nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

It is this characteristic of the mockingbird--making beautiful music without any apparent faults--that Miss Lee stresses throughout the novel. Many of her sympathetic characters take on the role of human mockingbirds. Most of the children in the novel are mockingbirds, particularly Jem, Scout and Dill. They are small and innocent who create only joy and happiness to those around them (except for the occasional mischief they cause when they get together). Like the mockingbird, who witnesses much human hatred and suffering, the kids are also forced to see the negative side of life at an early age. Dill, in particular, has been subject to his parents' broken marriage and lack of attention.
    The primary adult human during the first half of the book is Arthur Radley, known to most of Maycomb as "Boo." Although his early troubles as a teen does not qualify him as an innocent, he is reborn as Boo once he retreats behind the walls of the Radley Place. Like the mockingbird, he views the world from afar, and he is thrust into it through the actions of others whose curiosity in the Radley legend will not let him be. His innocence is conveyed through his attempts to befriend the young Finch children, and he shows his gentle nature when he mends Jem's pants and covers Scout with a blanket on the night of the fire.
    Tom Robinson is also a mockingbird. Although he does not become a major focus of the novel until after Chapter 10, it is obvious that this poor, simple black man is up against a stacked deck in Maycomb's white world.
    There are several other references to the mockingbird (Mr. Underwood's editorial, Scout's analogy on the night of Bob Ewell's death), but they occur in Part Two. 

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee, 93)

"Your father’s right...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 hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee, 93)

According to Atticus and Miss Maudie, it is considered a sin to kill a mockingbird because they are friendly, benevolent birds and cause nobody harm.

Throughout the novel, mockingbirds symbolize any innocent, compassionate being who is vulnerable and cannot defend themselves against others. Tom Robinson and Arthur "Boo" Radley are two prime examples of symbolic mockingbirds in the story. Both Tom and Boo are innocent, generous individuals who are defenseless against their community's prejudice. Tom Robinson relies on Atticus's help to defend him against a racist jury and Boo Radley relies on Sheriff Tate to protect him from the community's limelight. Essentially, Atticus's comment about it being a sin to kill a mockingbird is a metaphorical lesson on the importance of protecting innocent, vulnerable beings. By the end of the story, Scout metaphorically applies her father's lesson regarding Boo Radley's unique situation by telling him,

"Well, it’d be sort of like shootin‘ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it." (Lee, 280)

The reference in question is in chapter 30. Scout and Jem have been attacked on their way home from the Halloween pageant at the high school and attacked in the dark. There was a scuffle and someone yanked a man off of Scout (who was saved by her costume; the chicken wire that created it saved her from being knifed) and then there was a man coughing and wheezing. When Scout got her bearings, she saw the man carrying Jem home, and she followed. 

They find out shortly, when Sheriff Heck Tate arrives, that Bob Ewell is lying dead under the tree with a kitchen knife stuck under his ribs. The mystery man is Boo Radley himself. 

Tate and Atticus go to the porch to discuss what happens next. Atticus seems to believe that Jem killed Ewell, even if it was in self-defense, but Tate will have none of it. It's clear to him that Boo killed Ewell to protect the children, and he convinces Atticus of this--and also convinces Atticus that they can't tell the truth because Boo would suddenly be a hero, which would be cruel to a man as retiring and shy as he. So Tate says that Ewell fell on his knife, and that's all there is to it. 

Atticus finally accepts this, and calls Scout to him. He says, "Mr. Ewell fell on his knife. Can you possibly understand?" 

Scout says, "Yes sir. I understand. Mr. Tate was right." Atticus asks what she means, and she says, "Well, it would be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"

Years earlier, Atticus had given his children air rifles for Christmas and had said they could shoot at any bird except mockingbirds, because it was a sin to shoot a mockingbird. All a mockingbird does is sing and bring joy to people. Scout here equates bringing Boo into the limelight with shooting a mockingbird. Boo has never hurt anyone; he's only done good, saving the children from a homicidal drunk. To bring what he did into the open would be cruel and pointless--like shooting a mockingbird. 

In answer to your third post, Boo represents goodness and innocence, like the mockingbird. By defending the children, who are likewise good and innocent, from the evil Bob Ewell, he saves their lives--lives that can continue for years to come. Of course, by killing Bob, Boo has also lost his innocence, and though it was in self-defense and preserved the lives of others, it can be argued that he no longer fits the definition of a mockingbird.

A mockingbird is something that does no wrong to others and yet is helpless and tends to get abused by others.  At least that's how the term is used in the book.  Boo has never hurt anyone outside his family and yet he has been demonized and made into a monster.

According to Miss Maudie's definition in chapter 10, mockingbirds represent any innocent, defenseless being who needs on protection from harmful, selfish people. Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are the two most memorable mockingbirds, and there are several notable quotes that depict Boo Radley as a symbolic mockingbird. The most important quote portraying Boo Radley as a mockingbird can be found at the end of chapter 30, when Scout listens to Sheriff Tate's reasoning for why he refuses to thrust Boo into the community's limelight.

Atticus asks Scout if she understands Sheriff Tate's explanation, and she replies, "Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?" Scout's quote directly compares Boo Radley to a mockingbird because he is defenseless and relies on protection from others. Boo demonstrates his compassionate nature by rescuing Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell but remains a sensitive, vulnerable person. Sheriff Tate knows that Boo Radley would not benefit from increased popularity and decides to not mention his role in saving Jem and Scout.

Another quote about Boo Radley being a mockingbird can be found in chapter 26 when Scout sympathizes with him. Scout thinks about Boo Radley and says,

Mr. Nathan Radley could still be seen on a clear day, walking to and from town; we knew Boo was there, for the same old reason—nobody’d seen him carried out yet. I sometimes felt a twinge of remorse, when passing by the old place, at ever having taken part in what must have been sheer torment to Arthur Radley—what reasonable recluse wants children peeping through his shutters, delivering greetings on the end of a fishing-pole, wandering in his collards at night? And yet I remembered. Two Indian-head pennies, chewing gum, soap dolls, a rusty medal, a broken watch and chain. Jem must have put them away somewhere.

