An Analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee explores the issues of racism through the eyes of children. She demonstrates how children learn lessons from the characters and the events that go on in the book. Harper Lee explores the life lesson of the importance of protecting innocence. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee explores the life lesson of the importance of protecting innocence through Jem and Scout’s interactions with Atticus. For example, Atticus tells Jem that, ‘“ I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but i know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’’’(Lee 90). This quotation demonstrates that Atticus reminded Jem about mockingbirds and that it’s a sin to kill or hurt them. This shows that this is important to Atticus because he keeps reminding/making sure that his kids know about mockingbirds and why they shouldn’t do bad things to them. Mockingbirds symbolize innocent people facing injustice because they don’t cause any trouble or bother anyone. In addition, Mrs. Maudie tells Scout that, “‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their little hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”’(Lee 90). This quotation demonstrates that Mrs. Maudie agrees with Atticus and that she is trying to explain it to Scout in a way that she can understand. Atticus is basically saying that if someone doesn’t do any harm or get in your way, then you have no reason to do something cruel/mean to them. In this case, Tom Robinson is Atticus’s mockingbird. He knows that Tom didn’t do anything wrong and that’s mainly the reason why he wants to defend him in court. Tom has no reason to be punished. The lesson of the importance of protecting innocence in the novel reinforces Harper Lee’s message that society must protect vulnerable members.