To Kill A Mockingbird Nothing To See Analysis

Improved Essays
“Nothing to see” suggests that Maycomb is a small, quiet town with little to do. Lee uses the sleepiness in the town to establish interest in Maycomb as events unfold during the novel.

People create problems that aren’t there to entertain themselves in the slow paced county. This is like racism, a large part of the book. The person you see may be completely harmless. You have nothing to be afraid of, however, you bring yourself to become fearful of them for no reason, other than the one you’ve developed. You had nothing to fear but the fear and skepticism you create for that person.

“Nothing to fear but fear itself” is reference to Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first speech. It sets the novel in the time period of the 1930’s, a time where there was a huge struggle for equality. This gave Americans a sense of peace; however, it caused
…show more content…
He is telling them not the hurt the innocent. He reasons that mockingbirds do nothing but good to humans, so they should not be shot at. Atticus gives them permission to kill bird that cause harm, but not the ones that are innocent.

Atticus is teaching his kids how they should treat people; fairly. Lee uses a mockingbird to symbolize people. The mockingbird symbolizes compassion of Boo Radley. Boo is abused by his father; however, he still leaves presents for Scout and Jem and saves the children. In addition, it symbolizes the Tom Robinson case. Although Tom was willing to help with her yard work, Mayella blames him because she knows that he is defenseless. This illustrates how much older Jem has become. He now comprehends that his father is in a tough situation and dismisses his order to leave. Jem also “betrayed” Scout and Dill when he told Atticus that Dill had been hiding under the bed. He tells Scout she should start acting like a girl, and he says he has outgrown the tree house; undoubtedly, this conveys that Jem is growing

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    The mockingbird represents people who just want to be left alone, but are brought into public eye and humiliated without wanting to be. Another interpretation of a mockingbird is the innocent. The title of the book is to Kill a MockingBird because Tom Robinson was killed. In the book Mr. Underwood says that Tom Robinson's murder was like a murder of a songbird because he thinks it’s a sin to kill mockingbirds. Along with Tom Robinson, Scout mentions Boo Radley as a Songbird because he just wants to be left alone, but is constantly harassed and attacked.…

    • 910 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In To Kill a Mockingbird Boo Radley is represented as mockingbird due to his destruction of innocence and the fact he has never tried to do anything but help people. The town of maycomb has discriminated him for so long he has stayed inside his house but when scout and jem start poking around he tries to protect them through the events of the novel. Boo Radley represents a mockingbird because he always tries to help and protect jem and scout, he never attempted to harm anyone, and due to his destruction of innocence. Though everyone is frightened by Boo, he does small favors for scout and jem throughout the novel even probably knowing about “games” the play involving him.…

    • 541 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “Shoot all the blue jays you want if you can catch em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” is a statement that Atticus makes which reflects the theme of the book. The reason being is that a mockingbird is selfless; they only sing their hearts out to everyone, not even expecting a reward or harming things that people plant. Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Atticus in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ are the kindest, most generous, and most good-hearted people of Maycomb. Boo can be seen as a mockingbird in the way that he always has an eye out for the children and the thought of them helping him does not enter his mind. Though it costs him his life, Tom can be seen as a mockingbird because he helps someone he feels sorry for, and refusing to be paid.…

    • 1249 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the author explores prejudice from the town through the use of a symbolic figure, mockingbird. Tom Robin is put on trial for the alleged rape of young Mayella Ewell, even though he is a kind man that is trying to help the young lady out. Boo Radley is victimized by the community based on town legends the the citizens of Maycomb have made about him, which forces him to live in exile inside his house. Atticus Finch is ridiculed by people for sticking to his morals and defending an African-American. As explained by Lee through her characters, the symbol of a mockingbird is to show the innocence and purity displayed throughout these three characters in the novel.. Tom Robinson was killed by the community of Maycomb, even though he was a very helpful and kind man.…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In the novel, the mockingbird is a symbol of innocence and killing a mockingbird would to be to unnecessarily persecute someone or something. During Chapter 10, Atticus explained to Jem and Scout why not to shoot at mockingbirds. Mockingbirds represent the idea of innocence as they don't do any harm to their surroundings, so to kill one would not only serve no purpose, but it would be morally wrong. There is no justification for killing a mockingbird, and yet hunters and children still shoot at them. Similar to shooting a mockingbird, there are innocent people in Maycomb that are persecuted for no real reason.…