Scout's quote depicts Boo Radley as a mockingbird because he is portrayed as a harmless, caring neighbor, who generously gives them gifts without wanting anything in return. He is also vulnerable and cannot prevent the local children from tormenting him. Similar to mockingbirds, Boo Radley relies on the kindness of strangers and causes no one harm.

Technically, the only quote in the book that directly connects Boo Radley to a mockingbird is in Ch. 30.

Sheriff Tate has told Atticus he will not be pressing charges against anyone, Jem or Boo, for stabbing Bob Ewell. It is obvious that Boo was the one who did stab Bob Ewell, although Atticus at first mistakenly thought it was Jem.

When Sheriff Tate leaves, Atticus tells Scout that Bob Ewell simply fell on his knife, and she replies with,

"Yes, sir, I understand...Mr. Tate was right."

Atticus is slightly confused and asks her what she means and she replies with,

"Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"

What she means by this is that Boo Radley is innocent...not of stabbing Bob Ewell, but in general. He is innocent in nature. There would be no benefit to publicly acknowledging Boo was the one to stab Bob Ewell. This would only bring Boo into a spotlight which he has never been in, spawn more rumors, validate other ones, and for what purpose? He would probably not even be charged, as he was only protecting the children. Putting him through that public scrutiny, however, is why Scout said it would be like shooting a mockingbird. It would be uncomfortable and painful, even, for Boo. Sheriff Tate knows this and decides to make up a different story to avoid putting Boo through any of that.

There are two "mockingbirds" in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird: Arthur "Boo" Radley and Tom Robinson.

In Chapter 10, the concept of mockingbirds is introduced when Atticus gives the children air-rifles and cautions them:

Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.

Miss Maudie adds to Atticus's words: 

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 hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.

Thus, the mockingbird becomes a symbol of innocence. 

• Boo Radley

At first, Arthur Radley is thought to be a "malevolent phantom," but the children learn his story from Miss Maudie and gradually become sympathetic to him. When he leaves them little gifts in the knothole of the tree that the children pass each school day, Scout and Jem begin to perceive Boo as a real person, a person who does not bother anyone. Of course, the children realize what a truly good soul Boo has when he risks his life to save them from Bob Ewell.

• Tom Robinson

Another person who is kind-hearted, charitable, and lacks malevolence is Tom Robinson. Tom stops on his way down the road to help Mayella Ewell with some of her chores, even though he knows how racist her father is. In spite of his learned fear of the white man, Tom enters the ramshackle dwelling in order to "bust up a chiffarobe" and bring in kindling for Mayella because of his sympathy for her. Rather than receiving thanks for his charity, Tom is wrongfully accused of raping the very girl for whom he has done so much. He is put on trial and convicted on no substantial evidence. When, in his desperation, Tom tries to escape from prison because he fears he will be hanged, he is shot seventeen times.

Not long after Tom's death, in his editorial in the Colored News section of the newspaper, Mr. Underwood "likened Tom's death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds [e.g. mockingbirds] by hunters and children."

Clearly, then, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are metaphorical mockingbirds in Harper Lee's narrative.

When Scout and Jem get air rifles for Christmas, Atticus tells them, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Scout does not understand what her father means, and this is first time he has ever spoken of anything as being sinful. She decides to ask Miss Maudie, and Miss Maudie explains, “Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” They never cause any harm; they just “sing their hearts out for us.” Something that is so beautiful and so generous and so peaceful should not be harmed.

The mockingbird is mentioned one more time, much later in the novel. Scout and Jem have been attacked by Bob Ewell, and Boo Radley comes to their aid, killing Ewell in the process. At first, Atticus thinks that Jem might be responsible for Ewell's death, but when Mr. Tate finally makes Atticus understand what really happened, Atticus agrees to let Mr. Tate's explanation stand. Ewell fell on his knife. Period. Mr. Tate is completely unwilling to put Boo Radley into the limelight. If the town were to realize that he is the one who saved Scout and Jem, they would make a fuss over him, wanting to do all kinds of favors for him, thinking they are doing him a service. The reality would be the opposite. Boo Radley would be overwhelmed with “kindness” and miserable.

After Mr. Tate leaves, Atticus asks Scout if she understands about Ewell falling on his knife. She tells him that she does and that Mr. Tate is right. Then she adds, “Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?” In her childhood innocence, Scout understands that Boo Radley is like a mockingbird. He causes no harm; he merely wants to brighten the world in the limited ways in which he knows how. He is, beneath his reclusive exterior, beautiful and generous and peaceful, so he should not be harmed.

My simple answer is something or someone who is innocent and does no harm, but only good to others. Tom Robinson does good by helping Mayella without expecting a reward. Atticus helps Tom by representing him even though it will bring him little reward. Boo helps the children though he fears the public eye. All of these characters who have done well for others, without reward, face the potential for cruelty for their actions. Killing the mockingbird represents causing harm to those who attempt to do only good. Think about other characters that do good for others in the novel and suffer despite their good intentions. There are more.

Atticus warns Jem after the children receive their air rifles as Christmas presents that it's okay to shoot tin cans and even bluejays, but that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Scout doesn't understand her father's reasoning, but Miss Maudie explains it to her.

"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 hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

Mockingbirds serve as a symbol of innocence and beauty--often in contrast to the sometimes cruel world in which they live--and author Harper Lee uses the songbird to represent several of the characters in the novel. Boo Radley, Tom Robinson and Dolphus Raymond are all human mockingbirds--kind men who are innocent of the accusations made against them. The children--Jem, Scout and Dill--are also mockingbirds--youngsters who witness the less-than-perfect adult world around them (Jem and Scout's last name--Finch--is also a type of songbird), and who suffer a loss of innocence at a far more youthful age than should be expected.

The mockingbirds protest in silence when the rabid dog is killed and when the jury announces its unjust verdict. A mockingbird tries to warn Jem and Scout about the dangers they face during their walk past the Radley property on Halloween. And newspaper editor B. B. Underwood likens Tom's death to "the senseless slaughter of songbirds..." 

