‘Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em. But remember, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’
In influencing the title of the novel, the mockingbird is clearly emphasised as the most important symbol and therefore provides the main focus of the plot and themes. In my opinion, the mockingbird image encompasses virtually all of the themes in the novel and is essential in augmenting the reader’s understanding of these which is exactly what Lee achieves.
Furthermore, the cruelty of the Maycomb community is further conveyed through the racial prejudice directed towards Tom and the black members of society. For example, the outcome of the trial conveys to the reader the ignorance and racism inherent in society during this period of time through convicting a black man of a crime he did not commit on no evidence. Atticus Finch sums up the injustice of this to his plea to the court, and essentially, society: ‘this case is as simple as black and white’. The witty pun used by Lee depicts to the reader the apparent significance of race to the marginalisation of members of society in Maycomb. In my opinion, the writer is very successful in conveying the theme of racial prejudice to the reader and also in encouraging the reader to think of the wider picture. Lee further appeals to the reader through Atticus’ speech to the court before the verdict: ‘In our courts, all men are created equal.’ This continuous reminder of the racial injustices from Lee through Atticus augments the reader’s understanding of racial prejudice and evoke sympathy from the reader.
In addition to this, the cruelty of the Maycomb community is further depicted through the individual prejudice directed towards Boo Radley; he is isolated from the Maycomb community through gossip and prejudice. For example, the children refer to Boo as a ‘malevolent phantom’ and ‘The Grey Ghost’. These childish and superstitious images employed by Lee not only help to depict the issue of individual prejudice but also help to convey the childish and naïve nature of the children at the beginning. The ghostly images here relates to Arthur Radley’s nickname, ‘Boo’, further enforcing the extent of Maycomb’s prejudice. This is transformed after the climax of the plot when Scout finally sees Boo as a real person in spite of the ghostly figure stereotyped by society through following Atticus’ maxim:
‘Atticus was right. Once he said you never really understand a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.’
Lee here not only successfully depicts the individual prejudice inherent in society through the characterisation of Boo Radley, but also conveys an important theme of growing up and also, to some extent, issues of education as Scout has finally learned from Atticus’ maxim, mirroring Macomb’s gradual ‘baby steps’ towards social change.
In conclusion, the symbolism of the mockingbird, the characterisation of Boo and the outcome of the trial play a significant part in conveying the many branches of prejudice and the cruelty of human nature in Maycomb as a microcosm. The exploration of this hardly sporadic theme help to evoke sympathy and empathy from the reader towards the isolated members of Maycomb – primarily Boo Radley and Tom Robinson , but Lee also successfully encourages the reader to consider
