To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee uses a mockingbird in the title because of its symbolism. A mockingbird is innocent and harmless and beautiful, so why kill something like that for pure joy? During the novel, the mocking bird continues to reappear as a sign of beauty and love. In a way, Tom Robinson represents a mockingbird and Bob Ewell represents something like a crow that should be shot at for fun if it stands for deception, hate, and ignorance. Tom Robinson was shot 17 times because he wanted freedom and a better life, Bob Ewell had a free life and took it for granted. I think that Atticus is trying to teach Scout and Jem that life is precious and that nothing should be taken for granted; also he wants them to know that not everything is how it appears. A mockingbird appears to be a bird that there is a lot of, however in reality it's a sign of beauty. Just as Boo Radley seemed to be scary and weird because he never left his house, he saved their lives even though he knew they made fun of him. Scout definetly learned this lesson by the end of the novel because she saw Boo's life from the perspective of his porch and realized that not everything is as it seemed. Also, both Scout and Jem learned their lessons when they felt the pain of Tom Robinson being found guilty and seeing the injustice there is in the world and that there is in fact different types of people, types that they have no control over and are labled at birth.