Why does Atticus consider it a sin to kill a mockingbird, but okay to kill a mad dog?
The title of the book revolves around this idea, Boo Radley is a mockingbird in a way because there is prejudice about him which "kills" him in a way. Lee uses the idea of a Mockingbird to show the ways prejudice and gossip can effect innocent people. Scout doesn't understand this idea and goes to ask Miss Maudie about what Atticus said. Miss Maudie says "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. they don't eat people's gardens, don't nest in corn-cribs they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (119) In the past Chapters, as an example Boo Radley has done nothing bad to Scout or Jem. He left small gifts in the tree for them and put a blanket over Scout to comfort her. The mad dog is the "darkness" in the chapter it makes all the towns people close there doors symbolizing the town losing in ways. The dog in the book is the opposite of a mockingbird because all it does is stir up trouble. Atticus believes that this dog must be shot because of the chaos it will cause. "Don't go near that dog, you understand? Don't go near him, he's just as dangerous dead as alive." (111) In that line the reader gets the feeling that this dog is no good dead or alive and will always be that dark force making chaos.
In this chapter do you feel you see another side of Atticus? When we read more in the book do you feel that the mockingbird image will appear more? How do you think that this will affect the book and its final out come? why?
I certainly agree that the mockingbird is a symbol for good that goes unnoticed and unjust punishment, but I saw the dog as a different symbol. The key detail in the dog scene was that the dog hadn't turned mad yet- it hadn't even began to cause chaos. Atticus said, "He's far from dead Jem, he hasn't started got yet."(95) This means that technically the dog hasn't done anything wrong, and no one has proof that it's actually mad. It wasn't even the usual month for mad dogs. The dog hadn't harmed anyone yet, and there was hardly a reason to believe it would, and still every person on the Finch's street slammed their doors and waited for the dog to be shot. They assumed he was guilty before letting anyone even think about his innocence. This is a clear symbol about the Tom Robinson case, as everyone has judged him and assumed he is guilty without even allowing Atticus to prove his innocence. The other important piece of this chapter was Atticus's hesitance at shooting the dog. It was almost an attempt to resist the instant assumptions and the Maycomb way. I expect that we will see much more involving symbols of good and evil, and right and wrong, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe mocking bird is a symbol of happiness. It does not attack other birds, it just sits and chirps all day long. I think that the mockingbird sign resembles Tom Robinson, the black man in Atticus' trial. He is peaceful and does not disturb anyone. This being said I think that the Mockingbird symbol will appear later in the book.
ReplyDeleteOne of the key themes in To Kill A Mockingbird is innocence, and few symbols within the book approach the metaphorical weight of the titular mockingbird. It, like Tom, does not do anything wrong or evil, and yet faces the risk of being punished anyway for virtue of being a bird (or in Tom's case, black). When Atticus tells Jem and Scout that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird," (119) he is telling them that, if they lower themselves to killing an innocent thing, they will be no better than people that Bob Ewell.
ReplyDeleteHe is, unbeknownst to them, explaining his part in the case and helping instill in Jem and Scout a stronger moral compass. For these reasons, the mockingbird is a symbol for innocence, and not necessarily Jem and Scout's only.
In response to Thomas's question, yes we do see a different side of Atticus that also hasn't been revealed to his children either, and leave them in shock. In chapter 10, he decides to shoot the dog in the street to end the chaos. At the end, it leaves Scout wondering why Atticus has never told his children he could shoot, and why he isn't proud of it. Do you think the reason Atticus has not told his children about his talent, is because he is not proud of it? I also feel like the mockingbird is a symbol of innocence, and that is who Tom Robinson really is. However, the rest of the community shuts out people like Tom, like they did to the mad dog. Like Jenna said, the dog hadn't even done anything yet, but everyone was quick to judge that the dog was up to no good. This is also the same for Boo Radley, because everyone is convinced that he's another "mad dog"and this is one of the reasons his dad is hesitant to allow Boo Radley back into the society. And as more characters come along, I do feel like the image of the mockingbird will appear once again. What do you think, have the people in Maycomb crossed the line with making assumptions?
ReplyDeleteI agree that Atticus is not proud of his talent, however I don't think Maycomb has gone too far with assumptions. Atticus just doesn't want his kids to take their talents for granted and then flaunt them around like how Ms. Maudie says that no one in their right mind would brag about their talents. It is one of Atticus' many lessons he wants to instill in his children. On the other hand, Maycomb hasn't gone too far with their assumptions because they don't know better similar to how Scout doesn't know why it's wrong to fight back against people that make fun of Atticus. They don't know that the dog is just old and dying, they just think he's gone mad which is understandable because no one has ever told them otherwise. Do you think that Scout and Jem will follow Atticus' lesson in this chapter or just disregard it?
ReplyDeleteThe mockingbird is a very important figure and symbol in this novel. The harmless loving bird is similar to Boo Radley because they are both friendly and giving, yet people misunderstand that and find it justifiable to hurt them. "It is a sin to kill a mockingbird," (119) because you are doing it harm when it has done nothing to you. Boo Radley never did a hurtful thing to anyone in Maycomb, but hateful rumors were spread about him that are likely not true. As "it is a sin to kill a mockingbird," it is also a sin when the people of Maycomb are rude and disrespectful to Boo Radley.
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