When Atticus Finch tells his children, "shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit "em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (p. 99), the mockingbird motif becomes apparent. This is the motif that gives the novel it's name based upon an important theme and is directly related to two of the major characters. At first, ... the Tom Robinson trial, both of these characters can be viewed as mockingbirds - harmless creatures who are unjustly persecuted by society. The full significance of Atticus's remark, "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (p. 99), is explained by Miss Maudie Atkin...

• Word Count: 938
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... common reasons for books to be challenged are; treatment of sexuality, religious beliefs contrary to the norm, and objectionable language (Foerstel). Questionable language being the biggest issue in To Kill a Mockingbird, but it is also commonly banned for ungrammatical speech and an unfavorable presentation of blacks (Johnson). On page 75 of the novel you can find this example of questionable ... to sort through with students the host of messy and complicated issues in which difference, as perceived by both the societally empowered and dispowered, now embroils us. I believe that To Kil...

• Word Count: 1207
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... and were ready to fight for what they believed was right. Probably one of the best works ever written that accurately portrays life, To Kill A Mockingbird won the "aww- and "ahh- of many critics and the hearts of many readers back then and is still achieving the same remarkable ... feat now. Set in an imaginary town in Alabama, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, To Kill A Mockingbird tells stories about childhood innocence amidst social and racial discords and economic mishaps, blindness of the American people to the public stigma that was ... direct, and often comic language and ...

• Word Count: 1094
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... the novel, and how does this symbol work? In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird there are many symbols used, one of these is the Mockingbird symbol. The "mockingbirds" in the novel are Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. A quote, which comes up numerous times in the book, is "It is a sin to kill a Mockingbird." The symbol of the "mockingbirds" is used throughout the text when Scout ... says, "It's a sin to Kill A Mockingbird". This sets the reader up so when Tom Robinson does get killed the reader realises that Tom Robinson was ... 't change his ways." He owns land and has money. He has made it a...

• Word Count: 888
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... children many lessons and experiences. The author uses irony to insert humor in her book. Through symbols, this book relates many people and events. There are many symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird. In this story the mockingbird symbolizes Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. A mockingbird does nothing but sing beautiful music. Tom and Boo were only trying to do the right thing, making the ... symbol. (276) Although symbolism is important, foreshadowing ties the whole story together. Foreshadowing occurs many times during To Kill a Mockingbird. An example of foreshadowing would be when Bob Ewell...

• Word Count: 314
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... book clubs as the best read: Reader's Digest Condensed Books, the Literary Guild, and Book-of-the-Month Club. To Kill a Mockingbird also sold more than two and a half million copies within one year of publication and had of 14 different printings. Although the title To ... that carries a great deal of symbolic weight in the book in three different ways. In the story to kill a mockingbird is a representation of innocents destroyed by evil, the "mockingbird" comes to represent the idea of innocence. Therefore, to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Throughout the book, a number of...

• Word Count: 372
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... he hasn't been treated correctly. Mrs Dubose does all she can to obtain freedom in death; she is fighting an uphill battle of drug addiction. To Kill a Mockingbird cannot be a bleak novel if the reader is learning from the text. Tom's death was a total devastation in the novel. It brought sadness over ... Maycomb county and every reader to ever pick up To Kill a Mockingbird. The tragic loss of life was amplified by the fact that Tom Robinson was totally and clearly innocent. Yet Tom was thrown in jail or raping ... trying to escape that jail which he was wrongfully imprisoned in, shot in...

• Word Count: 751
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... main characters, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, are compared to mockingbirds. A mockingbird represents someone or something that only helps people and does not cause harm to anyone. To Kill A Mockingbird illustrates how it is a sin to kill a mockingbird by the examples of Tom Robinson and Boo Radely's life choices and their ... willingness to help others. The novel demonstrates the metaphor of how Tom Robinson is a considered a mockingbird and one can only be inclined to ... the system of their society. Both Mr. Underwood's editorial and Scout's childhood thoughts show why Tom Robinson i...

