Why Is It A Sin To Kill A Mockingbird

534 Words3 Pages
Through looking at Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, there are several references to mockingbirds.While one could understand the fact that mockingbirds do no harm, many do not see what the sweet songbirds represent. The novel’s title may mislead readers, but in fact is an incredible metaphor that arises throughout the story. But what does the mockingbird symbolize, why is it a sin to kill them, and who represents a mockingbird in the book? What do mockingbirds symbolize? The bird is the manifestation of the idea of innocence. The bird does no harm and only sings for everyone to enjoy. On page 119 it states that they “Don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” This shows that a mockingbird is innocent because it does not destroy crops or nest in corncribs, everything they do is a positive. This representation is used throughout the book to characterize actions and people in society.…show more content…
On page 119 Atticus says “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” but why is it so. After analyzing and concluding that a mockingbird is in fact the idea of pure innocence, it can be concluded that killing a mockingbird is a sin because it would be killing innocence. While someone may not be able to destroy the idea of innocence, that which embodies it. The innocence of children and adults is corrupted by others and society. In the novel one example of innocence is the childish view that is presented by Scout on page 204 when she in forms Mr. Cunningham that entailments are bad. This is said without malintent, but instead is said simply because Scout thinks it is an appropriate conversation to have. This point now leads to the next part of the mockingbird
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