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Sarah Mughannam
OConnor
Honors English 9
14 December 2015

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee the mockingbird is used as a symbol in
many particular ways. A mockingbird is a certain type of bird that does no harm to anybody,
sings beautifully, and is a perfect, no problem bird. The mockingbird can be seen as an innocent
character, who does not mean to come across as a problem. This essay will be describing which
characters connect to the metaphor, to be like a mockingbird.
One character that the mocking bird specifically demonstrates is Boo Radley. Boo Radley
was a character in particular that did not seem to be so much like a mockingbird throughout the
book until the very end. Boo was demonstrated as a scary boy, who was locked up in his house
and was almost sent to an asylum. Obviously this description of a boy may scare people but that
image of Boo changes in the eyes of Jem and Scout at the end of the book. Jem and Scout were
walking home from the Halloween Pageant and out of nowhere Bob Ewell attacks the children
but they were saved by Boo Radley. Bob Ewell is dead because Boo Radley knifed him but this
caused a case. After discussing what to do about the case Scout says Well. Id be sort of like
shootin a mockingbird, wouldnt it? (Lee 370). Scout is trying to say that it makes no sense to
put Boo in a situation where he could possibly go to jail for saving Jem and Scout. Scout thinks
it makes no sense for someone so innocent to be locked away.

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Another character that the mockingbird specifically demonstrates is Mayella Ewell. This
character may not be someone's first thought for something that relates to a mockingbird, but
Mayella is innocent. Mayella lied in the courtroom, covered for her father, was interested in a
black man, all for a reason. Well the being interested in a black man was not very typical at the
time, technically it was just an embarrassment, but she couldnt help it, one can not help who
they like. During the 1930s, a white woman interested in a black man was just unheard of which
caused Mayella to be looked down upon. Also lying in the courtroom, was for her fathers sake.
Her father beat her in disappointment of her interest in the black man and accused the black man
of beating his own daughter. Mayella was lectured upon how horrible it is to crush on a black
man and went along with the lie for her fathers sake not knowing what to do. During the case it
was very obvious that Mayella was having a hard time laying and controlling her emotions. One
page 240 it says Mayella stared at him and burst into tears. SHe covered her mouth with her
hands and sobbed. (Lee 240). This passage represents the struggle Mayella had having to lie in
the courtroom just for her fathers sake. The reason Mayella would be a perfect character to
represent the mockingbird is the amount of innocence she has and would she would do for
others. She was basically forced into lying for her father but the courage she had to go sit up in
the witness stand is amazing.
There are many different examples of who represents the mockingbird but I think Tom
Robinson represents it the best. Tom is a black man who was minding his own business until
Mayella lured him into her shed. Nothing happened because Tom did not allow it but the fact that
he was the one being convicted for the crime is absurd. Tom in the eyes of many is completely
innocent is being portrayed as guilty throughout the book. Tom Robinsons forehead relaxed.
Shed call me in, such. semed like everytime I passed by yoder shed have some little somethin
for me to do (Lee 58), this passage represents how calm Tom was about answering the

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question and not lying. A mockingbird provides wonderful music and is innocent, Tom provided
his best work and was completely innocent.
All these characters are unique in their own way and represent the mockingbird
differently. Tom represents the mockingbird dead on, Boo Radley represents the mockingbird
later in the story, and Mayellas representation of the mockingbird is controversial. All characters
provide something significant in the story and are somewhat innocent.

Works Cited:

Lee,Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. Grand Central Publishing. New York. 1960.