Atticus focuses on encouraging moral
values in Jem and Scout like fairness, limitation, and honesty. He tells them
to avoid getting in fights and to practice quiet courage instead. “I wanted you
to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man
with a gun in his hand”. In this case, when he gives Jem and Scout air rifles
as presents, he advises them that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.
This is, of course, the meaning of the
novel’s title, and it reflects the book’s preoccupation with sins inflicted
upon innocents. In different ways, Jem and Scout, Boo Radley, and Tom Robinson
are all “mockingbirds.” Harper lee uses Mockingbirds as a metaphor meaning
good, innocent people who are destroyed by evil. “Mockingbirds don’t do one
thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us.
That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (103). For example, in previous
chapters, Boo Radley is the "innocent" person who cared for Scout and
covers Scout with a blanket during the fire, and eventually saves her from Bob
Ewell. Also, leaving presents to Jem and Scout but gets "destroyed by the
evil" who is Nathan. It all connects to the point of Mockingbirds being
different from a mad dog. The mad dog was disturbing the peace and basically
the evil and it was time for Atticus to get rid of it. He was defending the
people of Maycomb like a Mockingbird would with its innocence. "Dont go
near that dog, you understand? Dont go near him, he's just as dangerous dead as
alive." (111)
What do you think is the significance of including the part of Atticus shooting the mad dog is going forward? Do you think it could show another characistic of Atticus? In a good way or a bad way?
I agree with everything that was said in the post, but I have a slight disagreement with the actual question. It wasn’t as important that Atticus did kill the mad dog, but that the moment before he did so he was faced with the choice and was reluctant to take it. The fact that Atticus was the best shot in Maycomb and yet he didn’t tell his children nor had he picked up a gun in 30 years definitely gives us an insight on his character. He didn’t even have the heart to pick up a rifle and teach his children to shoot. Miss Maudie told the children, “Don’t you know his nickname was old one-shot as a boy?”(98) and Jem and Scout had no idea of their father’s past. This shows that Atticus is very secretive and doesn’t boast like the other fathers of children in the town. We also know that the Tom Robinson court case is a big factor in Atticus and the Finch family’s lives. When reading, we need to keep our eyes peeled for symbols directed towards Atticus and the case. I may be mistaken, but the mockingbird symbol seems very specific. It’s almost foreshadowing in symbol form, and I have a hunch it’s got something to do with Tom Robinson. Miss Maudie illustrated Atticus’s actions very nicely by saying, “I guess he decided he wouldn’t shoot till he had to, and he had to today”(98). In what other ways might Atticus use this strategy? What do you think the mockingbird is a symbol for?
ReplyDeleteI agree with what was said in the post. I understand why think that killing a Mockingbird is a bad omen, but I do not understand why they had no problem shooting a dog. A Mockingbird sings a nice song and does not destroy your garden so it would seem extremely foolish to kill it. A dog has "mad dog disease" so they believe the correct thing to do is shoot it/kill it. I disagree on this point I believe the more prudent thing to do would be figure out if one could help the dog. I do understand that this is a different time and may not be a viable option.
ReplyDeleteDo you think it is okay to kill a "mad dog" and not a mockingbird