“Cry about the simple hell people give other people without even thinking” (Lee 269). In this statement, Dolphus Raymond speaks to the children and attempts at opening their minds to the reality of hatred and discrimination at the base of humanity. Throughout Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, it becomes quite evident that growing up in a world full of hatred looks much different through eyes that have not seen prejudice. Through these innocent perspectives, the reader looks through a window to see the very raw core of human nature. Because of this purity, that Jem and Scout see Tom as a mockingbird. Tom represents a mockingbird in a few, yet significant, ways. First of all he ignites the children to sing their own song of youthful innocence; he is a minority and considered “crippled” in the eyes of many characters in the novel. Finally, Tom goes out of his way to be a hard-working and helpful man, even though his graciousness is not reciprocated. All of the way through the trial of Tom Robinson, many injustices become clear to both Scout and Jem. The unfair and biased treatment of Robinson leads to …show more content…
Mr. Underwood compares the murder of Tom to the “senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children” (Lee 323). Robinson is clearly defined as a mockingbird and that his death was at the hands of “hunters” or law enforcers. Meaning, that Tom is obviously shown to be the “songbird” that is discussed continuously. Robinson is part of the black community which automatically makes him a handicap in such a predominately white society. This is important because it shows the unjust treatment of a “crippled” in a racially dysfunctional community. The mistreatment and demise of Robinson, being a handicap, goes back to symbolize the sin of killing an innocent and beautiful creature: the