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Mockingbird Essay
Mockingbird Essay
Block:
6/14/11
Authors often use symbols so they can represent an overall theme or the
novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, which is about the Finch family living in Maycomb in
the 1930’s surrounded by racism. Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, defends a black
man named Tom Robinson in a rape case. Atticus teaches his children that killing a
wrongfully hurt. Kind actions and innocents do not save all of the characters in the
book from being harmed. A mockingbird symbolizes the characters that are
First of all, Tom Robinson is blamed for raping Mayella Ewell. The truth is
that Tom did not actually commit this crime. He is a kind and generous man who
helps people when in need. Tom was invited inside to help Mayella but was later on
blamed for her injuries and the rape incident. Tom is symbolized as a mockingbird
because he is innocent and benevolent but is wrongly hurt by being blamed for
raping Mayella. The trail he is forced into has Tom bound to lose, which leads to him
being sentenced to death. Atticus says, “’In our courts, when it’s white man’s word
against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are facts
of life’” (251-252). Atticus talks about how a black man’s word will never win
against a white man’s in their society. He is referring to Tom Robinson’s trial and
how he has no chance of winning just because Tom is a black man going up against a
white man, Mr. Ewell. Tom Robinson is portrayed as a mockingbird because he had
done nothing wrong, but is blamed for something he didn’t do, which leads to a
death sentence.
He is accused of doing many wrongful actions, all of which are rumors and not true.
The town of Maycomb thinks of Boo as a monster and a crazy out of control person,
when he is actually a kind man that chooses to do the correct things. Boo lives in
solitude inside his house and doesn’t come out due to all of the negative attention he
will receive. Mr. Tate says, “’…Mr. Finch, taking the one man who’s done you and this
town a great service an’ draggin’ him with is shy ways into the limelight – to me,
that’s a sin’” (317). Mr. Tate tells Atticus that it would not be right to tell everyone
that Boo has saved his children because it could cause Boo to receive much
unwanted attention that he is not used to. Boo Radley did the right thing, saving
Scout and Jem, and Heck Tate thinks he deserves to stay in privacy. Mr. Tate decides
to hide that Boo saves the children to prevent him from going into the limelight. Boo
is symbolized as a mockingbird that has not been wrongfully hurt. Throughout the
book, many people thought of Boo as a “monster”. Boo Radley, an innocent and
start, however the people of Maycomb decide to hurt him wrongfully by spreading
rumors.
Another character portrayed as a mockingbird is Atticus Finch. He is a man
who only wants to help others, but the town of Maycomb does not understand that
helping Tom Robinson with his trial is not wrong. Atticus is like a Mockingbird
because he tries to help Tom, but is put down by the people of Maycomb. He does
good deeds for the town and still he ends up wrongfully hurt. Mr. Tate says, “Don’t
like to contradict you, Mr. Finch- wasn’t crazy- mean as hell. Low-down skunk with
enough liquor in him to make him brave enough to kill children” (308). Mr. Tate tells
Atticus that Bob Ewell tries to kill Scout and Jem for revenge. Atticus embarrassed
Bob Ewell when Atticus proved Bob was a liar in front the entire town during Tom
Robinson’s trial. Mr. Ewell wanted to hurt and kill Scout and Jem with a switchblade
for revenge. As he tries to attack the children, Boo Radley kills Bob before he
manages to hurt Scout and Jem. Trying to win the case is a good deed Atticus had
been persistent with. He tries his best and Bob Ewell wanted to get revenge on him
by killing his children. Atticus portrays as a mockingbird because all of the good
Robinson, Boo Radley, and Atticus are characters that are portrayed as
mockingbirds. They have all shown they are kind people but harmed wrongfully at
times. There are many kind people in this world, but some either accused of a crime
or wrongfully hurt.