The mockingbird is a songbird that sings beautiful songs, and Harper Lee uses it as a symbol of both Tom Robinson, and to a smaller degree, Boo Radley.  No, Tom and Boo don't go around singing beautiful songs in the trees.  :)  The mockingbird is a symbol of innocence, and Scout mentions how after she and Jem got air-rifles, Atticus warned them not to shoot the mockingbirds, because "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird," meaning, a bird who is just innocently singing its song should not be shot or harmed.  It is innocent, harmless, and just going about its business, and to harm a helpless and innocent creature is a sin.  Later, B. B. Underwood makes a direct comparison between Tom and a mockingbird.  He

"likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children,"

meaning, shooting Tom, because of its senseless waste and cruelty, was like shooting an innocent songbird.

Tom represents a mockingbird because he was an innocent man who was unjustly condemned to jail and then killed,  just for show and man's senseless pride.  Boo represents a mockingbird because he is more or less just a man living his life, who is put on display for people's curiosity and fascination, just like a prize bird would be displayed.  The mockingbird works well to symbolize the senseless harm that some cause in the lives of others.  I hope that those thoughts help some; good luck!

The concept of a mockingbird as a creature who is innocent and does not bother anyone else and who holds no malice toward others. "To kill a mockingbird" holds the connotation of to destroy the innocence of this creature by harming it. Three mockingbirds--innocents who are harmed by gratuitous cruelty--are Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Dill Harris.

• Boo Radley

As a youth Boo became involved in some vandalism and other teen-aged pranks for which his father imprisoned him. Then, because of his forced reclusion, tall tales have been fabricated about him; He eats raw squirrels, he has blood-stained hands and a long jagged scar, he poisons pecans, and stares in windows at night, etc.; in short, he is vilified and made to seem ghoulish.

After Boo saves Jem, Heck Tate recognizes that Boo has been too sheltered all these years and would not be able to handle the notoriety of having been the one who has saved the Finch children's lives. This is why he urges Atticus to agree to the account of Bob Ewell's falling upon his own knife.

• Tom Robinson

Tom Robinson is an innocent man whose kindness becomes his undoing as he falls victim to the cruel Bob Ewell. For, Mayella is forced by her father to accuse Tom of rape when she is caught hugging Tom after falsely luring him into her house where he innocently has gone in order to help her break apart an old chiffarobe.
Knowing that he is a scapegoat of white society after a jury convicts him of a crime that all evidence proves he did not do, Tom tries to flee, and is shot and killed.

• Charles Baker Harris (Dill)

Living mainly in a make-believe world of his own creation, Dill is an innocent boy who, when exposed to the cruel biases of Mr. Gilmer as he questions Tom Robinson on the witness stand, is overcome with fear and emotion. When he breaks down and cries, Scout takes him outside. There Mr. Dolphus Raymond hears Dill, and he offers him some of his Coca-Cola that the townspeople have mistaken for alcohol. Mr. Raymond notices Dill's innocence of how "colored folks" are treated, and he says,

“Things haven’t caught up with that one’s instinct yet. Let him get a little older and he won’t get sick and cry. Maybe things’ll strike him as being—not quite right, say, but he won’t cry [about the "hell white people give colored folks] not he gets a few years on him.”

Dill has received a shock to his innocence when he realizes how blacks are really treated by some of the town. After this experience, Dill becomes cynical.

Atticus tells Jem and Scout that it is wrong to kill a mockingbird; Miss Maudie explains later that this is because mockingbirds are songbirds which do nothing but give pleasure to people. The mockingbird's death is thus symbolic of any loss of innocence. The symbolism of the mockingbird can be applied to many people in the novel. Jem and Scout are both mockingbirds because the innocence of their lives is shattered; Boo Radley's cruel parents robbed him of his innocence; Tom Robinson died despite his innocence. To kill a mockingbird is thus to rob a person of their innocence, and that is a major theme in the novel, especially where Jem is concerned.

1. Following Atticus's comment about it being a sin to kill a mockingbird, there are several motifs regarding mockingbirds found throughout the novel. After Tom Robinson is wrongly convicted, he is sent to Enfield Prison Farm, where he attempts to escape. Unfortunately, Tom is shot dead during his escape, and Mr. B. B. Underwood compares his death to the "senseless slaughter of songbirds." Tom Robinson is a symbolic mockingbird because he is harmless and defenseless and only brings joy to the world.

2. In chapter 28, Jem and Scout walk to the Maycomb school to participate in the Halloween festivities. As they walk past Boo Radley's home, Scout mentions,

"High above us in the darkness a solitary mocker poured out his repertoire in blissful unawareness of whose tree he sat in, plunging from the shrill kee, kee of the sunflower bird to the irascible qua-ack of a bluejay, to the sad lament of Poor Will, Poor Will, Poor Will" (Lee, 258).

This specific mockingbird motif foreshadows Bob Ewell's attack on the innocent, vulnerable children as they are walking home.

3. The final mockingbird motif takes place at the end of chapter 30 when Scout metaphorically applies her father's lesson to Boo Radley. When Sheriff Tate says that it would be a sin to inform the community about Boo's heroics, Scout tells her father,

"Well, it’d be sort of like shootin‘ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?" (Lee, 281).

A mockingbird is an innocent creature that is targeted without deserving it.

When Atticus gives his children guns for Christmas, he tells them not to shoot at mockingbirds.  This becomes a metaphor for Scout.  Symbolically, a mockingbird does no harm.

Miss Maudie explains why Atticus tells his children not to shoot at mockingbirds.

"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 hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (ch 10)

There are two symbolic mockingbirds in the story: Boo Radley and Tom Robinson.  Boo Radley is actually identified as a mockingbird by Scout at the end of the story.  Scout tells Atticus that she understands why Heck Tate decided to say Bob Ewell fell on his knife, rather than identify Boo Radley as his killer—even though he was saving the children’s lives.

"Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?" (ch 30)

Scout describes Boo as a mockingbird because he does no harm, and has been only a joy in the children’s lives.  He is targeted by society for no reason other than that he is different.  Similarly, Tom Robinson is targeted because of his race.

I don't have my Mockingbird book with me, but the title of the book is referenced in a chapter right after Jem and Scout receive their guns from Uncle Jack for Christmas. They are out shooting and talking to Miss Maudie, and informs her that Atticus said they could shoot anything but mockingbird. Miss Maudie explains that mockingbirds do nothing but make beautiful music for people to listen to. They don't cause problems for people, so there is no reason to shoot them; therefore, it would be a sin.