• Word Count: 716
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely an excellent novel in that it portrays life and the role of racism in the 1930's. A reader may not interpret several aspects ... upset with Mrs. Caroline. Scout learns several other lessons. For example, on page 94, Atticus says his most important line in the book, " remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Through clarifications from Mrs. Maudie, Scout accepts her father's words. Atticus also teaches his kids a lesson when he defends Tom Robinson, an innocent black person. Although Atticus knew ... 's black church accepted the children. Atticus has prob...

• Word Count: 1057
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... wrong to become upset with Mrs. Caroline. Scout learns several other lessons. For example, on page 94, Atticus says his most important line in the book, " remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Through clarifications from Mrs. Maudie, Scout accepts her father's words. Atticus also teaches his kids a lesson when he defends Tom Robinson, an innocent black person. Although Atticus knew from the ... that Cal's black church accepted the children. Atticus has probably built a better name for his family than Aunt Alexandria would have, had she lived with the Finches. Before reading To Kil...

• Word Count: 1124
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... the novel, and how does this symbol work? In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird there are many symbols used, one of these is the Mockingbird symbol. The "mockingbirds" in the novel are Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. A quote, which comes up numerous times in the book, is "It is a sin to kill a Mockingbird." The symbol of the "mockingbirds" is used throughout the text when Scout ... says, "It's a sin to Kill A Mockingbird". This sets the reader up so when Tom Robinson does get killed the reader realises that Tom Robinson was ... 't change his ways." He owns land and has money. He has made it a...

• Word Count: 884
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... book clubs as the best read: Reader's Digest Condensed Books, the Literary Guild, and Book-of-the-Month Club. To Kill a Mockingbird also sold more than two and a half million copies within one year of publication and had of 14 different printings. Although the title To ... that carries a great deal of symbolic weight in the book in three different ways. In the story to kill a mockingbird is a representation of innocents destroyed by evil, the "mockingbird" comes to represent the idea of innocence. Therefore, to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Throughout the book, a number of...

• Word Count: 363
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... u can hit "em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" "(Lee 90), Harper Lee wrote. The author is showing how it is extremely sinful to kill a mockingbird. Different characters in the story, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee are symbolized as "mockingbirds". The attributes of a mockingbird are shown in three characters in the story, Tom Robinson, ... Arthur "Boo" Radley, and Mayella Ewell. First of all, Tom Robinson is one of the three who is much like a mockingbird ... Tom's personality reflects on the characteristics of mockingbirds, which is why Tom was signified as one. Se...

• Word Count: 675
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... Scout is the wise one but is young and innocent. Boo is the savior but he is initially feared. The most important theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is the one of good and evil. It explores whether people are either good or evil. In the beginning of the story the kids think ... force the children to learn things, which does not work because she doesn't understand the personal needs of each child. The last major theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is social structure. This theme is explored greatly without being too obvious. The Finches, who are apparently well off, are in the upper-class, the ....

• Word Count: 1026
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

A reader doesn't ever know what the title means until quite late in "To Kill a Mockingbird." Mockingbirds are never even directly quoted by a character until almost halfway through the book. This is when Atticus says "I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back ... yard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." This is the first and one of the only times a character directly talks about mockingbirds. There are two main characters that symbolize the ... as well as many characters in the book ver...

• Word Count: 533
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... title "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is the representation of the most meaningful statement produced in the novel. A mockingbird is a harmless bird that makes the world more pleasant with its song. In the novel, the mockingbird symbolises Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, who were both peaceful people who never did any harm. To kill or harm ... up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do but one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." In the beginning of the story, Boo was unknown by most people. The children, (Scout, Jem an...

• Word Count: 816
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... /graphical irony. Lee and Satrapi both use a child's first-person perspective in their texts to challenge commonly held values and beliefs of the intolerant public society. In To Kill a Mockingbird Scout witnesses racial intolerance towards African Americans as well as gender and social inequality in the broader society. Marji, the protagonist in Persepolis experiences religious intolerance and oppression, and ... as with Scout, encounters examples of gender and social inequality. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Dill cries about the unjust way African Americans are treated, "Let him get a litt...

