1. in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Symbolism in
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee

2. Mockingbirds Never kill Harmless Entertaining
A creature that should never be killed because it is harmless and even provides song for the enjoyment of others.
Never kill
Harmless
Entertaining

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

4. The Mockingbird’s Song
Imitates
Seen through others
Tom
Boo
Scout
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.
The symbol of the mockingbird points to Scout, both as an innocent child and as the grown-up narrator who “sings a song” in telling the story.

5. Another Mockingbird? Mayella Atticus must sin Not without sin (ch. 18)
As Atticus cross-examines Mayella, he is clearly disturbed by the methods he has to use to save Tom’s 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 kill her. However, she is not entirely a helpless victim as she is hurting another person to save herself. (ch 18)

6. Another Mockingbird
“Atticus says cheatin’ a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin’ a white man… it’s the worst thing you can do.” –Scout (ch. 20)
The black community helpless under white control of southern society = mockingbird.
Scout tells Dill and Dolphus Raymond that, “Atticus says cheatin’ a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin’ a white man…it’s the worst thing you can do.” (ch 20)

7. The Mad Dog “[They] usually go in a straight line” –Heck Tate (ch. 10)
Maycomb’s usual disease
Bob Ewell
Mad dogs “usually go in a straight line” according to Heck Tate. This symbolizes the stubborn attitude of the people of Maycomb who are either too proud or too lazy to change their minds.
The mad dog (or the mad dog’s rabies) symbolize racial prejudices, or racism.
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.

8. The Cure Atticus—the Hero Tim Johnson Maycomb
Atticus is the only one present at the time (Tim Johnson) that can kill the dog and put it out of its misery.
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 is the hero who destroys the evil: he stops the disease of prejudice from spreading further.

9. The Mob Cannot be reasoned with Mindlessly pursues path
Anonymity = security
Innocence
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.

10. The Mob Scout’s realization A violent solution?
“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” –Atticus (ch. 16)
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).
Scout sees the parallel between the mad dog and mob and she cries the morning after. She just taught herself something 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” (ch. 16)

11. Flowers
Camellias or Snow-on-the-Mountain
Geraniums

12. Camellias Getting to the root of the problem Courage Tolerance
Patience
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.

13. Geraniums Mayella Better life People’s perceptions
The geraniums in Mayella’s yard are symbolic of her yearning for a better life and to be more than she is perceived to be.
In a decaying house, Mayella’s flowers seem out of place. If they were not so common, they would belong better in Miss Maudie’s yard since such flowers need to be taken care of with love – which is not evident in the Ewell home.

14. Names Birds Scout Jem Finch Robinson 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 precious and valuable.

15. Names Tom Robinson Atticus Uncle Tom’s Cabin Just and unbiased
Tom Robinson: literary character Uncle Tom and the novel’s main symbolic motif.
Atticus: derivation of the name of Roman philosopher who was known for being impartial in arguments.

16. Names Mayella Violet Bob Ewell Yellow Violent Robert E. Lee
Mayella Violet Ewell:
Mayella: evokes the word “yellow”, a slang word for coward (coward for refusing to recant her false accusation of rape.
Violet – derivation of violent (victim of her father’s violence)
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.

17. The Knothole Communication Gifts of childhood Cement
The knothole is a source of communication
Boo communicates with J&S by leaving gifts in the tree since he can’t go outside
Gum, Indian head pennies, Twine, Soap dolls, Spelling medal, Pocket watch and chain, Knife
He is trying to give them small pieces of himself
Each gift gives them a little more insight into Boo as a person.
When Nathan cements the tree it cements the end of the friendship
Cements that Jem will never thank him
Cements Boo’s imprisonment

18. The Tree The Radley family cruelty toward Boo Boo’s “illness”
The tree that Nathan describes as dying might symbolize the Radley family tree – diseased by Mr. Radley’s 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.
Because he was locked away for thirty years, Arthur suffered more than mental damage; he was robbed of his childhood and his future.

19. The Snowman Mud on the bottom Snow on the top Key to success for
civilization?
Work together
This snowman symbolizes the fact that the only way for humans to succeed in building civilization is for its races to work together.
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 TKM
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