“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except 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 is a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Quoted by Atticus Finch and Miss Maudie. When Jem gets his first gun Atticus tells him that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, and when Jem asks Miss Maudie about it she agrees and explains Atticus’s theory. This quote is the key metaphor of this novel, while it’s in the title. Notice that this quote will be used multiple times in this book.The main idea of “Mockingbirds” is good, whereas innocent people are destroyed by evil. There were a couple incidents when innocence was defaced by evil that came in different …show more content…
Scout and Jem were walking home from a school play when Jem hears someone walking behind them, they were attacked by Bob Ewell. Coming to their rescue was Boo Radley, who carried unconscious Jem to safety. Heck Tate tells Atticus that he found Bob Ewell dead with a knife in his ribs. Atticus claims that he must’ve slipped and fell on it but then they turn to Boo Radley who obviously killed Bod to save the kids. Atticus says it was self-defense but he knows who’s story would really win. So Heck Tate insists that it’s better to say that Bob fell on his knife in the whole incident. Tom Robinson died for no reason, he says, and now the man responsible is dead: “Let the dead bury the dead.” This is one of the main examples of the metaphor “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Bringing Boo Radley into this would be like killing a mockingbird because all he does is leaves Jem and Scout presents, covers Scout with a blanket during the fire, and then saves the children from Bob …show more content…
Scout’s coming of age moment starts in chapter 3 when she is complaining about her teacher Miss Caroline and Atticus tells her that “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”. She does not understand her father until much later in the book when she walks Boo Radley home and stands on his porch. She then understands her father’s lesson, claiming that “standing on the radley porch was enough”. Then there is Jem her older brother that comes of age and matures through the book too. He grows in knowledge and bravery. For example Scout spots a rolly-polly and goes to kill it but Jem stops her, asking her what has the rolly-polly done to you? In the bravery, he protects Scout in the attack of Bob Ewell. Last character that I thought came of age throughout the book was Boo Radley. He slowy develops in the book then all at once, first being the neighborhood boogie man, then leaving small presents for the kids and putting a blanket on Scout. He true coming of age moment was when he came out of his comfort zone and saved the kids lives. These were the characters I picked that came of age in this
• Nut grass o Represents harmful/ hurtful rumors and gossip “She picked up the limp sprout and squeezed her thumb up its tiny stalk. Microscopic grains oozed out. ‘Why, one sprig of nut grass can ruin a whole yard. Look here. When it comes fall this dries up and the wind blows it all over Maycomb County!’”
Boo Radley saved both of the children's lives from Bob Ewell, but he had to kill him to prevent Scout or Jem from getting seriously hurt. Even though it was Mr. Tates job to take Boo Radley (Or Arthur Radley) into jail. But he decided not to because “It is a sin to kill a mockingbird,” Arthur being the mockingbird in this situation. Besides the important lesson Scout showed us throughout the book, She also showed how her childlike innocence impacted the events around
“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird.” This quote explains how Mockingbirds are the most important symbol in this novel because without them there would be no good in the world. Harper Lee describes Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley as Mockingbirds in To Kill a Mockingbird. There are many occurrences in the novel where these three characters portray this symbol. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley are all metaphorically portrayed as mockingbirds because, Atticus is always the bigger person, Tom provides pleasure to people he encounters, and Boo looks out for the people of Maycomb.
Throughout the book, Jem and Scout have multiple encounters with Boo Radley but never face to face. The first time they meet face to face is after Bob tries to attack them for being mad about the trial, but fails and dies. When they’re sitting in Jem’s room after his arm is broken, Scout, Jem, and Atticus find out that it was not Jem who killed Bob, but Boo. This changes Scout’s previous thoughts about how Boo was a crazy person, and makes her regret their previous actions in trying to break into his house. “Boo was our neighbor…
“Emotions can’t be allowed to interfere with what is right.” This quote, provided by Amazon’s recent, critically-acclaimed dystopian television series accurately summarizes the key takeaway when it comes to morality in To Kill a Mockingbird. How does this quote from a television show which takes place in an alternate 1960s America relate to the theme of morality in Harper Lee’s Great Depression-era novel? To answer this, we must first examine how the said theme in the novel is created. How does Harper Lee convey her message of not letting emotion sway us from right?
