KidLit Forum

It is the main symbol in Lee’s book. It is a synonym for INNOCENCE. Killing the mockingbird means killing innocence and it is connected to one of the characters, Tom, he’s prosecuted, even if innocent. Boo Radley is a mockingbird – a solitary “mockingbird” that saves children from death.
There are also other instances when the symbolism of the bird (especially the mockingbird) occurs:
- The name Finch – also the name of a bird
- Atticus accepts the fact that Scout and Jem kill birds, but he refuses to teach them how to shoot (in chapter 10) – here the title is explained when Atticus tells them “remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”. Miss Maudie also explains: “mockingbird don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us”
- Mockingbirds = black people – Atticus defends Tom, who is black; Scout and Jem find out that Atticus was nicknamed One-Shot Finch when he was little, but now he refuses to shoot birds anymore. Miss maudie again explains: “I think maybe he put his gun down when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things”.
- During the trial Mayella says that Atticus is MOCKING her, because he repeats everything she says (the word is used cleverly because mockingbirds repeat the sounds they hear) – but here Tom is the mockingbird “killed” by the "cat” (Mayella)