My daughter left her book beside the computer and I keep wondering this.
2007-03-09 15:18:19 · 12 answers · asked by Dellajoy 6 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
"Mockingbird - The title of To Kill a Mockingbird has very little literal connection to the plot, but it carries a great deal of symbolic weight in the book. In this story of innocents destroyed by evil, the "mockingbird" comes to represent the idea of innocence. Thus, to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Throughout the book, a number of characters (Jem, Tom Robinson, Dill, Boo Radley, Mr. Raymond) can be identified as mockingbirds-innocents who have been injured or destroyed through contact with evil. This connection between the novel's title and its main theme is made explicit several times in the novel: after Tom Robinson is shot, Mr. Underwood compares his death to "the senseless slaughter of songbirds," and at the end of the book Scout thinks that hurting Boo Radley would be like "shootin' a mockingbird." Most important, Miss Maudie explains to Jem: "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but ... sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." That Jem and Scout's last name is Finch (another type of small bird) indicates that they are particularly vulnerable in the racist world of Maycomb, which often treats the fragile innocence of childhood harshly."
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/mocking/themes.html
http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/18/messages/460.html
http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/prose/tokillamockingbird.htm
2007-03-09 15:34:43 · answer #1 · answered by pepper 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I'm reading that book for school too, I'm mid way into the book and have yet to figure out why it's called that. I have a teacher that read it as well and has no clue why. I think it's subtly in the book. there's a paragraph the mentions that killing a mocking bird is a sin. because they only make music and take nothing from the world. somehow i think its a metaphor that will relate to life or something that happens in the book. I'll keep reading and I'll hopefully find out
2007-03-09 23:25:31 · answer #2 · answered by La Princesa 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
at some point in the book Atticus tells Scout that it is a sin to kill a Mockingbird because they are harmless, all they do is sing songs. Tom Robinson, the man on trial, was also harmless and his conviction was an act of prejudice rather than one of justice.
2007-03-09 23:24:00 · answer #3 · answered by curiousE 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Its a quote from the book. Mockingbirds dont harm anybody they just give us beautiful music and Tom , a blackman is on trial for raping a white girl but we know he is innocent. Tom didnt ham anyone and he helped society. It's a metaphor.
2007-03-10 09:15:13 · answer #4 · answered by Winkwnink 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mocking birds are innocent creatures.
Just like the poor black man who is accused of molestation and the sick, rabid dog that gets shot by Atticus Finch in front of his innocent children.
wang?
2007-03-09 23:23:29 · answer #5 · answered by Toilet 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the bible it ways it's a sin to kill a mockingbird because they don't harm anyone, the dad says that to Scout at some point. It ties into the black man who didn't hurt anyone.
2007-03-09 23:20:30 · answer #6 · answered by ***HDK*** 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the time the book was writen, then color of a mocking bird and also the innocence of mocking birds it's all a alliteration.
2007-03-09 23:25:25 · answer #7 · answered by Zoo keeper 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Atticus says in the movie (and also in the bible i think) that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.
2007-03-10 08:08:16 · answer #8 · answered by Can music save your mortal soul? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Metaphor
2007-03-09 23:21:15 · answer #9 · answered by nostromobb 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Mocking Bird represent for Texas.... why you want to kill it... get in jail for that.
2007-03-09 23:21:52 · answer #10 · answered by Duke 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