Several people in this book can be considered mockingbirds. The obvious ones are Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. Tom only tried to help Mayella--never hurt her or anyone else--but the Ewell family is still trying to "shoot" him, and eventually he does end up dying because of their actions. Boo Radley simply tries to save Jem and Scout at the end of the book, and Heck Tate does not want to push him into the limelight or put him to trial because he's never done anything to hurt anyone. It's Scout that points this out.

You can make an argument for Atticus, Jem and Scout, and Mayella being mockingbirds as well.

"All the ladies in Maycomb includin' my wife'd be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes. To my way of thinkin', Mr. Finch, taking the one man who's done you and this town a great service an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight--to me, that's a sin." (Lee 370)

This quote describes Boo Radley as a mockingbird because Heck Tate alludes to his innocence. Throughout the novel, mockingbirds symbolize innocent characters. Atticus explains to Scout and Jem that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, meaning that it is wrong to harm an innocent person. Mockingbirds are innocent beings that harm nobody. Boo Radley was an innocent person, who was extremely shy and reclusive. Sherriff Tates knows that it would harm Boo Radley if he were given the attention for saving Jem and Scout.

"I just want the whole lot of you to know one thing right now. That boy's worked for me eight years an' I ain't had a speck o'trouble outa him. Not a speck." (Lee 261)

During Tom Robinson's trial, Mr. Link Deas stands up and testifies to Tom's character. Tom is a mockingbird because he is an innocent man who did not harm anyone. Mr. Link Deas' comments portray Tom as being innocent and trustworthy.

"It's like bein' a caterpillar in a cocoon, that's what it is," he said. "Like somethin' asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that's what they seemed like." (Lee 288)

This quote portrays Jem's loss of innocence. Jem, who is a mockingbird, was an innocent, naive child. He believed that Tom Robinson would be given a fair trial, but instead witnessed the ugly prejudice of Maycomb's community members.

The mockingbird is symbol for innocence: a symbol for one who does no harm to others, whose only purpose is to be helpful and peaceful. In Chapter 10, Scout recalls the time when Atticus told Jem to shoot all the bluejays he wants but that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Miss Maudie explains what Atticus meant to Scout: 

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 hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. 

The characters most symbolizing mockingbirds in this novel are Tom Robinson and Arthur (Boo) Radley. Tom attempted to help Mayella and as a result, he was wrongfully accused, convicted, and killed. Tom only tried to help and never harmed anyone: Miss Maudie's definition of a mockingbird. By analogy, it was also a sin to kill Tom Robinson. Boo Radley also never did anyone any harm. In fact, there are numerous times in the novel when he helps Scout and Jem. Therefore, it would be a sin to harm or kill Boo as well. One might consider Atticus as symbolic of the mockingbird as well. He practices what he preaches: justice and honesty. He helps people in any way he can. And he even refrains from fighting back when Bob Ewell spits on him. Atticus generously reasons that to fight back would contribute to more violence: 

So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there. You understand? (Chapter 23) 

The title is named after Atticus's instructions to his children when they receive air rifles as Christmas gifts from their Uncle Jack. At the beginning of chapter 10, Atticus tells Jem and Scout,

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee, 93).

Miss Maudie then elaborates on Atticus's comment by explaining why it is considered a sin to kill a mockingbird. Maudie tells the children that mockingbirds don't cause problems and simply make the world a better place by singing pleasant songs.

Throughout the novel, mockingbirds symbolically represent innocent, defenseless beings. Two characters that are considered symbolic mockingbirds in the novel are Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. Both characters are compassionate, morally-upright individuals, who are vulnerable in various ways. Tom Robinson is a symbolic mockingbird, who goes out of his way to help Mayella Ewell but is defenseless against the community's prejudice. Boo Radley is also a mockingbird because he is gracious and caring towards Jem and Scout but cannot defend himself against his authoritative older brother or the community's negative rumors surrounding him.

One could consider Tom Robinson's verdict the first climax of the novel, where Tom is wrongly convicted of assaulting and raping Mayella Ewell. Tom's wrongful conviction illustrates the importance of protecting symbolic mockingbirds. The second climax of the novel is when Boo Radley defends Jem and Scout against Bob Ewell's vicious attack. During this scene, Jem and Scout can be viewed as vulnerable, symbolic mockingbirds and Boo demonstrates the importance of protecting them. Both climaxes illustrate and emphasize the importance of protecting innocent beings, which corresponds to Atticus's earlier lesson about why it is considered a sin to kill a mockingbird.

Many references to songbirds can be found throughout Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.

In Chapter 10, Lee establishes the symbolism of mockingbirds and songbirds in general when she has Miss Maudie explain to Scout that her father is correct in thinking "it is a sin to kill a mockingbird" because they are innocent creatures that do nothing but bring pleasure by singing, unlike other breeds of birds that are nuisances. Later, Lee draws parallels between the innocent mockingbird and characters to portray those characters' innocence.

One parallel between the innocent mockingbird and Tom Robinson is drawn in Chapter 25. Soon after his death, Scout reports reading an editorial written by Mr. B. B. Underwood, editor and owner of The Maycomb Tribune. In the editorial, Mr. Underwood raves about the injustice of shooting Robinson. Scout paraphrases his ravings in the following:

Mr. Underwood didn't talk about miscarriages of justice, he was writing so children could understand. Mr. Underwood simply figured it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, sitting, or escaping. He likened Tom's death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children (Ch. 25).

In other words, in Mr. Underwood's view, since Robinson was crippled, he was obviously innocent of the crimes he was being charged with and, therefore, it was a sin to kill him, just as it is a sin to kill innocent songbirds such as mockingbirds. Even in Chapter 25, we see Lee continue to use her symbolism of mockingbirds to signal innocence in people.

One reference to songbirds that is a bit different from others in the book can be found in Chapter 28. On the Halloween night the children are attacked, they hear a mockingbird as they walk past one of the oak trees in front of the Radley Place. Scout describes the bird's singing as such:

High above us in the darkness a solitary mocker poured out his repertoire in blissful unawareness of whose tree he sat in, plunging from the shrill kee, kee of the sunflower bird to the irascible qua-ack of the bluejay, to the sad lament of Poor Will, Poor Will, Poor Will (Ch. 28).

