To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird

Q. Who are the Mockingbirds in 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 a ‘mockingbird’. What the symbol is supposed to be showing is how innocent the mockingbirds are and this is done through the actions of the two acclaimed ‘mockingbirds’, Tom and Boo.

The quote mentioned above is really saying it is a sin to persecute the innocent. In this case Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are the innocent. The word sin is more than an offence or crime but more a moral c...