Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Chapters 10 and 11: Why does Atticus consider it a sin to kill a mockingbird but okay to kill a mad dog?
Throughout the previous chapters, Atticus has displayed his advanced academic knowledge as a lawyer and unwavering ethical compass. This is why it comes as a surprise to Scout when Atticus shoots a rabid dog in one deadly attempt. Scout has never seen her father as particularly courageous, which demonstrates how little she understands of bravery. Not only is Atticus a physical protector of Maycomb, but he also defends the town from their own harmful racial opinions and suffers the wrath of the town as a result. Atticus admonishes Scout and Jem to, "Remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird," (98). Miss Muadie agrees, stating that "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy," (98). A mockingbird is a symbol of innocence. In a sense, Scout, Jem, Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are all mockingbirds, as they are united by problems that are out of their control. Boo displayed his caring nature earlier in the book, therefore the readers are led to believe that his father, Mr. Radley, is the one at fault. Boo was an innocent sole to which bad things had occurred to. This is doubtlessly the source of the title. Atticus is a counteracting force of innocence-destroyers. The "innocence-destroyers" are, for example, the rude remarks about Atticus representing a black man in court, and racism in general. Atticus views mockingbirds as the epitome of purity, and does not want to be associated with those who corrupt it. Once one has polluted innocence, they lose all of their own. The rabid dog enters Maycomb as the Robinson trial begins which is a symbol of the racism poisoning Maycomb. Atticus resorts to violence against the dog as he has no choice, and some things simply cannot be saved.
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Are there any other characters in TKAM that are mockingbirds? Do you think as the trail progresses that Scout will learn to have a more genuine value of true courage of the mind and learn not to fight with her fists, but with her mind?
ReplyDeletehere are two interesting links on mockingbirds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRCwGPA4Uqk -mockingbird singing
http://yardener.com/YardenersPlantHelper/MakingForAHealthyYard -info on mockingbirds
I agree with all of the idea's in your post but I do not agree that Tim Robinson is a "mockingbird" character. He is what is inflicting the danger of the people of Maycomb. Although I see how the connection of how he was turned rabid by force, but I dont think the story tells enough about him to show he is like a "mockingbird". As for other characters I would say Dill is like a "mockingbird" character because he is the something that Jem and Scout look forward too when summer (the time of innocence) comes. Do you agree that Dill is a "mockingbird" like character?
ReplyDeleteNo, I do not think that Dill is "mocking bird" character. I think that the point of Harper Lee having the symbol of killing a mocking bird is a sin, is to show the hippocratic ways of Maycomb. As an example, the mocking bird would be "Boo" and the killing would be all the rumors that were spread about him. This is why I do not think Dill is a "mocking bird" character. Dill does not have any rumors that were spread about him. He was not attacked by Maycomb like "Boo" was. Maycomb killed "Boo", so to speak, to the extent that he will not come outside of his house. Although Dill is innocent and young it does not relate to the kind of innocent that Harper Lee is trying to get across with the example of a "mocking bird."
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