The last songbird's call is the most interesting symbolically. The call "poor will, poor will" is the call of the North American bird named the whip-poor-will, also spelled whippoorwill. Native Americans tribes have often associated whip-poor-wills with omens of death. As a result, whip-poor-wills have become known to "symbolize natural disasters, imminent trouble and aching solitude," as well as imminent death (The Nature Conservancy). Hence, the mockingbird in Arthur Radley's tree is meaningful on multiple levels. First, as a songbird, it symbolizes Arthur's innocence. Second, in mimicking the whip-poor-will, the mockingbird symbolizes Arthur's "aching solitude," allowing the reader to deeply empathize with Arthur. Third, in mimicking the whip-poor-will, the mockingbird foreshadows the imminent peril the children are in due to Bob Ewell's desire for revenge.

Yet, since it is a mockingbird imitating a whip-poor-will and not just a whip-poor-will singing, we know the mockingbird has deeper symbolic meaning than just foreshadowing impending doom. Interestingly, the mockingbird is also imitating the song of the bluejay, and bluejays symbolize, among other things, faithfulness, intelligence, determination, and assertiveness. Hence, in imitating both the whip-poor-will and the bluejay, the mockingbird not only foreshadows impending doom but also symbolizes and foreshadows Arthur Radley's upcoming moment of bravery; it symbolizes his faithfulness to the children, his intelligence in figuring out how to rescue them, his determination to rescue them, and his assertiveness in his rescue mission, despite any consequences his rescue may bring him.

The mockingbird is one that sings beautifully, but never hurts anything; hence the saying that it is a sin to kill one.

Boo Radley is mockingbird-like in that he never hurts anyone, but only tries to be helpful.  He had some issues in his past, but most of those can be traced to his parents and his older brother.  He is reclusive because he has been forced to be that way, and over the years it has become his way of life.  But it isn't because he doesn't love other people, or because he doesn't want to be a part of the world.

Examples of Boo's kindness abound in the book, in the ways he treats the children.  He leaves treats for them in the knothole of the tree, he puts a blanket around Scout's shoulders during the fire, and eventually he saves them from death at the hands of Bob Ewell.  He loves "his children," and would do anything for them.

In the end of the novel, Atticus and Heck Tate discuss Boo and what to do about his involvement in the Ewell case.  They decide to keep it a secret, because to expose Boo would be to drag him into the spotlight, where he would be very uncomfortable.  Like killing a mockingbird, it would be a sin to do anything to hurt Boo Radley, after all the good he has done.

First, it is important to define what a mockingbird is. Fortunately for us, the book does this for us. Here is a conversation that Atticus has with Jem and Scout has with Miss Maudie. 

To Kill A Mockingbird

If you're looking for quotes about the "mockingbirds" of To Kill a Mockingbird, visit the quotes about the mistreatment or virtue of Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, Dill, or any other innocent character who has unjustly suffered because of the evils of the world.

For example, Boo Radley is an honest soul who has become a recluse because of the mistreatment he has suffered in life. Tom Robinson is much the same because of the color of his skin. While Tom is physically handicapped, Boo is socially handicapped. Dill is only a child who has already suffered the consequences of not knowing his biological father, and becoming a bit of a lost child as a result.

In short, a mockingbird is any character that has unfairly suffered. A mockingbird is a harmless and fragile animal. To kill it is heinous, but the world does just that to human beings of the same nature.

To answer this question, you must first identify the qualities of the mockingbird as they're given in the novel.  When Jem gets an air-rifle for Christmas, Atticus explains to him that he may shoot as many bluejays as he wants but it's a sin to kill a mockingbird--the only time his father ever called any behavior a sin, Jem noted.

Miss Maudie goes on to explain:  "Mockingbirds don't do a 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 hearts out for us."

As applied to people, then, you must look for characters who are "targets" of people who want to "shoot" them, either literally or figuratively.  Characters who are innocent and helpful, wanting nothing more than to help others, yet are in danger from others. That brings two characters to mind:  Boo Radley and Tom Robinson.

Boo is the target of town gossip and children's pranks, yet the only three things we know for certain he does in the novel are acts of selflessness.  Boo puts thoughtful gifts in a tree for the two kids, he puts a blanket around Scout as she watches Miss Maudie's house burn, and he saves Jem's life. The episode with Jem is even more dramatic, of course, because he actually kills Bob Ewell to save the young boy's life.  Boo is the epitome of a mockingbird who wants nothing but to live a peaceful life and make music, so to speak,  for others.

Tom Robinson is another character who is nothing but kind--even to those who eventually turn on him.  Even though Tom helps Mayella out of kindness and pity, Mayella is trapped and must accuse him of accosting her to save her own life. Tom has done nothing wrong or improper, yet he is shot--in this case literally, many times--by a society which does not value the word or the life of a black man.  He, too, is the embodiment of that innocent bird who wants only to live in peace and sing when he can.

While there may be others (perhaps Mayella, and even Ol' Tim Johnson, for example), these two characters most exemplify the qualities of a mockingbird in this novel.

In the novel, Atticus tells Jem not to use his air rifle to kill mockingbirds because they make music and are not destructive or harmful in any way. Thus the mockingbird is established as a creature of innocence and one that enriches the world because of its basic nature and the fact of its existance. This is an important motif in the novel that culminates when Scout draws a parallel between Boo Radley and the mockingbirds that Atticus had told Jem to respect.

Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and the children themselves are all mockingbirds. They are all innocent of wrongdoing, and all of them are basically gentle and loving souls. They are not agents of destruction in the novel. Boo saves the children's lives, Tom tried to help Mayella Ewell out of compassion for her, and the children reject cruelty when they encounter it. Boo and the children do not die in the novel, but Tom is killed by some guards in prison where he has been confined for a crime he did not commit.

Mockingbirds are a central symbol in the novel and represent innocent, defenseless beings, who cause nobody harm but are vulnerable against malevolent, hostile individuals. In chapter ten, Atticus tells his children that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird and Miss Maudie elaborates on his lesson by saying,

"Your father’s right...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 hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee, 93).

