Scout reminds Atticus that charging Boo with murder would be, “Like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?”(276) It refers back to when Atticus told them it’s a sin to kill mockingbird because they don’t harm you. Boo is symbolic of a mockingbird because he didn’t do harm to anyone.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the term mockingbird symbolizes innocence in a person. In the novel it focuses on the fact that innocence, represented by the mockingbird, can be wrongfully harmed. There are two characters: Tom Robinson and Arthur “Boo” Radley that are supposed to represent the mockingbird. In the novel, Tom Robinson is the best example of a mockingbird because he is prosecuted for a crime he did not commit. Also, he was judged unfairly based on the color of his skin in his trial.
Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird and Eugenia Coolliers short story “Marigolds” evoke the most empathy by showing the growth of morals like empathy and compassion in the characters. The dynamic characters are used to emphasize how a person can change while symbolism is used to show a deeper meaning in an object both are used by the authors to evoke empathy. To Kill A Mockingbird, a novel published in 1960 about innocence, compassion and hatred. A story about children living in a racist time period trying to get through living there childhood without being influenced by the bad customs. “Marigolds” by Eugenia Cooliers is a short story also written in the 1960’s about a learning compassion and turning into a woman.
Boo Radley represents one of the “mockingbirds” in the book, and a mockingbird is someone that is pure and innocence in the world. He is a good person that is hurt by the evil of mankind. In a lot of ways, Boo Radley might have have wanted to stay shut up in his house after seeing some of the awful acts that the townspeople have committed. But after seeing the Finch kids being attacked by Bob Ewell he had no choice but to leave the comfort of his own home that he has been enclosed in for so long to come out and save them. All though it would have been easier for this man to stay in his house rather than leave and then be drug into court, he did what he knew would be right and rescued the
Scout and Jem have just received air guns from Atticus for Christmas, and they are learning what they’re not allowed to shoot at. Atticus tells them, “‘Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’. That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something” (119). This is the first time Scout hears Atticus say it is a sin to do something, which means that Atticus is being serious. We know that he hates shooting, because he has kept his skill as a marksman a secret, so when he tells the children they can try to shoot bluejays but not mockingbirds, he gives the idea that mockingbirds are special.
Even though Scout displayed innocence but still was excluded from games with Dill and Jem because of her gender, Harper Lee did not intend for her to be perceived as a Mockingbird. On the contrary, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are portrayed as mockingbirds, birds recognized for their innocence but also targeted. Body Paragraph #1 Topic Sentence #1: Tom Robinson, a black man convicted of rape, was an example of à Mockingbird because he was targeted even though he was innocent. Integrated Evidence #1: After the town of Maycomb found out about the tragic killing of Tom Robinson, “[Mr. Underwood] likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children”(Lee 323) in an editorial. Analysis 1: Tom Robinson was wrongfully accused of raping Mayella Ewell.