Answer Key: Symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird
Each of the following objects or characters has symbolic meaning in To Kill a Mockingbird. For each
symbol, choose an appropriate meaning from the box. Some symbols may have several meanings, but
you have to only list one. Also, you may decide that some symbols have the same meaning.
After you identify the meaning of the symbol, give specific evidence from the book for each of your
answers.
gentleness
friendship
authority
isolation
hypocrisy
boundaries
adulthood
independence
hatred
heritage
childhood
forgiveness
mystery
innocence
beauty
morals & values
1.
Symbol: knothole in oak tree
a. Meaning: friendship, gentleness,
b. Explanation: Boo uses the knothole to create a friendship with the children. This shows
that Boo is actually gentle and not the scary monster.
2. Symbol: Boo’s blanket
a. Meaning: gentleness, friendship, mystery
b. Explanation: This is another symbol of Boo reaching out to the children in friendship and
how he is actually gentle and friendly. It’s also a mystery for Scout since she doesn’t
know where the blanket came from.
3. Symbol: Atticus
a. Meaning: honor; morals & values
b. Explanation: Atticus is the character that the town pays its highest tribute to because
they trust that he will be honorable. He has clear cut morals & values and never wavers
despite what the town thinks of him.
4. Symbol: Mrs. Dubose’s camellias
a. Meaning: hatred and prejudice
b. Explanation: In a fit of rage towards Mrs. Dubose’s mean name calling and hatred, Jem
cuts off the head of the camellias, but as Mrs. Dubose says you can’t get rid of them that
way, you have to kill them by the roots just like hatred and prejudice grows deep and is
hard to kill.
5. Symbol: the camellia given to Jem by Mrs. Dubose
a. Meaning: forgiveness and thankfulness
b. Explanation: Mrs. Dubose gives the camellia as a gift to Jem to forgive him for trying to
destroy his flowers and to thank him for reading to her, which helped her conquer her
addiction.
6. Symbol: Scout’s overalls
a. Meaning: childhood, independence
b. Explanation: Even though Scout is a girl, she is very much a tomboy and she relishes her
independence and fights against growing up and becoming a lady. She especially does
not want to wear a dress symbolizing her desire to remain a child and not be a lady.
7. Symbol: ladies’ missionary circle
a. Meaning: hypocrisy
b. Explanation: The women are very concerned about the poor Africans in Africa, but they
are very prejudiced and racist towards the blacks in their own community. They are
complete hypocrites.
8. Miss Maudie’s azaleas
a. Meaning: beauty, heritage, strength
b. Explanation: Azaleas are known as a traditional Southern flower that needs to grow in
acidic soil similar to how the children are growing-up in the bitterness of the town.
Azaleas are strong flowers that re-bloom every year just like Miss Maudie “re-blooms”
after her house burns down.
9. Finch’s landing
a. Meaning: heritage
b. Explanation: The Finch family can trace their family back to Simon Finch of Finch’s
landing. This is where Atticus, Alexandra, Jack and even Calpurnia grew up. Alexandra,
who still lives at Finch landing, is especially concerned that the children know their
heritage.
10. Radley house
a. Meaning: isolation, mystery
b. Explanation: Boo is shut up in the house and is isolated from the rest of the town, but the
kids are extremely curious and consider the house a huge mystery. They keep trying to
“solve” the mystery and become obsessed with Boo and the house.
Part 2: Think of another character or object that is a symbol in the novel.
a. Symbol:____________________________
b. Meaning:______________________________________________________________________
c. Explanation:____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Part 3: The main symbol of the book is in the title. Explain how Boo and Tom are mockingbirds. Make
sure to use specific details and examples from the novel to support your answer.
We discussed this in class.