The two most prominent symbolic mockingbirds in the story are Tom Robinson and Arthur "Boo" Radley. Both characters are depicted as charitable, benevolent people, who do not harm others and are generous individuals. Unfortunately, both characters are defenseless and vulnerable against their prejudiced, hostile neighbors. Atticus desperately attempts to protect Tom Robinson from Maycomb's corrupt, racist court system but he ends becoming a victim of racial injustice. Later on, Mr. Underwood underscores Harper Lee's mockingbird symbolism by comparing Tom's tragic death to the "senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children."

Similarly, Boo Radley is also vulnerable to the community's prejudice and limelight. After protecting the children from Bob Ewell's attack, Sheriff Tate refuses to disclose his heroics to the community to protect Boo from the overwhelming attention he would receive from his neighbors. Scout underscores Lee's theme regarding the importance of protecting innocent beings by metaphorically comparing Sheriff Tate's actions to Atticus's mockingbird lesson. Scout asks her father,

"Well, it’d be sort of like shootin‘ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?" (Lee, 280).

In addition to Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, both Jem and Scout are symbolic mockingbirds in the novel. They too are morally-upright, generous individuals, who are defenseless against Bob Ewell's attack and rely on others, primarily Boo Radley, for protection.

The symbol of the mockingbird in the novel is one that asks the reader to figure out what characters are, in fact, mockingbirds. The understanding of the metaphor comes when Atticus explains to Jem and Scout that it is “a sin to kill a mockingbird.”  Miss Maudie goes on to explain that mockingbirds are harmless birds that only exist to sing and entertain others with their beautiful song. 

As readers, we need to infer what Harper Lee means by using this metaphor in the title and as a lesson for Jem and Scout.  Characters become an important way to get across the idea of the mockingbird and their innocence and harmlessness.  There are many ideas of who the mockingbirds are in the novel, and them most distinctive ones are Boo Radley and Tom Robinson.  Boo Radley, despite the rumors and stories of his personality, ends up being someone who protects the children.  He is harmless and even child-like in his love for Scout and Jem when he attempts to show them through the items left in the knothole that he is someone not to be feared.  Tom Robinson (note the bird name, Robinson) is also an innocent man who is oppressed and accused of a crime only because of the color of his skin.  He only wanted to help Mayella Ewell because he felt sorry for her, and his “crime” was caring for another human being in an awful, abusive situation.  In the end, Mr. Underwood states in an editorial about the death of Tom Robinson that it was a sin to kill an innocent man.  Both characters symbolize the mockingbird in many ways.

Other mockingbirds in the story could include Scout, Jem, Dill, Atticus, and even Mayella Ewell.  Harper Lee’s unique symbolic metaphor where she compares the characteristics of the mockingbird to her characters is an important literary device that makes the novel more meaningful and intriguing. 

The meaning of the phrase is that innocents deserve protection.

The mockingbird is symbolic to the story. Book titles often come from a meaningful message said by a character.  In this book, when Jem and Scout get guns for Christmas, their father tells them to be careful where they point them. 

Atticus said to Jem one day, “I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, 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.” (Ch. 10)

Scout is puzzled, because she has never really heard her father say it is a sin to do anything. She asks Miss Maudie, a neighbor woman who is a good friend of Scout’s and does not talk down to her even though she is a little girl. Miss Maudie explains what Atticus meant by saying you should not shoot mockingbirds.

“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 hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Ch. 10) 

Scout ponders this for a while.  She realizes that some people target others who are vulnerable.  She notices that there are several people in her society who are mockingbirds. Mr. Underwood compares Tom Robinson to a mockingbird when he is shot escaping prison. Underwood is a racist, but doesn’t approve of shooting a crippled, unarmed man. 

Scout also compares Boo Radley to a mockingbird at the end of the book, when she realizes that he has been a victim too, and deserves protection. Scout has gone from seeing Boo as a monster to understanding that he is one of society's outcasts, a victim of a cruel world.

Most of the children in the novel could also be seen as mockingbirds. Jem, Scout and Dill would all qualify as innocents who, as children, should only bring happiness to those around them. All three face their own forms of mistreatment, however. Dill, particularly, has faced more unwanted turmoil during his life than should be expected. His parents send him to Maycomb each summer to be rid of him while they enjoy their own pursuits. Jem and Scout are nearly killed by Bob Ewell before another mockingbird, Boo Radley, steps in to help.

The obvious answer to this question is Boo Radley. At the end of the novel, we see that Scout learns the lesson of not killing the mockingbird. As she was told in the begining of the novel, a mockingbird only sings all day and makes people happy, so one should never kill the innocent bird. Boo Radley had reached out the the children and tried to become their friend. Unknown to them, he was watching out for them and he protected them, so why tell the law what really happened on that dark night? It would be an instance of when doing the legal thing was not really the right thing. Sometimes we have to obey a higher power.

Who is the other mockingbird? Several possibilities, perhaps, but I think Tom Robinson is another mockingbird. He was a kind family man only trying to help Mayella. He said in court he felt sorry for her. He was an innocent man that was taken advantage of by a white-trash woman, and then made a scapegoat.  What happened to Tom is in stark contrast of what happened to Boo. In Tom's case, justice was served, but it was injustice. Atticus did not want to make the same mistake with Boo Radley.

In this book, the mockingbird is seen as something that does not hurt anyone.  Therefore, it is a sin to kill a mockingbird -- you are harming something that does no one any harm.  The two people who are most like the mockingbird in this book are Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.

Both Tom and Boo are persecuted by various people in the town even though they have not hurt anyone.  Boo is treated as a monster and Tom is falsely accused of rape.  They both are, it would appear, good people.  But various people in the town abuse them even so -- just because the people are more powerful and are able to abuse the two.  This is why the two of them are the most obvious "mockingbirds" in the story.

Several characters in the novel resonate with the symbol of the mockingbird. 

It is Miss Maudie who affirms that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, since "they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us."

If we take the mockingbird to symbolize harmlessness and some measure of innocence, we can identify at least four characters as "mockingbirds". 

Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are often discussed in this light. Radley only performs acts of kindness in the novel, though he is publicly conceived of as a freak. He gives secret gifts to Jem and Scout then saves their lives. Tom Robinson helps Mayella Ewell out of a sense of kindness and is convicted falsely of rape as a consequence. 

These characters are harmless and need protection, like mockingbirds, yet they are not the only characters that fit this description. 

Atticus Finch has a touch of innocence about him as well. He trusts in the better nature of his enemy, Bob Ewell, assuming that Ewell is finished with his revenge when he spits in Atticus' face on the street. Atticus does not believe that he and  his children need protection too.

His innocence is demonstrated on this point when Ewell attacks Jem and Scout. It is demonstrated immediately afterward as well in his coversation with Heck Tate about how Ewell dies. In his idealism, Atticus is harmless, helpful, and innocent like a mockingbird. 

The children, Jem, Scout and Dill are each also like mockingbirds. They need protection. Though Scout articulates an urge to protect Boo Radley at the novel's end, she could just as well be speaking about herself, her friend and her brother. 

Scout tells her father that revealing Boo Radley's role in Bob Ewell's death would be "like shootin' a mockingbird."

The children are harmless as well and exposing them to danger would be akin to doing the same to Radley.

The theme of the mockingbird is first introduced in Chapter 10 when Atticus reminds Jem, who is practicing with his new air rifle, that

"I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

Miss Maudie confirms the natural sweetness of the mockingbird in a later conversation with Scout, explaining that they don't harm crops and only "sing their hearts out for us."

Most of the children in the novel serve as human mockingbirds, as do some adults, such as Boo and Tom. The author adds further symbolism in Jem's and Scout's names: They are Finches, a bird with similar characteristics to the mockingbird. They symbolize innocence in an often cruel world that does not always treat such people justly. Jem's and Scout's lost innocence is one of the major themes that connects them with the mockingbird, while Boo and Tom are charged with acts--and punished for them (in Tom's case, with death)--that they did not commit.

Scout comes to recognize the symbolism between the bird and the man when she tells Atticus in Chapter 30 that charging Boo in the death of Bob Ewell would

"... be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird features a motif and symbol of a mockingbird. The mockingbird, or songbird, is used to represent innocence and purity.

The symbol is introduced when Jem and Scout get air rifles. Atticus’s only warning is to “remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (chapter 10). Scout is confused by why this matters so much to Atticus, so she asks Miss Maudie. Miss Maudie tells her,

“Your father's right,” she said. “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 hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird” (chapter 10).

This introduction to the mockingbird establishes its symbolism and purpose in the text. The mockingbird will be referenced any time someone innocent dies. This is especially true if the killing is only done to appease society, which does not appreciate beauty, innocence, and virtue.

Tom Robinson, a black man, is wrongly convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. When he tries to escape jail, he is shot numerous times by the guards. In reaction to this, Mr. Underwood, the owner, editor, and writer of the Maycomb Tribune, writes an editorial. Scout notes that, “he likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children...” (chapter 25). Now, the mockingbird is being equated with a man that was wrongly convicted of a crime by a racist jury. He was innocent in the whole affair, but a white man, Bob Ewell, needed a scapegoat for his crime, so he chose someone he knew would be blamed.

Finally, towards the end of the novel, Boo Radley saves Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell, who attacks them. Even though Boo Radley killed Bob to save the children, he would still have been blamed for the death. Mr. Tate, the sheriff, spins the story to save Boo from harm. When he and Atticus explain this to Scout and ask her if she understands, she replies, “Well it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” (chapter 30). This final reference to the motif and symbol used throughout the book cements its meaning. Within this text, the mockingbird is seen as a symbol of those who value beauty and innocence over a corrupt society.

Mockingbirds represent innocent beings and are a significant symbol throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In Chapter 10, Jem and Scout are playing with their air rifles and Atticus says, "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee 119). Miss Maudie elaborates on Atticus' rule by telling Scout,

"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 hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee 119).

Mockingbirds can also symbolically represent any innocent beings, like Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. Both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are kind, helpful individuals who do nothing to bother or harm anybody. After Tom is shot dead trying to escape from jail, Mr. Underwood writes an interesting piece in his editorial. Scout mentions,

"Mr. Underwood didn't talk about miscarriages of justice, he was writing so children could understand. Mr. Underwood simply figured it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, sitting, or escaping. He likened Tom's death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children..." (Lee 323).

In the previous passage, Harper Lee draws the connection between killing mockingbirds and killing innocent beings. They are essentially the same thing. Later on in the novel, Scout applies Atticus' lesson about not killing mockingbirds to Boo Radley's situation. When Atticus asks Scout if she understands why Sheriff Tate is not going to tell the community about Boo's heroics, Scout says, "We'll, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?" (Lee 370). Scout learns the importance of defending and respecting the lives of innocent beings from Atticus defending Tom against the prejudiced community of Maycomb and telling her that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.

At the end of the novel, in chapter 30, Scout learns that the person responsible for saving both her and Jem from the clutches of an angry Bob Ewell is none other than their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. She now comes to view him not as a scary phantom monster but as a kind and courageous protector and friend. She also learns from Atticus that to expose the shy and reclusive Boo as a hero to the general public would mean bringing him unwanted acclaim and attention and this would not be the right way to treat him after all that he did for them. Scout also remembers what she had been told before about never killing a mockingbird, since all that they ever do is bring goodness and light into our lives with their innocent yet beautiful singing. She now sees that Boo Radley is like the mockingbird because he had been the one to always leave little gifts for the children and although they taunted him, in the end he protected them from danger. Therefore, she now understands that he should not be harmed in any way. That is why she says,

"Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"

Although this quote refers to Boo Radley at this point in the novel, it can also be said of Tom Robinson because he, too, was a character who was always good and kind, especially to Mayella Ewell when she asked for his help. He didn't deserve to be killed.

The metaphor of a mockingbird is used to represent both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley and this quote from Scout shows that she has come to understand why we must strive to protect the rights of those who are worthy and yet unable to protect themselves from the bad elements in our society. In saying those words, Scout has come of age and although she has lost her innocence, she has gained empathy and compassion for others.

The two most memorable quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird regarding the bird are:

Remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.

and

Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy...but sing their hearts out for us. That's why its a sin to kill a mockingbird.