Some may think education is not important, but it can lead someone do doing the right thing, even if they are in a bad situation. When people are uneducated, they can lack empathy and integrity, which can have a big impact on the society around them. In situations where empathy or integrity is needed, it can be hard for people to express their thoughts or feelings to another person. When Bob Ewell attacked Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, Arthur (Boo) Radley came to the rescue by stabbing Bob Ewell. When Mr. Heck Tate got there he knew what had happened, but to save Boo´s reputation, he said, ¨ Bob Ewell fell on his knife.
as you can see he is not very polite. Bob also splits in Atticus’s face after the trail. Bob says that he’ll get back at Atticus for the court case. The way that Bob gets back at Atticus is by trying to hurt his children. Bob breaks Jem’s arm, but then is killed by Boo Radley.
It isn’t ours,” (71) making readers question whether Boo is as scary as people think. At the end of the novel after Jem and Scout are attacked by Bob Ewell Jem was accused of stabbing Bob, later finding out from Heck Tate, “Mr. Ewell fell on his knife,” (276) Lee creates the question now, who brought Jem home. Scout would come to find out it was none other than Boo Radley. Later that night Scout would walk Boo home realizing who he was, “Most people are, Scout when you finally see them,” (281) declaring that it is expected that he was
He was convicted for no reason, and Scout compares that to killing an innocent mockingbird. Although Boo Radley stabbed Bob Ewell, he did it to protect Jem and Scout because Ewell was about to stab them to death. Robinson and Radley’s kindness and helpfulness turned them into the mockingbirds of Maycomb. This quote displays Scout’s understanding that taking away someone’s innocence is
Kindness is a universal language that everyone understands and should be willing to speak. In “To Kill a Mockingbird” one theme that has been internalized is the theme of compassion. Harper Lee truly understood the power that kindheartedness can have on a person. She wanted her audience to understand that being a kind person beats being a bitter person any day. “One can trap more flies with sugar than vinegar,” this quote embodies Harper Lee’s purpose in writing TKAM.
For example, Jem did this by sitting with the blacks at the trial. This really showed how he was maturing and Jem making his own choice by doing what he thinks the right thing to do. Another example of Jem maturing is, at the jail house he stayed there when his father told him to go. Atticus was showing that phe wanted be with his father just not standing in the background. Also Jem stood up for his sister by protecting her when they got attacked trying to help her.
“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). This quote shows why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. The mockingbird is a central idea shown by characters throughout the book, here’s why… The book is set in the small town of Maycomb, where there are a lot of prejudice and mean people.
Mockingbirds are a symbol of innocence, because they don’t harm anyone and only create music for people to enjoy. A central idea in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, or to harm the innocent. The book is set in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s, narrated by the main character Jean Louise “Scout” Finch as an adult, looking back on her childhood. Many characters in the book can be represented by the mockingbird, facing racism, injustice, or prejudice despite their innocence. However, the most innocent mockingbird in the novel is Arthur “Boo” Radley because he is gentle and kind, giving gifts to Scout and her brother Jem, saving the children when they were attacked by Bob Ewell, and was ostracized
Scout and Jem have just received air guns from Atticus for Christmas, and they are learning what they’re not allowed to shoot at. Atticus tells them, “‘Shoot all the bluejays 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” (119). This is the first time Scout hears Atticus say it is a sin to do something, which means that Atticus is being serious. We know that he hates shooting, because he has kept his skill as a marksman a secret, so when he tells the children they can try to shoot bluejays but not mockingbirds, he gives the idea that mockingbirds are special.
The saying “to kill a mocking bird is sin” is a common saying back then, maybe until now it’s still being used. The saying says “killing a mocking bird is sin” because mocking birds doesn’t really do any harm they just sing out with their hearts a tune. The book refers to this saying meaning that the innocence are taken away intentionally by the the accusers or townsfolk. In the book there are two or three “mockingbirds” they were misunderstood, accused, or just fighting for justice but the townsfolk just turned their backs on them.