What is the significance of the title 'To Kill a Mockingbird?'

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What is the significance of the title ‘To Kill a Mockingbird?’

In this novel the most significant symbol is the mocking bird. A mocking bird is a type of Finch: a small, discrete bird with a beautiful song, which ‘mocks’ or imitates the other birds’ song. One of the most explicit references made about mocking birds is that in chapter 10. Atticus is telling Scout and Jem how top use their shotguns for the first time, he says, ‘Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit’em but remember it’s a sign to kill a Mockingbird.’ Harper Lee uses symbolism implicitly to liken mocking birds to certain characters and explicit references to describe the atmosphere created by events throughout the book.

Mocking birds are used throughout the novel to represent innocence; Miss Maudie explains this to Scout. Scout is surprised to hear non-judgemental Atticus calling anything a sin. She asks Miss Maudie why Atticus has said it is wrong and she replies with the explanation, ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t mess in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sign their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird.’ By saying this Miss Maudie is saying they do nothing to threaten us our harm us and are effectively innocent, so why kill them pointlessly.

Mocking birds are reflected explicitly during the narrative connecting it to times of tension. Chapter 12 sees the mad dog incident take place, the mocking birds are thought to fall silent at this point, as there is a real threat present. Scout fails to comment on the mocking birds at this point because of it. As in chapter 12, Chapter 21 informs us of the waiting before the jury’s verdict. ‘The trees were still, the Mockingbirds were silent’, this is an implicit sign that the jury decision means a threat towards Tom Robinson’s existence. Later, we find out he is found guilty, imprisoned and left to await his death in jail. Both events have one similarity, Tension. This is created when Atticus aims at the rabid dog and defies all expectations when he hits it first time and when the Finch family are waiting for the jury’s verdict at Tom Robinson’s case. The silence of the mockingbirds at both events symbolises the tension in the atmosphere. Both events are linked, also, because of Scout’s memory. She makes a mental connection in the courtroom to the rabid dog. The dog is diseased and as Atticus claims in the courtroom, ‘He does not have Maycomb’s usual disease’, meaning racism.

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Mocking birds are also a symbol of vulnerability; this is highlighted in both implicit and explicit ways. An explicit reference of this is when Mr Underwood writes an article about Tom’s death the day after; he likens it to the ‘senseless slaughter of songbirds.’ This means mocking birds are vulnerable to those who wish to slaughter them. Mr Underwood’s racist attitudes change at this point in the novel and he begins to believe that Tom is innocent and was only persecuted because of his race. He realises because of the colour of his skin he was at a disadvantage ...

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