• Word Count: 1031
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... /graphical irony. Lee and Satrapi both use a child's first-person perspective in their texts to challenge commonly held values and beliefs of the intolerant public society. In To Kill a Mockingbird Scout witnesses racial intolerance towards African Americans as well as gender and social inequality in the broader society. Marji, the protagonist in Persepolis experiences religious intolerance and oppression, and ... as with Scout, encounters examples of gender and social inequality. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Dill cries about the unjust way African Americans are treated, "Let him get a litt...

• Word Count: 1031
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... agree with this? Courage is the quality of mind that enables one to face danger with confidence, resolution, and gain a firm control of oneself. Many of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird showed courage in their own way. Courage can come in many different forms: physical, mental, emotional and moral. Courage is not the only main theme displayed in To ... Kill a Mockingbird; prejudice and education are also very important themes exhibited throughout the progression of the novel. Through the eyes of Scout Finch, a bright, sensitive and intelligent little girl, these themes of ... a...

• Word Count: 1064
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... gossip about Tom, Atticus, and Boo, and the mob because they arrive at the jail house intending to kill Tom, but is turned away by Atticus, Mr. Underwood, and the children. The Mockingbird was also mentioned at four important times during the book. When Jem and Atticus discuss Jem' gun, ... Bob Ewell fell on his own knife. When Jem is given his gun, is the first time the mockingbird is mentioned, and because Jem is advised to kill blue jays, but spare the mockingbird. This can be interpreted as advice for Jem to fight against injustice and, but never to attack those ... who are innocent...

• Word Count: 585
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... early 1960s was perfect for Harper Lee's novel of Southern racial injustice, To Kill a Mockingbird. This book represents the prejudice and injust and as civil rights violence exploded on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line. With the ... ways. She also has a newfound respect for her father, who had obviously learned the same lesson many years before. The most important character in To Kill a Mockingbird is Scout Finch, the young daughter of Atticus Finch. She is intelligent, inquisitive, and sensitive about the world around her. Because Scout is somewhat of ... should be afraid of, but ...

• Word Count: 683
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... a reader to spend time and reflect upon issues the author presents. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee describes the concerns that arose in her life, which taught her lessons about life in general. These lessons develop into her themes. In To Kill A Mockingbird, one of the major theme statements is, "hypocrisy and prejudice are hard to ... detect in one's own behavior." An additional theme reflects back to the title of the novel, "it is a sin to kill a mockingbird." The final theme, which Atticus Finch uses as the basis for his life, " the best way to understand a person is "to stand ...

• Word Count: 673
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... white man's daughter. A racist, all-white jury convicts the innocent Robinson, despite Finch's heroic and impassioned defense. Harper Lee's message about fairness in To Kill a Mockingbird is that societies views and actions towards a person, are based on their skin color, who they are, and their personal image. This is shown through ... the characters Tom, Jem, and Scout. The theme of fairness in To Kill a Mockingbird broadens to a further extent than just the situation of racial discrimination between the blacks and the whites. Although, the racial discrimination mainly towards the blac...

• Word Count: 1230
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... is now frowned upon and not very common at all. Minorities are now not rejected in today's world, and are accepted like any other person. Racism in "To Kill A Mockingbird" is very common, and it is an important part in the story. Racism is shown by the Caucasian's in Maycomb against the African-Americans in many different ways like ... that the racism in the book is very heavy and even the police officers will keep their emotions guiding their actions and not their brain. Innocence in "To Kill A Mockingbird" is shown throughout the book various times. Dill shows his act of innocence in ...

• Word Count: 1051
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... Robinson. She learns to notice the goodness in people and tries to block out the evil. The best passage in this book was, "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," ... 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." The reader likes this quote because it tells why hurt or kill something that does good in the world and tries to make every ones life more enjoyable. This was a good book. It...

• Word Count: 656
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School