...Everyone knew Tom Robinson was not guilty, but because of Maycomb’s prejudice community, he lost his innocence. In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Tom’s mockingbird was killed. This is because he was wrongly accused for beating Mayella, concluded as guilty, and was killed in prison. Tom Robinson was put on trial for raping Mayella and was accused of choking her too. Tom Robinson’s mockingbird was killed when he was charged for hurting Mayella when he did not. Heck Tate falsely told the jury that Tom beat Mayella up. “ ‘There were definite finger marks on her gullet-’(said Tate). ‘All around her throat? And the back of her neck?’(said Atticus). ‘I’d say they were all around, Mr. Finch.’ ”(226) By saying this Heck Tate said that Tom used both of his hands when choking Mayella. Although, Tom Robinson can only use one of his arms. “Thomas Robinson reached around, ran his fingers under his left arm and lifted it. He guided his arm to the Bible and his rubber-like left hand sought contact with the black binding. As he raised his right hand, the useless one slipped off the Bible and hit the clerk’s table.”(254) This shows that Tom cannot use his left hand. Heck said that there were fingerprints around her whole throat, so it could not have been Tom. Tom lost his innocence during the trial when he was hearing all the lies that were...
Words: 602 - Pages: 3
...Ada Lin Ms. Alburger English ½ Honours- Period 6 10 November 2015 To Kill a Mockingbird: Symbolism of the Mockingbird Thesis: In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson can be represented as a ‘mockingbird,’ or a symbol of innocence, because he is unjustly accused of a crime he does not commit. Throughout the story, he is a victim of racism. Even though he is accused of raping Mayella Ewell and is found guilty by an all white jury, Tom Robinson is actually an innocent man who has never done anything to hurt anybody, similar to a mockingbird. Body Paragraph 1: Tom Robinson represents a mockingbird because he receives an unjust sentence for a crime that he does not commit. Tom Robinson is found guilty by an all white jury that does...
Words: 363 - Pages: 2
...fit. By allowing the author to express their emotions, the title remains a significant feature. When examining the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the reader can see that the mockingbird is a metaphorical symbolization of the theme of innocence, or the loss of. Published in 1960 by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird has become a literary classic. This essay will explore the significance of the title “To Kill a Mockingbird” and will endeavor to explain to the reader why Harper Lee’s novel is called To Kill a Mockingbird while also touching on some of the themes that are connected to the title, such as the loss of innocence and injustice. Revolving...
Words: 940 - Pages: 4
...To Convict or Acquit One of the biggest ethical dilemmas for the characters in To Kill A Mockingbird is whether to decide to convict or acquit Tom Robinson. It is a hard decision to make since each character must evaluate what is most important in determining his innocence or guilt. There are mostly three different understandings: Race/Societal Norms, Law/Evidence, or both viewpoints. Which one are you? Most people in this book, like the jury and townspeople, judge Tom for being black. This is understandable considering in this time period, white people were thought to be more superior than black people. This would be considered a societal norm. Consequently, since Tom was black and the accuser, Mayella, was white, they believed Mayella...
Words: 351 - Pages: 2
...Symbolism; This is when an author uses any type of object to stand for and Idea. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Harper Lee uses Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Jem Finch as human mockingbirds (The mockingbird is a symbol of innocence.) to contribute to the overall theme of innocence. First, Lee Uses Boo Radley as a mockingbird when he’s always accused of being crazy/creepy because he doesn’t come out of the house, also jem says “Boo Radley was about Six-and-A-Half feet tall, “Judging from his tracks” He dined on raw Squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained.” (13) Second, Lee Uses Tom Robinson as a mockingbird when he was shot 17 times and accused of raping Mayella Ewell because of his SKIN COLOR. “Atticus said,...
Words: 269 - Pages: 2
...To kill a mockingbird is a sin because you shouldn’t harm something innocent that brings bliss. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, there are several characters that are capable of being a mockingbird, although Tom Robinson is the most apparent. The mockingbird is a symbol of innocence and purity. A mockingbird sings uplifting songs for others to hear, this can be compared to Tom’s acts of kindness for Mayella. “I was studyin’ why, just passin’ by, when she says for me to come there and help her a minute.” (Lee 258.) Therefore, it is a sin to kill Tom because he is an innocent man who helps others. What is a mockingbird? “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. (Lee 119) A mockingbird can be seen as pure and inflicts no harm. They are simply around to sing songs for the world to enjoy. Tom Robinson resembles this role because he is innocuous with good intentions. Being regarded as the guilty, he is later executed. Furthermore, this can be seen as a sin because Tom is utterly innocent. He is targeted for his appearance and misunderstood, which leads to being convicted guilty. “Scared of arrest, scared you’d have to face up to what you...
