Symbolism

1
Symbolism

• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Mockingbirds
• Mad dog
• Flowers (Camellias and Geraniums)
• Names
• Knothole gifts
• Pocket watch
• Snowman

2
The Mockingbird

• A creature that should never be killed because it
  is harmless and even provides song for the
  enjoyment of others.
• Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are basically
  blameless individuals who are at the mercy of
  society, yet society is cruel to Boo and
  ultimately Tom is murdered.

3
The Mockingbird

• The symbol of the mockingbird also points to
  Scout, both as an innocent child and as the
  grown-up narrator who sings a song in telling
  the story.
• Both Boo and Tom are discriminated against in
  Maycomb when they are, in fact, harmless, kind
  and gentle people.

4
The Mockingbird

• Bluejays, on the other hand, are considered to be
  the bullies of the bird world. They are very
  loud, territorial, and aggressive.

5
The Mockingbird

• In the first part of the novel, Atticus tells the
  children that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird
• In the second part of the novel, Mr. Underwood
  writes in an editorial that it was a sin to kill
  cripples and he likens Toms death to the
  senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and
  children.
• When Heck Tate decides that he will not arrest
  (or publicly praise) Boo for killing Bob Ewell
  and that Bobs death would be presented as an
  accident, Atticus asks Scout if she understood
  the meaning of this decision. She replies saying
  she did Well, itd be sort of like killing a
  mockingbird, wouldnt it?

6
The Mockingbird

• The mockingbird is a bird that has no song of its
  own it just imitates other birds. Therefore it
  makes itself present by being seen through other
  birds
• Tom has never done anything wrong he only works
  hard and tries to be a good man by helping
  others this is his song.
• Dill could have been a mockingbird, but his place
  in and acceptance by the Finch family saves him
  from persecution.

7
The Mockingbird

• As Atticus cross-examines Mayella, he is clearly
  disturbed by the methods he has to use to save
  Toms life. He must hurt a helpless creature who
  is doing the best she can in a battle she lost at
  birth.
• Mayella is a mockingbird of sorts and Atticus
  must target her in order to defend Tom. Atticus
  recognises that Mayella is a victim of cruel
  poverty and ignorance.
• However, she is not entirely a helpless victim as
  she is hurting another person to save herself.
  (ch 18)

8
The Mockingbird

• The black community, being helpless under the
  white control of southern society, can also be
  seen as a potential mockingbird.
• Just prior to the announcement of the verdict,
  Lee recalls the atmosphere in the courtroom,
  which reminded her of a time when the
  mockingbirds were still (232)
• Scout tells Dill and Dolphus Raymond that,
  Atticus says cheatin a colored man is ten times
  worse than cheatin a white manits the worst
  thing you can do. (ch 20)

9
The Mockingbird

• Jem scolds Scout for hurting a roly-poly
  Because they dont bother you.
• Helen Robinson, upon hearing of Toms murder,
  just fell down in the dirt. Just fell down in
  the dirt like a giant with a big foot just came
  along and stepped on herLike youd step on an
  ant.
• Mr. Ewell speaks of Tom Robinson, Judge Taylor,
  and Atticus Finch as if they are less than human
  One down and about two more to go. (ch 25)

10
The Mockingbird

• Reference to the Holocaust in Germany
  persecution of Jews the only difference is that
  Miss Gates is compassionate about them. (ch 26)

11
The Mad Dog

• The madness of Maycombs racial prejudices.
• Bob Ewell can be seen as a mad dog because he
  does not think rationally and his prejudices and
  hatred consume him like a disease and spread
  through the town like a virus.
• Mad dogs usually go in a straight line
  according to Heck Tate. This symbolizes the
  dogmatic (stubborn) attitude of the people of
  Maycomb who are either too proud or too apathetic
  (lazy) to change their minds.

12
The Mad Dog

• Tim Johnson is probably infected with a
  contagious disease such as rabies and so hes
  just as dangerous dead as alive.
• Heck Tate says about Bob Ewell there are just
  some kind of men you have to shoot before you can
  say howdy to 'em.
• Atticus is the only one in the community who can
  kill the dog (Tim Johnson) and put it out of its
  misery, while also protecting his children and
  neighbours from the threat posed by this rabid
  dog.

13
The Mad Dog

• Therefore, Atticus can be seen as the only one
  who can help Maycomb see the error of its ways
  and try to bring peace to the racial conflict and
  putting that mad dog down.
• Atticus can be interpreted as the hero who
  destroys the evil he stops the disease of
  prejudice from spreading further.
• When the jury returns, Scout knows they will
  return a guilty verdict before the decision is
  read I saw something only a lawyer's child
  could be expected to see, could be expected to
  watch for, and it was like watching Atticus walk
  into the street, raise a rifle to his shoulder
  and pull the trigger, but watching all the time
  knowing that the gun was empty. A jury never
  looks at a defendant it has convicted, and when
  this jury came in, not one of them looked at Tom
  Robinson (ch 21).

14
The Mad Dog The Mob (ch 15)

• The Mad Dog is impervious to reason is diseased
  and mindlessly pursues a path from which he
  cannot deviate is unable to recognize those
  humans he would normally be friendly to
• Anonymity is the driving force behind all mob
  action as soon as a single human being is drawn
  out of the dark, the power lessens.

