To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee. The novel was published in 1960 and won the Pulitzer Prize. To Kill A Mockingbird is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930s. The novel centers on the Finch family: Atticus, a white lawyer; his daughter Scout; and his son Jem. The story focuses on Atticus’s defense of a black man accused of raping a white woman.
To Kill A Mockingbird is widely considered to be one of the greatest novels of all time. It has been praised for its realism, its insight into human nature, and its use of literary devices such as symbolism and allegory.
Symbolism is used extensively throughout To Kill A Mockingbird. One of the most important symbols in the novel is the mockingbird. The mockingbird symbolizes innocence and purity. Atticus Finch tells his children that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they don’t do anything but sing beautiful songs.
The character of Boo Radley is also symbolic. He represents the idea of human goodness and innocence. Although he is feared by many of the townspeople, he ultimately shows himself to be a kind and compassionate person.
Allegory is also used in To Kill A Mockingbird. The trial of Tom Robinson is an allegory for the racial injustice that was prevalent in America at the time. By showing how an innocent man can be convicted simply because of the color of his skin, Harper Lee highlights the injustice of racism.
To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel that is still relevant today. Its themes of racial injustice, innocence, and human goodness are just as important now as they were when the novel was first published.
Writing a novel allows an author to explore their creativity and communicate their perspective on different subjects matter with imagination. For example, “To Kill A Mockingbird” is autobiography elements within the context of fiction create a brilliant story.
In addition, the author also manages to reflect some of the real-life issues during that particular period of time in America through the usage of literary elements and devices.
One of the most obvious literary element used in the novel is symbolism. The title “To Kill A Mockingbird” itself is a symbol which foreshadows the main plot of the story about racial injustice. In other words, an innocent black man was convicted for a crime he did not commit because of his skin colour despite having enough evidence to prove his innocence.
Furthermore, Harper Lee uses mockingbirds as a motif throughout the novel as they are known for their beauty and innocence. The characters who were killed unjustly like Tom Robinson and Bob Ewell can be seen as the mockingbirds.
Apart from that, Harper Lee also makes use of foreshadowing to hint at what is going to happen next in the novel. For example, when Atticus tells Jem and Scout not to kill any mockingbirds because it’s a sin, it is actually an indication that someone is going to be killed unjustly later on in the story.
Moreover, Harper Lee also employs irony extensively in her novel. The most prominent example would be the trial scene where everyone knows that Tom Robinson is innocent except for the jury who convicts him anyway. Another example of irony would be when Atticus says that it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird but in the end, he kills one himself- Bob Ewell.
The timeless themes in Harper Lee’s novel are just as relevant today as they were when the book was first published. Through the character of Jean Louise Finch, better known as Scout, Harper Lee gives readers an intriguing account of her own childhood growing up in the South.
The novel is based in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the 1930s. To Kill a Mockingbird presents the events surrounding the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of rape by a white woman. The story is told from the perspective of Scout Finch, who lives with her father Atticus and brother Jem in Maycomb. As children growing up, they are constantly exposed to the racism that exists in their small town. Despite this, Atticus teaches his children to treat everyone equally and to never judge a person based on their skin color.
The literary elements and devices used Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird are essential to understand in order to fully appreciate the novel. Some of these include symbols, themes, and motifs.
One of the symbols used in To Kill a Mockingbird is the mockingbird. The mockingbird is a symbol of innocence. In the novel, Atticus tells Scout and Jem that it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird because they only sing for the joy of others. This is significant because Tom Robinson is convicted even though he is innocent. The trial itself is symbolic of the racism that exists in Maycomb. Even though Atticus believes that Tom is innocent, the all-white jury finds him guilty because of the color of his skin.
A theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is courage. Atticus shows courage throughout the novel by defending Tom Robinson, even though he knows that he will probably lose the case. Tom Robinson also shows courage when he takes the stand to testify, even though he knows that he will probably be convicted because of his skin color.
A motif in To Kill a Mockingbird is prejudice. Prejudice is shown throughout the novel in many different ways. The most obvious example is the racism that exists in Maycomb. Blacks are not treated equally to whites and are often looked down upon. Another example of prejudice is when Scout and Jem are teased by kids at school because their father is defending a black man.
The dictionary defines a theme as “the fundamental and often universal idea explored in a literary work” (Ward, 2002). In To Kill A Mockingbird, one of the most significant themes is upholding goodness. At first glance, the reader might be wondering about the connection between the title and plot of the novel. However, upon further exploration it becomes clear that the title is actually a symbolism used quite extensively throughout To Kill A Mockingbird.
It is also one of the most important literary devices in To Kill A Mockingbird. The novel is basically about Atticus Finch’s moral courage to defend an African American man, Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. To kill a mockingbird means to destroy innocence. Bystanders in the novel often refer to Robinson as “a mockingbird” because he only does good and never causes any harm (Lee, 1960).
Therefore, it would be a sin to kill him. In the end, although Robinson is found guilty by the jury and is eventually killed while trying to escape from prison, his death represents the destruction of innocence in society (Kent, 2006). There are many other characters in To Kill A Mockingbird that can be considered as mockingbirds. For example, Miss Maudie Atkinson is a kind and generous lady who helps others without expecting anything in return (Lee, 1960).
She also shares her wisdom with the children in the neighbourhood, just like Atticus does. Bob Ewell is another character who represents the mockingbird theme in To Kill A Mockingbird. He is an evil man who beats his own daughter and lies about Robinson to get him into trouble (Lee, 1960). In the end, he gets what he deserves when he is killed by his own knife.