Words: 503 - Pages: 3
...Write about the ways that Harper Lee shows the significance of the title To Kill a Mockingbird The title of a novel is a significant asset for the writer to express his/her emotions and how they think the novel should be summed up. However Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” isn’t about “mockingbirds”. The word mockingbird is a metaphorical symbolization of the concept of innocence. This essay will be a critical analysis of the significance of the title “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Firstly Boo Radley is a character who exploits the true meaning of the title. Harper Lee presents Boo as a very controversial character due to him being locked in his house for 25 years, also because of his lack of speech and involvement throughout the whole novel. Through Lee’s vivid descriptions and Scouts narrations the reader firstly acknowledges Boo as a monster that is “six and a half feet tall”. Scout personifies Boo as a very intimidating individual through Lee’s vivid descriptions and linguistic imagery. The words “six and a half” are adjectives that describe the physical stature of Boo. The reader may feel Boo is the complete opposite of the titles reference however other readers may feel that Scout’s lack of education and maturity are the culprit of Boo’s false identifications. However throughout the novel the reader acknowledges the true qualities of Boo as does Scout as well. Lee establishes Boo as a peaceful individual whose love for children never stops. In modern society many individuals...
Words: 787 - Pages: 4
...In addition to bearing the title of the novel, Harper Lee uses “To Kill a Mockingbird” as an opportunity to convey the significance of moral veracity to depict the alleged Mockingbirds of May comb county. She uses the innocence of children such as Jem and Scout to experience the underlying reality of good and evil in society, as their father, Atticus Finch attempts to teach them the morals of killing shadowed innocent beings who are helpless to their own freedom. After the encounter with Atticus and being told that to kill a mocking is a sin, Scout asks Miss Maudie who explains that,” Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” In the novel, Mockingbirds symbolize harmless innocent people who have only ever tried to serve others but are destroyed by the evil around them. To terrorize a Mockingbirds security is deemed to be morally detestable, as it would be considered a “sin.” The concept of Mockingbird relate to those discriminated for complex past history and wellbeing, race and mixed orientation. Boo Radley, Tom Robinson and mixed children represent the innocent creatures that are deemed to be the harmless and helpless Mockingbirds of Maycomb County. Boo Radley is clarified as a greatly misunderstood troubled victim of society with an intricate past history involving an abusive parental figure devoted to his own selfish pride, resulting in locking his son away from society...
Words: 1206 - Pages: 5
...In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, there are several instances where the symbol of the mockingbird appears.The mockingbird symbolizes innocence, which makes it a sin to kill mockingbirds. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy… that’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (p. 119) is a quote by Miss Maudie that best describes the meaning of the mockingbird symbol. The symbol embodies innocent people, who have been injured or destroyed through contact with evil. Harper Lee does a great job in portraying the mockingbird symbol by shedding some light on the innocents in the book, and focusing on the most prominent mockingbirds, Tom Robinson, Arthur (Boo) Radley, and Mayella Ewell. Tom Robinson is a crippled Mockingbird, who has been wrongfully...
Words: 549 - Pages: 3
...represents the racist atmosphere of Maycomb's society. The racial bias of the people of Maycomb makes them blind to see the fact of Tom's innocence and this brings about his murder. Tom's murder echoes Aimé Césaire sarcastic statement in his Et les chiens se taisent, that "in the whole world no poor devil is lynched, no wretch is tortured, in whom I too am not degraded and murdered" (qtd in Black Skin, White Masks 61). Darren Felty in "An Overview of To Kill a Mockingbird", states: "Lee wants to make explicit the consequences of racism. She accomplishes this goal by employing Tom Robinson's trial to allude to different historical events such as the famous 'Scottsboro Boys' trials of the 1930s". According to Felty, in these trials nine black men were accused of raping two white women. Despite a lack of evidence, the men were sentenced to death by the white jury. Unlike Tom, they finally escaped death after a long time (2). Tom Robinson's trial mirrors these historical events to illustrate the racial binarity and segregation that the black people suffered throughout the colonial history. Racial binarity is prevalent in the novel. The narrow-minded people of Maycomb are in favor of segregation in their society and they consider sexual relationship as a threat to their segregation. According to Adam Smykowski in "Symbolism and Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird", For example, "the red geraniums that Mayella Ewell kept in her yard" stand for "Southern white womanhood". Also "the fence...