Both of these quotes state the same thing- that the things which bring us happiness and tranquility are important in life.

If one were to consider Boo Radley in the same way as the mockingbird, they could substantiate that he, too, tries to insure happiness (by giving gifts to the children) and tranquility (by protecting them from Bob Ewell).

The relevance of both quotes lies in the fact that the importance of the mockingbird is not known until both Atticus and Miss Maudie tell the children about it. Similarly, the children do not know the importance of Boo either, not until he becomes relevant to the children.

Tom Robinson is symbolically linked to a mockingbird. As Atticus tells his children, "It's a sin to kill a mockingbird because they don't hurt anyone."

Tom doesn't hurt anyone, even though he is falsely accused of raping Mayella.  He is killed physically trying to escape from prison, but he is also "killed" symbolically when his character is besmirched by this accusation. He is unable to work to support his family and, for all intents and purposes, is dead to the community.

There are actually two. Tom Robinson is like a mockingbird. He has done nothing wrong, yet he is found guilty of a crime he did not commit and sentenced to prison where he dies. It is a sin that this was allowed to happen.

Boo Radley can also be viewed as a mockingbird. Scout observes, after overhearing Heck Tate and Atticus discuss what to do about Bob Ewell's murder, that putting Boo through a trial would be like killing a mockingbird. Boo has done nothing wrong but silently observe - and once in awhile interact - with the children. When they needed his protection, he didn't hesitate to protect them. Putting this shy, reclusive man on trial for saving Jem and Scout would be like killing a mockingbird. Who knows what kind of effect it would have on him? So Heck Tate states that Bob Ewell simply fell on his knife and Scout walks Boo home.

In chapter 10, Scout and Jem are excited to use their new air- rifles, and are upset that Atticus won't teach them to shoot. Atticus tells Jem, "I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, 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." Atticus goes on to explain that people should never kill mockingbirds, because a mockingbard causes no harm, but only sings with its lovely and harmless voice. This is a metaphor for all of the innocent characters throughout the novel who are victimized without legitimate reason. Scout and Jem find themselves the subject of violence, simply because they are the children of a lawyer who is defending a black man. Tom Robinson is clearly innocent of Mayella Ewell's accusations, but is found guilty because of his race. Boo Radley is also the victim of his father's abuse, although we do not know the extent of the abuse. The children also prey on Boo, making him the target of their games, jokes, and horror stories. They have had no direct interaction with Boo that would suggest he is evil, but because of the obscurity of his situation, he becomes a victim of the society's rumors.  Because of all this, the idea of an innocent person becoming a victim, and people going after a harmless being, is a heavy theme within Harper Lee's novel.

To Kill A Mockingbird

The two symbolic mockingbirds are Boo Radley and Tom Robinson.

Atticus tells his children not to shoot mockingbirds when they get guns for Christmas.  He tells them that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.  Scout is surprised, because her father never says anything is a sin.  She asks Miss Maudie to explain.  Miss Maudie tells her that mockingbirds are harmless, and only make nice music for us to enjoy.

The mockingbird thus becomes symbolic for someone who is victimized by society when he is really a gentle creature.  Tom Robinson is a victim because he is targeted by the Ewells because of his race.  He was trying to help Mayella.  For this, he was accused of rape and convicted.  In an editorial, Mr. Underwood compares him to a songbird, giving us our first symbolic mockingbird comparison. 

Mr. Underwood simply figured it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, sitting, or escaping. He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children … (Ch. 25) 

Tom Robinson did not do anything to Mayella.  He was a scapegoat and target of fear. The people of Maycomb were just not ready to accept a black man’s innocence.  Knowing this, he killed himself by escaping prison.  He did not want to take his chances with an appeal. 

The second mockingbird is Boo Radley. He is a victim of society too.  Because he is different, he is ostracized.  He never even comes out of his house.  He is timid, shy, and reclusive.  Scout learns that he is not a monster, as the neighborhood believes, but just a gentle soul.  He rescues Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell.  Atticus asks Scout if she understands why they are keeping Boo’s involvement a secret. 

“Scout,” he said, “Mr. Ewell fell on his knife. Can you possibly understand?” Atticus looked like he needed cheering up. I ran to him and hugged him and kissed him with all my might. “Yes sir, I understand,” I reassured him. “Mr. Tate was right.  … Well, it’d be sort of like shootin‘ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” (Ch. 30) 

Telling everyone what happens would bring notoriety to Boo Radley, which he would not want.  They decide to pretend that Bob Ewell fell on his knife and died by accident while attacking the kids.  That way they can protect Boo and keep him out of it.  Bringing fame to such a shy man would be like killing a mockingbird. 

When Atticus shot the mad dog, he inspired Jem and Scout (his kids) to become sharpshooters just like him.  To give them early practice on their shooting skills he gets them a bb gun.  When he gave them the bb gun he admonished them not to use the bb gun to kill mockingbirds.  Mockingbirds were "sitting ducks" a common bird, usually easy to shoot and most people have a love-hate relation: they love the songs of the mockingbird, but hate the damage it does to glass (it attacks its own reflection).  This relationship becomes a metaphor for the trial later on.  Robinson is the mockingbird that Mr. Ewell is trying to kill.  He should love Robinson (because Robinson loves his daughter), but he hates him because he's black.  Instead of following Atticus' advice to his children, Ewell let's his hate drive him "To Kill a Mockingbird." 

Tom is referenced as a mockingbird in chapter 25. Mr. Underwood writes an article in The Maycomb Tribune that compares Tom's death to the senseless killing of songbirds. His point must have been that Tom did not deserve to be shot 17 times in his alleged escape. This is comparable to hunters or even children using guns to kill good birds for sport. In fact, in 1918, Teddy Roosevelt helped craft an act that defended many wild birds and songbirds, it would have been in effect during this time.

In the last chapters, Scout is given the opportunity to assess why Heck Tate doesn't want to turn Boo Radley in for the death of Bob Ewell. Even though many in the town would praise his work, it's not like him to want any piece of the spotlight. Atticus asks her if she can understand that Bob Ewell fell on his knife and why the situation is the way it is. She replies that they have to otherwise it would be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird.