To Kill a Mockingbird: Analysis of symbolism.
To Kill a Mockingbird is not just a simple story of
growing up. This book contains metaphors and symbolism that greatly increase its literary value.
Mo
ckingbird The most important symbol in this story is probably the mockingbird. The theme of the mock
ingbird is shown in the title and throughout the rest of the book. After Scout and Jem received air
rifles for Christmas, their father Atticus said to them "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can
him 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."(p.129) Later, Miss Maudie explains that "M
ockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy."(p.129) Here we learn that the mockin
gbird is a harmless and pleasant creature. In the story, the mockingbird symbolizes two people: Arth
ur "Boo" Radley and Tom Robinson. Both are discriminated against in Maycomb, when they are, in fact,
gentle and kind people. People referred to Boo as "a malevolent phantom" and that "any stealthy sma
ll crimes committed in Maycomb were his work."(p.11) This hatred began as fear because the Radleys w
ere people who kept to themselves, and this act was "a predilection unforgivable in Maycomb"(p.13) I
n the end of the story, our opinion of Boo is changed completely as Scout overcomes her fear and dis
covers that Boo was really just a big child. Tom Robinson, on the other hand, was discriminated agai
nst because he was black. Even though it was clear that he was wrongfully accused, the jury could no
t vote in favour of a black man over two whites. "And so a quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had
the unmitigated temerity to 'fell sorry' for a white woman has had to put his word against two white
people's."(p.295) Lee uses the mockingbird frequently in the book, and with it reveals the sins of
prejudice that exists among people.
Cemented Knot-hole In a knot-hole of an oak tree at the edge of
the Radley property was where the Finch children often received gifts from Boo Radley. Scout and Je
m had found many surprises in it including gum, pennies, and an old spelling bee medal. In return, t
he children decided to write a short thank-you letter to him, and placed it inside the knot-hole. Th
e next day, someone had filled it with cement. This was the work of Mr. Nathan Radley, the brother o
f Boo. "Tree's dying" was what Nathan Radley told Jem. "You plug 'em with cement when they're sick."
(p.89) But according to Atticus, "the leaves, they're all green and full" and "that tree's as health
y as you are, Jem"(p.90) Nathan had probably discovered Boo's activities, so he decided to fill the
knot-hole with cement to stop him. This act symbolizes the alienation and miscommunication that resu
lts in misunderstanding. This applies especially to that of the Radleys from the rest of Maycomb Cou
nty. Before the rumours started, the Radleys were discriminated against because they "kept to themse
lves...they did not go to church, Maycomb's principal recreation, but worshipped at home; Mrs. Radle
y seldom if ever crossed the street for a mid-morning coffee break with her neighbors, and certainly
never joined a missionary circle."(p.12) After Arthur joined a gang as a teenager, Arthur was locke
d inside the house instead of being sent to a boarding school by his father to avoid embarrassment t
o the family. Because of the Radleys' isolated ways, they were unknown to the townspeople, and were
often the topic of spiteful gossip. After his father had died, his brother Nathan became in charge.
Because he was locked away for thirty years, Arthur had suffered more than mental damage. He was rob
bed of his childhood and his future.
Snowman It was the first snowstorm in Maycomb County since 188
5. Because there was only "a feeble layer of soggy snow"(p.92), Jem and Scout had to find other mate
rials to help build a snowman. With earth, Jem built the structure of the snowman. But who has ever
heard of a snowman built with soil? Jem then "scooped up some snow and began plastering it on"(p.95)
The snowman, though not as significant as the mockingbird, symbolizes the fact that the only way fo
r humans to succeed in building civilization is for its races to work together. The dark earth repre
sents black people, as Scout calls it a "nigger snowman"(p.94), and the snow symbolizes white people
, with which the creation "gradually...turned white"(p.95). Without snow, the snowman just would not
be true to its name, and without earth, it would probably be a puny clump of snow.
Mad Dog "Tim Jo
hnson was a liver-colored bird dog, the pet of Maycomb."(p.132) One day in February, as Jem and Scou
t went exploring with their air-rifles, they found Tim Johnson walking erratically but steadily towa
rds them. Immediately, their housekeeper Calpurnia had informed the rest of the neighborhood. Eventu
ally, Atticus shot him down. This dog is the symbol of the madness and prejudice of the South in the
1930s. It had not "galloped, leaped, and lunged at throats"(p.135), but was a slow, steady malice t
hat invaded the streets. According to Heck Tate, the sheriff, mad dogs "usually go in a straight lin
e"(p.135). This symbolizes the stubborn attitude of the people of Maycomb, who were either too proud
or too lazy to change their minds. Tim Johnson was probably infected with a contagious disease, suc
h as rabies, and so "he's just as dangerous dead as alive."(p.139) Here, Atticus was the hero who de
stroys the evil, and stops the disease of prejudice from spreading further.
Flowers Scout and Jem h
ated Mrs. Dubose. "If she was on the porch when we passed, we would be raked by her wrathful gaze,
subjected to ruthless interrogation regarding our behavior, and given a melancholy prediction on wha
t we would amount to when we grew up, which was always nothing."(p.142) One afternoon, in a fit of r
age, Jem used Scout's new twirling baton and flailed off all the tops off Mrs. Dubose's flower bushe
s. He was, of course, later punished by Atticus to read to the old woman every afternoon. Some of th
e flowers that Jem managed to cut were camellias and snow-on-the-mountains. The camellia is the stat
e flower of Alabama, and the act of cutting the flowers symbolizes Jem trying to destroy the prejudi
ce of the people of Alabama, or people in general. But this was not, and will never, be a simple tas
k. As Mrs. Dubose puts it, "Thought you could kill my Snow-on-the-Mountain, did you? ...the top's gr
owing back out. Next time you'll know how to do it right, won't you? You'll pull it up by the roots,
won't you?" This shows that in order to fight injustice we have to tackle the root of the problem,
which was the attitudes planted in the minds of people for many generations. Pulling roots is far ha
rder than cutting tops, which symbolizes the difficulty of destroying prejudice.
kill mockingbird a
nalysis symbolism kill mockingbird just simple story growing this book contains metaphors symbolism
that greatly increase literary value mockingbird most important symbol this story probably theme sho
wn title throughout rest book after scout received rifles christmas their father atticus said them s
hoot bluejays want remember kill later miss maudie explains that mockingbirds thing make music enjoy
here learn that harmless pleasant creature story symbolizes people arthur radley robinson both disc
riminated against maycomb when they fact gentle kind people people referred malevolent phantom steal
thy small crimes committed maycomb were work this hatred began fear because radleys were kept themse
lves predilection unforgivable maycomb opinion changed completely scout overcomes fear discovers rea
lly just child robinson other hand discriminated against because black even though clear wrongfully
accused jury could vote favour black over whites quiet respectable humble negro unmitigated temerity
fell sorry white woman word against white uses frequently book with reveals sins prejudice exists a
mong cemented knot hole knot hole tree edge radley property where finch children often received gift
s from radley scout found many surprises including pennies spelling medal return children decided wr
ite short thank letter placed inside knot hole next someone filled with cement work nathan brother t
ree dying what nathan told plug with cement when they sick according atticus leaves they green full
tree healthy nathan probably discovered activities decided fill cement stop symbolizes alienation mi
scommunication results misunderstanding applies especially radleys from rest county before rumours s
tarted radleys were discriminated because kept themselves church principal recreation worshipped hom
e seldom ever crossed street morning coffee break neighbors certainly never joined missionary circle
after arthur joined gang teenager arthur locked inside house instead being sent boarding school fat
her avoid embarrassment family isolated ways unknown townspeople often topic spiteful gossip after f
ather died brother became charge locked away thirty years suffered more than mental damage robbed ch
ildhood future snowman first snowstorm county since there only feeble layer soggy snow find other ma
terials help build snowman earth built structure snowman ever heard built soil then scooped some sno
w began plastering though significant symbolizes fact only humans succeed building civilization race
s work together dark earth represents black calls nigger snow white which creation gradually turned
without just would true name without earth would probably puny clump johnson liver colored bird febr
uary went exploring their rifles found johnson walking erratically steadily towards them immediately
their housekeeper calpurnia informed rest neighborhood eventually atticus shot down symbol madness
prejudice south galloped leaped lunged throats slow steady malice invaded streets according heck tat
e sheriff dogs usually straight line stubborn attitude either proud lazy change minds johnson infect
ed contagious disease such rabies dangerous dead alive here hero destroys evil stops disease prejudi
ce from spreading further flowers hated dubose porch when passed would raked wrathful gaze subjected
ruthless interrogation regarding behavior given melancholy prediction what amount grew which always
nothing afternoon rage used twirling baton flailed tops dubose flower bushes course later punished
read woman every afternoon some flowers managed camellias mountains camellia state flower alabama cu
tting flowers trying destroy alabama general will never simple task dubose puts thought could mounta
in growing back next time know right pull roots shows order fight injustice have tackle root problem
which attitudes planted minds many generations pulling roots harder than cutting tops difficulty de
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