Words: 1944 - Pages: 8
...To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a story of racial prejudice and social class set in a time when such narrow-mindedness was considered acceptable and apart of every day life in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama. Narrated and based around Scout (Jean Louise) Finch and the many ordeals she and her brother (Jem) face in the years of their growing up; out of the childhood innocence they once possessed to realise the true evils of their community and shed false pretences surrounding the innocence of two such characters as Boo Radley and Tom Robinson for which the community of Maycomb had long labelled and ridiculed for either their colour or peculiar behavioural patterns. Lee incorporates several different symbols within the text that assist in developing the ideas and beliefs held by both Scout and Jem such as; the Mockingbird, Mrs Dubose’ Camellias and Mayella Ewell’s red Geraniums all of which pl... ... middle of paper ... ... weather that be the counties resident Mockingbirds Boo Radley and Tom Robinson who continue to sing their songs of purity and innocence even in death (in Tom’s case), Mrs Dubose who’s underlying courage was able to shine through her Camellias and rub of on Jem or Mayella Ewell who’s backyard is proven to be populated by beautiful Geraniums; symbolism has played huge role on their ideas and beliefs and those of the people around them most notably the narrator Scout Finch who’s entire outlook on life is changed through the use of such...
Words: 253 - Pages: 2
...The theme to kill a mockingbird drives the novel through the innocence of the three mockingbirds. Mrs.Maudie introduces this concept by saying “Mockingbirds don’t do anything but make music for us to enjoy” (page.103). Stating this acknowledges that they don’t know any better than what they are doing. Innocence is the important characteristic that leads to the building of the characters of Mayella Ewell, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley. “I wonder if anybody had ever called her ma’am or “Miss Mayella” in her life, probably not as she took offense to routine courtesy what on earth was her life like?” (page.244) this was said by Scout as she realized the innocence of Mayella. Even though she was doing wrong in the story, by lying about Tom Robinson and accusing him of rape, being mistreated and disrespected her whole life has made her unable to see what she is doing is wrong. As Scout realizes Mayella didn’t know any better she starts to have empathy for Mayelle no...
Words: 523 - Pages: 3
...“It is not what an author says, but what she whispers which is most important. In other words, one must read in between the lines to discover the subtler meaning of novels. This is true for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Understanding of the many themes in To Kill a Mockingbird is attained only by reading in between the lines. A major one of these themes is dignity as Harper Lee presents a clear picture of which characters are dignified. She does not clearly state which characters are dignified, but she utilizes actions to differentiate between the dignified and the undignified. Amongst the poor folk, the Cunninghams have dignity and the Ewells lack it. The Cunninghams pay back everything they borrow. One Cunningham turned the racist mob away from Atticus and Tom Robinson; another almost voted for Tom’s innocence at his trial. This virtuous behavior proves the Cunninghams to be dignified. While the Cunninghams’ good deeds demonstrate their dignity, the Ewells’ actions prove them undignified. They live unhealthily off the town’s welfare and the father, Bob Ewell, selfishly causes the death of an innocent man and tries to kill two innocent children. Of the rich people in Maycomb, Atticus holds dignity while Miss Stephanie lacks it. Miss Stephanie lies, exaggerates, and gossips about the town’s affairs. Harper Lee whispers Miss Stephanie’s dignity deficiency through her undignified actions, but never labels Miss Stephanie as undignified. Although the author does...
Words: 913 - Pages: 4
...“This case is as simple as black and white”. It is referring to the racial aspect of the case,, as well as Tom's obvious innocence. And Atticus realizes that he is defending Tom in front of a prejudiced jury and that the lack of evidence has no bearing on the outcome of the trial. The universal message in To Kill a Mockingbird is the Coexistence of Good and Evil. Since they are raised in a loving and kind environment by an educated and good man of sterling values, Jeremy and Jean Louise Finch grow up believing in the innate goodness of mankind. Having a more mature perspective, their father believes that good and evil both surely exist, but he feels that what is good prevails in most people. They are 3 things that make the up the theme...
Words: 265 - Pages: 2
...Innocence is the state, quality, or fact of being innocent of a crime or offense. Innocence is one of the many recurring themes of To Kill A Mockingbird. Jem and Scout have an innocent point of view in life. The children believe the color of your skin shouldn't matter, however they soon realize ignorance in the people of Maycomb. “Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy… But sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (quoted by Atticus/Ms. Maudie) Tom is nothing but a hard working innocent black man in the town of Maycomb county. Mockingbirds are symbolic to Tom Robinson because Tom is being falsely accused of rape to the white trash of the town, Mayella Ewell. Mockingbirds are innocent and all they want is to bring pleasure to those around them; Tom is innocent and all he wants to do is help Mayella with the chores around the house because he feels pity. However...
Words: 756 - Pages: 4