15
The Mad Dog The Mob (ch 15)

• The first group to speak to Atticus is ch. 15 do
  so in the daylight at his home the children
  recognize them and they are seen as individuals.
  Both Atticus and the men attempt to reason with
  each other.
• Like the dog, the mob at the jail cell is intent
  on one purpose like the dog, Atticus cannot use
  his normal weapons (his mind and his words).
  Instead, violence may once again have been the
  only option (Mr. Underwood who happened to be
  one of the men at his home).

16
The Mad Dog The Mob (ch 16)

• Scout sees the parallel between the mad dog and
  mob and she cries the morning after. This
  signifies a self-taught lesson for the first time
  in the novel.
• Later, Atticus reinforces this when he says, So
  it took an eight-year-old child to bring 'em to
  their senses.... That proves something - that a
  gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply
  because they're still human.  Hmp, maybe we need
  a police force of children

17
FlowersCamellias Snow-on-the-Mountains

• The camellia is a state flower of Alabama
  symbolically Jem attempts to destroy the
  prejudice of the people of Alabama.
• This is not an easy task. Mrs. Dubose taunts,
  Thought you could kill my Snow-on-the-Mountain,
  did you? the tops growing back out. Next
  time youll know how to do it right, wont you?
  Youll pull it up by the roots, wont you

18
Flowers Camellia Snow-on-the-Mountain

• In order to combat prejudice, one must tackle the
  root of the problem, the attitudes planted in the
  minds of people for many generations.
• Pulling roots is far more difficult than cutting
  the tops off of the flowers, symbolizing the
  difficulty of destroying prejudice.
• The camellias represent courage, tolerance, and
  patience for both Jem and Mrs. Dubose.

19
Flowers Geraniums

• The red geraniums in Mayellas yard are symbolic
  of her yearning for a better life and to be more
  than she is perceived to be (188, 197).
• In a decaying house, Mayellas flowers seem out
  of place. If they were not so common, they would
  belong better in Miss Maudies yard since such
  flowers need to be taken care of with love
  which is absent from the Ewell home.

20
Names

• Bird references FINCH, ROBINson
• A scout is someone who goes in front of a group
  of people to see what lies ahead. Scout Finch
  goes ahead of the others (her peers and even some
  adults) to realize the perils of racism. A
  perfect name for an inquisitive, curious child
• Jem gem jewel, something rare, precious,
  valuable gemstones shine

21
Names

• Tom Robinson an allusion to the literary
  character Uncle Tom.
• Bob Ewell (Robert E. Lee Ewell) Confederate
  general Robert E. Lee. There was also another
  Civil War leader by the name of General Richard
  Ewell. Bob Ewell represents racism and the Old
  South.
• Atticus derivation of the name of Roman
  philosopher who was known for being impartial in
  arguments.

22
Knothole gifts

• Gum
• Indian head pennies
• Twine
• Soap dolls
• Spelling medal
• Pocket watch
• Knife

23
Importance of Knothole

• The knothole is a source of communication
• Boo communicates with JS by leaving gifts in the
  tree since he cant go outside
• The kids fantasize about him
• He is trying to give them small pieces of himself
• Each gift gives them a little more insight into
  Boo as a person.

24
Nathan Cements the Tree -cements the end of the
friendship -cements that Jem will never thank
him -cements Boos imprisonment
25

• Before the rumors ever started, the Radleys were
  discriminated against because they kept to
  themselves they did not go to church, Maycombs
  principal recreation, but worshipped at home
  Mrs. Radley seldom if ever crossed the street for
  midmorning coffee break with her neighbors and
  certainly never joined a missionary circle.
• Because of the Radleys isolated ways, there were
  unknown to the townspeople and were often the
  topic of spiteful gossip.
• After his father dies, Nathan is in charge.
• Because he was locked away for thirty years,
  Arthur suffered more than mental damage he was
  robbed of his childhood and his future

26

• The tree that Nathan describes as dying might
  symbolize the Radley family tree diseased by
  Mr. Radleys cruelty towards Boo.
• He (Mr. Nathan) might also view the family tree
  as diseased b/c of Arthur his perceived mental
  illness is the knothole / disease in the tree.
• Atticus (reasonable and nonjudgmental) does not
  see Boo as diseased, nor does he see the
  knothole as a symptom of a disease.
• The cement covers up the imperfection in the
  family.

27
Symbolism The Snowman

• It was the first snowstorm of Maycomb County
  since 1885
• Because there was only a feeble layer of soggy
  snow (92), Jem Scout had to find other
  materials to build a snowman. With earth, Jem
  then scooped up some snow and began plastering
  it on (95).
• This snowman symbolizes the fact that the only
  way for humans to succeed in building
  civilization is for its races to work together.

28
Symbolism The Snowman

• The dark earth blacks, but as Scout says,
  Whoever heard of a nr snowman?
• Jem then puts white snow over the foundation of
  earth the whites are on top/ they dominate
• Without snow, the snowman would not be true to
  its name
• Without earth, it would be a puny lump of snow
• The more we work together, the more we can
  accomplish

29
Symbolism The Snowman

• The foundation of the South was laid by the hard
  work of the blacks slaves worked to the make
  the plantations thrive.
• Without the strength of their labor, there would
  be no South as it appears in TKaM without the
  mud, there would be no snowman.
• Snow vs Fire

30
Pocket Watch

• From Boo Radley
• Jem feels that he is grown up and carries this
  pocket watch to symbolise how he feels he has
  matured. This is unacknowledged by those around
  him
• From Atticus (67)
• When he is allowed to keep the pocket watch from
  Atticus this symbolises a passing on of family
  values and Atticus acknowledgement of Jems
  maturity