    • 1470 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird? In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, a mockingbird symbolizes innocence. According to Atticus, “It is a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Pg 119). Three examples of mockingbirds are, Mayella Ewell, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley.…

    • 588 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Figurative Mockingbirds

    • 685 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Throughout the story a prominent symbol is that of the mockingbird. There are two main figurative mockingbirds in the story, Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. When Boo Radley was a young man he hung with the wrong crowd and ended up getting in trouble with the law, which lead to him being locked in his parents house for over 15 years. As the years ticked by and no one had seen Boo a sufficient amount of rumors were spread in regards to him and what he did with his time. If someone’s azaleas froze it was because he breathed on them, and any small crimes that occurred in town were his doing.…

    • 685 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    “There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County.”(pg 6) This quote describes Maycomb, the setting of the novel. Maycomb is a small confined town in the south where nothing appears to happen or change. The reason behind the monotonous cycle is the state of the people being of having no surplus income, nothing valuable to buy, and the idea that there is nothing worthwhile outside of town.…

    • 2693 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    It hides in the darkest corners of people’s imaginations, it is ever prevalent lying in wait to overcome and consume all logical reasoning. Even the strongest have been known to fall into its unreasonably vicious grasp when they are not weary of where it lurks. It is one of the only things that is capable of bringing people down to their knees while at the same time being the driving force that can cause others to aspire to greatness. Whether it is a valid fear of the reality of a situation or a fabricated fear of the perceived reality, fear exists as a common staple hidden in the shadows of people’s minds. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller suggests the idea that when under the pressure of fear even the strongest principles may begin to falter,…

    • 1632 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Also, here Jem believes that he has authority over his sister, just because he is four years older. Thirdly, Scout states that Jem "broke the remaining code of their childhood,” (pg 119), when he goes and tells Atticus that Dill ran away from home. This shows that Jem is starting to act wisely like…

    • 2184 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird is filled with symbolism used to display different themes. A major symbol is the mockingbird. Mockingbirds are harmless creatures that just sing and make the world a happier place. Lee uses three main characters that resemble greatly to mockingbirds to get her subtle, but imperative points across. One of these mockingbirds is forced to meet his maker, another is forced is forced to kill, and the last mockingbird’s innocence is forced to slowly die.…

    • 1251 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Violent Mockingbirds

    • 719 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Mockingbirds, known for their lovely music and existence, are a true gift. The sweet sounding tweet they bring is amazing, mockingbirds, do not bring any harm. These magnificent birds stay out of the farmers silos, also, they take care of the damaging insects in the soil. In the story," To Kill a Mockingbird," Atticus Finch tells Jem And Scout, "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Jem and Scout learn that they shouldn't harm a animal or person if they haven't brought harm to them.…

    • 719 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the mockingbird symbol is mentioned multiple times. The mockingbird is symbolic for innocence hence the quote by Miss Maudie Atkinson, “... that’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (pg.119). Mockingbirds do not do anything but sing for their enjoyment. In the novel there are three mockingbirds, they are Boo Radley, Mayella Ewell, and Tom Robinson.…

    • 615 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The mockingbird is the most significant symbol and was first mentioned in chapter ten when Atticus makes the statement, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” By this he suggests that mockingbirds are neither harmful nor destructive and only make music for people to enjoy so therefore would be a sin to kill one, as they have not done anything to deserve it. This is linked to Tom Robinson and less obviously to Boo Radley, as they were both innocent of what they were accused of, Boo’s evil persona in which he is associated and Tom of the rape. They were both victims of prejudice. They both demonstrated kindness, Boo to the children and Tom to Mayella.…

    • 1726 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Atticus explains that “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (90) since it would compare to the idea of killing pure innocence. A mockingbird that is killed in the novel is Tom Robinson. For instance, during Tom’s testimony, it is revealed that he is a very innocent and pure man. It is announced that when Tom would be going by the house of Mayella Ewell, “she’d have little somethin’ for [him] to do - choppin’, kindlin’, totin’ water” (191). Tom would not only do what she asked for him, but he would do it without any charge.…

    • 1429 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays