To Kill a Mockingbird Group

Question:

kimwilliams
kimwilliams
Student
High School - 9th Grade

How is Dill a mockingbird?

Rate question:

Posted by kimwilliams on Friday May 8, 2009 at 7:55 PM.

Answers:

  1. emilysaracohen
    emilysaracohen Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Dill's mockingbird status is revealed during the trial. Specifically, he shows this side after a particularly cruel cross-examination by Mr. Gilmer. Dill and Scout go outside of the courthouse, where they encounter Mr. Dolphus Raymond. Dill explains why he is so upset about Mr. Gilmer's treatment of the witness. He compares Mr. Gilmer to Atticus Finch, and makes the point that Atticus doesn't treat witnesses like that. Mr. Raymond calms the children, and makes the statement that someday Dill will not cry about these things. It is in that moment that we see a loss of innocence by Dill. Dill sees that people are not always understanding and do not treat everyone fairly. When teaching this book, I discuss the opinion that I have that children are "color-blind" and blind to other things up to a certain age. Young children (perhaps up to around 5 or 6 years old) do not notice differences among other children. They do not notice racial differences, physical differences, and other differences that are more readily apparent to adults. All that a young child sees in another child is a fellow friend with whom he can play. In the courthouse, Dill loses his ability to be "color-blind" and therefore loses his innocence, and becomes a symbolic mockingbird.

    Rate answer:

    Posted by emilysaracohen on Friday May 8, 2009 at 8:04 PM

  2. parkerlee
    parkerlee Teacher

    eNotes Editor

    Taken more literally, Dill is like a mockingbird in that he flits in and out of Scout and Jem's lives since he visits them only during the summertime (while he is staying with his Aunt Rachal). His cheery disposition and constant twittering (always telling stories and "stretching the truth") brighten up their lives considerably. The only exception is the one time he ran away from home and hid at the Finches (Incidentally, also the name of a species of birds) until found out.

    In the symbolic context of the novel, though, I don't see Dill as being a proper example of a mockingbird since he is not really a victim in any way. He doesn't suffer from the brunt of prejudice as Tom Robinson and Boo Radley do - they are the true "mockingbirds" of this story.

    As for Dill's loss of innocence, that is another question altogether.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/mockingbird/characters

    Rate answer:

    Posted by parkerlee on Saturday May 9, 2009 at 2:08 AM