To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper lee is a dramatic novel about two siblings raised by their
father in the southern part of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930's. The novel illustrates many facets of human
such as love, hatred, humor, guilt and most of all innocence. Harper Lee uses the mockingbird as a symbol
of innocence. A mockingbird is a long- tailed gray-and-white songbird of the southern United States able to
mimic songs of other birds. The three mockingbirds represented in this novel are Boo Radley, Tom
Robinson and Atticus Finch. According to Miss Maudie; "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music
for us to enjoy. They dont eat up people's gardens, dont nest in corncribs, they dont do one thing but sing
their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (103).
The first mockingbird is the mysterious neighbor Boo Radley who never comes outside.
According to Scout Finch; " People said he went out at night when the moon was down, and peeped in
windows" (9). When theres a crime in Maycomb, Alabama people always look at the Radley's place. Harper
Lee Illustrates how society accuses Boo Radley of being evil and guilty by all the myths and rumors
spreading about him. According to Miss Stephanie; "Boo was sitting in the livingroom cutting some items
from The Maycomb Tribune to paste in his scrapbook. His father entered the room. As Mr. Radley passed
by, Boo drove the scissors into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his
activites" (11-12). Mr. Boo Radley may be accused of being guilty but shows his innocence the night Mrs.
Maudie's house catches on fire. While Scout and Jem watch the fire ruin Mrs. Maudie's house Mr. Boo
Radley secretly puts a comforting blanket around Scout because the snow is making her shiver. Boo also
trys to help Jem by mending Jem's pants together and putting them
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