Symbol Of The Mockingbird

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird the author, Harper Lee, illustrates the theme of the mockingbird in various ways. The theme of the mockingbird is first introduced when Atticus tells his children, Jem and Scout, that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because it is innocent and only sings for you. One example of the mockingbird in the story is Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is a young, African American male who lives and works in Maycomb. In Maycomb, African Americans are highly discriminated against and looked down upon. With that information, it is easy to conclude that when Tom Robinson is accused for a crime which he most likely did not commit he is “proven” guilty. Tom Robinson is a great example of the mockingbird because he is an honest, hardworking, young man that only tries to help other people and is convicted of a crime solely for being an African American.

Another notable example of the mocking bird in the story is Arthur Radley, more commonly known as “Boo”. Throughout the book, Arthur Radley is always looked upon as some type of freak. There are a variety of rumors about him that circulate within the town such as that he is crazy, that he stabbed his father in the leg, and that at night he peeks into people’s windows when he thinks are not watching. In actuality, no one truly knows if these rumors are true. He never even leaves his house until the end of the story where he saves Jem and Scout’s lives. This shows how Arthur is a mockingbird in the story because he is only an innocent man who cannot live a normal life because of all of the rumors that have spread about him. Harper Lee does an amazing job of portraying the theme of the mocking bird through the two characters Tom Robinson and Arthur Radley because they are both too innocent men, who a provoked by the people of the town and because of that, cannot live normal lives.