Andy Wang

Block:

6/14/11

Never Kill a Mockingbird.

Authors often use symbols so they can represent an overall theme or the

characters in a book. Many characters are represented as symbols in Harper Lee’s

novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, which is about the Finch family living in Maycomb in

the 1930’s surrounded by racism. Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, defends a black

man named Tom Robinson in a rape case. Atticus teaches his children that killing a

mockingbird is a sin. A mockingbird is an innocent and benevolent creature that is

wrongfully hurt. Kind actions and innocents do not save all of the characters in the

book from being harmed. A mockingbird symbolizes the characters that are

innocent and are wrongfully hurt.

First of all, Tom Robinson is blamed for raping Mayella Ewell. The truth is

that Tom did not actually commit this crime. He is a kind and generous man who

helps people when in need. Tom was invited inside to help Mayella but was later on

blamed for her injuries and the rape incident. Tom is symbolized as a mockingbird

because he is innocent and benevolent but is wrongly hurt by being blamed for

raping Mayella. The trail he is forced into has Tom bound to lose, which leads to him

being sentenced to death. Atticus says, “’In our courts, when it’s white man’s word

against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are facts
of life’” (251-252). Atticus talks about how a black man’s word will never win

against a white man’s in their society. He is referring to Tom Robinson’s trial and

how he has no chance of winning just because Tom is a black man going up against a

white man, Mr. Ewell. Tom Robinson is portrayed as a mockingbird because he had

done nothing wrong, but is blamed for something he didn’t do, which leads to a

death sentence.

In addition to Tom Robinson, Boo Radley also symbolizes as a mockingbird.

He is accused of doing many wrongful actions, all of which are rumors and not true.

The town of Maycomb thinks of Boo as a monster and a crazy out of control person,

when he is actually a kind man that chooses to do the correct things. Boo lives in

solitude inside his house and doesn’t come out due to all of the negative attention he

will receive. Mr. Tate says, “’…Mr. Finch, taking the one man who’s done you and this

town a great service an’ draggin’ him with is shy ways into the limelight – to me,

that’s a sin’” (317). Mr. Tate tells Atticus that it would not be right to tell everyone

that Boo has saved his children because it could cause Boo to receive much

unwanted attention that he is not used to. Boo Radley did the right thing, saving

Scout and Jem, and Heck Tate thinks he deserves to stay in privacy. Mr. Tate decides

to hide that Boo saves the children to prevent him from going into the limelight. Boo

is symbolized as a mockingbird that has not been wrongfully hurt. Throughout the

book, many people thought of Boo as a “monster”. Boo Radley, an innocent and

benevolent man is symbolized as a mockingbird. He is actually innocent from the

start, however the people of Maycomb decide to hurt him wrongfully by spreading

rumors.
 Another character portrayed as a mockingbird is Atticus Finch. He is a man

who only wants to help others, but the town of Maycomb does not understand that

helping Tom Robinson with his trial is not wrong. Atticus is like a Mockingbird

because he tries to help Tom, but is put down by the people of Maycomb. He does

good deeds for the town and still he ends up wrongfully hurt. Mr. Tate says, “Don’t

like to contradict you, Mr. Finch- wasn’t crazy- mean as hell. Low-down skunk with

enough liquor in him to make him brave enough to kill children” (308). Mr. Tate tells

Atticus that Bob Ewell tries to kill Scout and Jem for revenge. Atticus embarrassed

Bob Ewell when Atticus proved Bob was a liar in front the entire town during Tom

Robinson’s trial. Mr. Ewell wanted to hurt and kill Scout and Jem with a switchblade

for revenge. As he tries to attack the children, Boo Radley kills Bob before he

manages to hurt Scout and Jem. Trying to win the case is a good deed Atticus had

been persistent with. He tries his best and Bob Ewell wanted to get revenge on him

by killing his children. Atticus portrays as a mockingbird because all of the good

deeds he has done and how he is wrongfully hurt by Bob Ewell.

In conclusion, many characters in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, are

symbolized as mockingbirds being wrongfully harmed but also innocent. Tom

Robinson, Boo Radley, and Atticus are characters that are portrayed as

mockingbirds. They have all shown they are kind people but harmed wrongfully at

times. There are many kind people in this world, but some either accused of a crime

or wrongfully hurt.