“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 103). This is not only the most well-known quote from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, it is also one of the most meaningful phrases that come from this book, along with “… Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 103). Every part of these two quotes connects to a lesson taught during the story of To Kill a Mockingbird. Mockingbirds are considered to be very innocent and delightful birds during this story. Miss Maudie goes about to say that …show more content…
Yes, it is true that mockingbirds make beautiful music, but this quote is much more than just that. The meaning of this quote goes further than just surface. This part of the quote is referencing to Tom Robinson helping others without expecting anything in return. Lee makes this clear on page 219 when she wrote, “No suh, not after she offered me a nickel the first time. I was glad to do it, Mr. Ewell didn’t seem to help her none, and neither did the chillun, and I knowed she didn’t have no nickels to spare,”. Tom Robinson is a selfless man that does things to make other people smile, alongside mockingbirds and their desire to make people …show more content…
When Atticus says, “I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after the birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit em…” he uses the bluejays as a reference to the bad people in Maycomb County (Lee 103). Atticus isn’t saying that it is okay to go around shooting bad people for no reason, he uses shooting as a symbol for blaming. During the trial in the book, Lee makes it obvious that Tom Robinson was not actually the person who beat Mayella, he is just being blamed because he was there (206). The point that Atticus is trying to make by saying that Jem can shoot blue jays is that it is okay to shoot, or to blame, bluejays, or bad people, if you can hit them, or you have a legitimate
In the fiction novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a young girl learns about her racist community as she grows up and past her childhood and witnessing cruelty due to race. Some characters in the novel represent a mockingbird like Arthur Radley who stays inside all day and is rarely seen by anyone. There is also Tom Robinson who is a laborer and did many kind acts just out of pity, both of these characters made the community better and haven’t disrupted or hurt anyone. They all have moments where it is clear that they represent a mockingbird as their actions show kindness even with no reward. One instance in which Tom Robinson is a mockingbird is when he commonly helps out Mayella Ewell even with no pay and a crippled arm.
They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us (Lee page 90).” This quote reveals that mockingbirds are innocent, and that it would be unfair to target them, because they do not do one thing that would give a person reason too. Later in the story when the trial is going on, during Toms testimony he states,” she reached up and kissed me on the side of my face (Lee page 194).”
In Harper Lee’s book, To Kill A Mockingbird, Lee personifies the mockingbirds by saying that they have done no harm and that they are not pests (90). Atticus explains to the children after they get their airguns that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird (90). Miss Maudie further explains that all they do is sing beautifully and live peacefully (90). Harper Lee uses the mockingbird to represent innocence and goodness in the people of Maycomb which makes the trial seem even worse than it is.
"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a Mockingbird. " This is a quote by Miss Maudie, a character in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Why Tom Robinson Is A Mockingbird "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 90).
“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird.” This quote explains how Mockingbirds are the most important symbol in this novel because without them there would be no good in the world. Harper Lee describes Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley as Mockingbirds in To Kill a Mockingbird. There are many occurrences in the novel where these three characters portray this symbol. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley are all metaphorically portrayed as mockingbirds because, Atticus is always the bigger person, Tom provides pleasure to people he encounters, and Boo looks out for the people of Maycomb.
I believe that this quote refers back to the time when Scout and Jem get new rifles for Christmas and Atticus tells Jem that it would be considered a sin if they shot a mockingbird. Mockingbirds are not predators and they will not harm anything or anyone; the only thing they do is make music with their mouths. Scout is remembering that time and comparing it to what had recently happened in her life. I think that she sees Tom Robinson and Boo Radley as the mockingbirds. Tom Robinson didn’t harm anyone, and the only thing that he did was help those who needed assistance.
Atticus shows this in the book when he is talking to his son Jem. “There’s a lot of ugly things in this world son, I wish I could keep em away from you but that's not possible,”(39). Atticus in this quoteis acting as the mockingbird because his instinct is to protect his children from
I like the quote said by Scout “Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”(pg) This quote means that people don’t know the value of things until they lose it. In this case, Scout began valuing reading only after she was in danger of losing it due to Miss Caroline lecturing her for being able to however by not her teaching. Scout interestingly compares how her love for reading grew when she was going to lose it to how people start to love their ability to breath when a certain situation arrives when they somehow lose it is an interesting comparison she made.
Tom Robinson was a man who didn't want to cause any throuble except for trying to help a girl who seemed desperatley lonely. Later in the novel, it has been concluded that Scout has understood the important concept of mocking birds when she tells Atticus about Boo Radley would be "Sort of like shooti a mocking bird". Boo has never done anything besides act with kindness to others like the Finch children.
“I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”(page 119) In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the mockingbird is one of the most symbolic objects in the novel. It represents the innocence of someone not affected by the evilness of society. In the novel, there are three people, or mockingbirds, that are innocent affected by society.
“ I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” [p.119] In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, this issue is mentioned various times. There are three mockingbirds, Mayella Ewell, Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. In order to catagorize them as mockingbirds, the reader has to know what a mockingbird is.
Lee uses the mockingbird as a symbol of evoking empathy in the novel. She writes, “I’d rather you shoot a tin can in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after the birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee119). Atticus is explaining to Scout to not kill the mockingbird because it’s a sin. Lee evokes empathy by using the mockingbird to symbolize innocence.
1. Primary Evidence: “I’m simply defending a negro- his name is Tom Robinson” (Lee 75). 2. Interpretation: Mockingbirds try to bring joy and help others no matter what
In our class we have been reading the book "To Kill a Mockingbird." In the story a character named Atticus says a quote, "shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit' em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (119). A character that shows a similarity with this quote is Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is an African American who works in Alabama, and he is being accused of rapng a white women named Mayella Ewell. I believe that Tom Robinson relates well with Atticus' quote because he is being accused of a crime that he didn't commit.