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Innocence, Seetting, Character Perspective, Thesis Statement, Mimus…
Innocence
Symbolysm
In the novel To kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee uses Mockingbirds to foreshadow the future for some of the characters in the novel. Mockingbirds do nothing but sing their hearts out for people. They do not harm anything or anyone, Mockingbirds are the definition of innocence. After all it is a sin to kill a Mockingbird.
"Shoot all the blue jays 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, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. "Your father's right," she said. "Mockingbirds don't do one thing except make music for us to enjoy."
In the book, a Mockingbird represents Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was a black man in the town of Maycomb who was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Although he did not rape Mayella, he was arrested because the people of Maycomb were racist and did not care whether you are nor aren't guilty. They simply judge you based on your skin colour. It was pretty clear that Tom Robinson was not guilty of raping Mayella. He was innocent, but did not win the trial because of injustice and prejudice.
"He looked oddly off balance, but it was not from the way he was standing. His left arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side. It ended in a small shriveled hand, and from as far away as the balcony I could see that it was no use to him." (Lee, 188)
Another Character in the novel that can be described as an Mockingbird is Boo Radley. The people of Maycomb judge him because of what they have heard of Boo, but it is nothing close to the truth about Boo Radley. Boo Radley is a sweet and caring man who does not harm anything or anyone on purpose. He is simply just misjudged by the society. He is a gentle and caring man who has done nothing wrong, yet gets treated differently because of some rumours people have heard.
A lot of people have things to say about Boo Radley and why he is always inside his home and why he never comes out. In chapter 23 Jem said the Boo Radley does not come out of his house because he wants to stay inside. "Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time . . . it's because he wants to stay inside." Although what Jem said was not right, it wasn't exactly wrong either. Boo Radley is always in house, because he does not have a choice when it comes to his life. Boo chooses to stay home because he is scared to go out, that is why he uses the Radley house as an hiding place from the rest of the society.
Literary Devices
Harper Lee uses quite a few literary devices in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, the three literary devices that she uses the most in my opinion are foreshadowing, symbolism and simile.
In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, in chapter 11 a mad dog with a disease called rabies was brought to the book. The mad dog foreshadowed Tom Robinson and his trial case that would be taking place in the future. The mad dog had rabies, a disease and Atticus quoted that "Maycomb's usual disease is racism." In the same chapter Atticus also tried to save the mad dog, but there was no way to save Tim Johnson (the mad dog), therefore Atticus had no other choice left but to kill the mad dog. The mad dog also represents injustice.
Another important literary device in the novel is symbolism, especially because Mockingbirds symbolize innocence, meaning that innocence is being killed or destroyed. There are many examples of Mockingbirds in the novel, which is why this symbol is the most significant. Some Mockingbirds in the book are Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, Jem and Dill. They are all innocents who have been injured or destroyed through contact with evil.
Another literary device is simile, when Mr. Underwood wrote a newspaper article about how Tom Robinson died in chapter 25. Scout said "Mr. Underwood simply figured it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, sitting, or escaping. He likened Tom's death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children" (241). Just exactly like how Atticus teaches Scout and Jem not to kill mockingbirds because they are of no harm to anyone, Mr. Underwood carries the motif further and applies it to Tom's death.
Seetting
To Kill A Mockingbird took place in a fictional town called Maycomb, Alabama in 1933 to 1935. It took place during the Great Depression. It also happened during the Jim Crow era. That is why almost every single person in their society was a racist. No matter what they people of Maycomb thought about black people, they only treated them difrently because of their skin tone.
Character Perspective
To Kill a Mockingbird is told in first person. The narrator is the young and curious Scout Finch. The first person point of view affects the novel a lot more because it is told through the mind of a child.
Thesis Statement
Mockingbirds symbolize innocence, compassion and beauty. It is a sin to kill a Mockingbird, because they do not harm anything or anyone, they simply just sing for us.
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