Definition:
SYMBOL: In the simplest sense, a symbol is a concrete object that stands for or represents something
else beyond it—often something larger and more complex it; it is often an idea or a range of interrelated
ideas, attitudes, and practices. Within a given culture, some things are understood to be symbols and
sometimes a symbol can be understood across cultures which are defined as archetypal symbols.
However, some authors create their own symbols through a web of associations. So symbol may be
defined in a literary sense as a figure in which the vehicle- the image, activity, or concept used to
represent something else- a tenor.
Example:
“Shoot all the blue-jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee
90).
Bloom, Harold. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Chelsea House, 1996. Print.
Function:
In Harper Lee’s classic social drama novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, tells the story of two children, sister
Scout and brother Jem, and their childhood during three years in the midst of the Great Depresssion in
1930s Alabama. Lee portrays the life of young Scout through retrospective eyes. Scout remembers her
father’s warning when he says “remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 90). Having just received
her prized air rifle, she is eager to use it, but her caring father, Atticus, teaches her yet another valuable
lesson. The discussion of mockingbirds continues as Miss Maudie Atkinson (Scout’s neighbor) confirms,
“Your father’s right… Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their
hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 90) It is within this quote that readers
truly understand the title and symbolic significance of mockingbirds within the text.
The mockingbird is one of the most obvious symbols in the novel, mainly because it's in the title and
there's usually a picture of a mockingbird on the cover. In the novel, Scout and Jem learn that it's a sin to
kill a mockingbird, because mockingbirds don't do anything to harm other creatures and therefore should
never be harmed. In the novel, several characters can be symbolic mockingbirds. Tom Robinson, accused
of a crime he didn't truly commit, can be the top on that list. Tom's innocence stems from the fact that he
tried to help a fellow human being and ended up losing his life over it, all due to circumstances outside of
his control (like being black). Jem and Scout are also mockingbirds in the novel, in that they lose some of
their innocence due to their exposure to the evil in the world. Throughout the course of the novel, they
learn about cruelties in life: from Tom's trial to Dolphus Raymond's essential exile from white society to
the incidents with Bob Ewell toward the end of the novel. Ewell's attempt at killing the children is one
more example of their mockingbird status as well. Finally, Boo Radley is a mockingbird in this novel.
Though he had some not-so-innocent times in his past (like stabbing his father with a pair of scissors or
running around town with a "bad crowd"), the imprisonment he has lived with for years under the hands
of his parents and brother gives him mockingbird status in the novel. The way he has become a town
ghost story also shows the cruelty he faces from the people of Maycomb, whether they mean to be cruel
or not.
While literally Lee creates a dialogue about mockingbirds, readers can easily identify that these creatures
stand for innocence and goodness. Furthermore, Lee incorporates many “mockingbirds” within her text.
One can be identified as Boo Radley, the neighborhood recluse, who simply tries to give gifts to Scout
and her brother and protects them from danger throughout the novel. Another symbolic representation of
a mockingbird is portrayed through Tom Robinson, the black man wrongfully accused of rape. By taking
the innocence of these two characters, Lee shows that these mockingbirds are essentially killed in a sense.
Hence, her purpose is to demonstrate to the reader that the theme of this novel is the loss of innocence
people experience due to evil forces. Lee’s choice in symbolically representing characters as sweet
songbirds moves the reader to quickly sympathize, or even empathize, with the characters who lose their
innocence. Creating this symbolic representation within the novel allows the reader to make connections
to the larger theme, which is woven throughout. Also, since the plot and characters are loosely based on
the author's observations of her family and neighbors, it makes sense that Lee would use symbolism to
maintain anonymity of the people in her hometown.