It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because a mockingbird is innocent. The mockingbird is a symbol for Tom Robinson, the innocent man condemned to die by a racist town in the book.
It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they do not do anything to hurt anyone, they just sing.
When Atticus tells them that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, Scout is surprised.
That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. (ch 10)
Atticus does not use the word “sin” lightly, clearly. He does not have a problem with the children killing blue jays. Clearly blue jays are less than mockingbirds in his esteem. Scout wants to know why.
"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)
Mockingbirds are innocent creatures who do not hurt anyone. As opposed to blue jays, who bully other birds, mockingbirds just copy other birds and sing. They entertain the people, so the people should not hurt them. Atticus makes a point to mention mockingbirds because they are different.
The mockingbirds are symbolic. They are targeted because they are different. The difference does not have to be a bad thing. In this case, it is actually a good thing. Characters like Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are mockingbirds because they are innocents who are targeted because of their differences. Just as it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, targeting them because they are different is wrong.
At the beginning of chapter 10 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Scout go outside to shoot the new air-rifles they received for Christmas. Knowing that Jem will want to try shooting at living things, Atticus says, "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Scout mentions that this was the only time she had ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and so she asks Miss Maudie about it. Miss Maudie proceeds to elaborate on Atticus's comment by telling Scout that it is a sin to kill mockingbirds because they are innocent, pleasant birds that cause no harm and make lovely music for people to enjoy. Jem and Scout follow their father's instructions and are careful not to shoot any mockingbirds.
Mockingbirds are an important symbol in the story and represent any innocent, vulnerable being. Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are innocent individuals whose social position in the town leaves them vulnerable; thus, both characters are considered symbolic mockingbirds. Tom Robinson is a benevolent person who brings joy to the world by helping others. Tragically, Tom Robinson becomes a victim of racial injustice after Mayella falsely accuses him of rape. Despite evidence of his innocence, Tom is wrongfully convicted because of his race alone. Boo Radley is shy and compassionate but is treated as a pariah by those who can't understand his reclusive lifestyle. At the end of the story, Boo Radley saves the Finch children from Bob Ewell. Aware of Boo's innocence and good intentions, Sheriff Tate choses to treat the case as closed to spare Boo from unwanted attention. Both Tom and Boo's stories parallel Atticus's warning about the mockingbirds, highlighting Maycomb's collective sins in harming and mistreating these two innocent men.
Your best bet is to reread chapter ten and look at what Miss Maudie is explaining to Scout. By extension, you should be able to see that causing harm to harmless creatures is a sin. In this novel you will find many examples of people who try to help others, most particularly Tom Robinson with Mayella Ewell and Arthur Radley with the Finch children. Try to apply what Miss Maudie says to the two situations and you should be well on your way to understanding the symbolism of mockingbirds.
Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird according to Miss Maudie?
In chapter 10, Jem and Scout are shooting their air rifles outside, and Atticus tells them to shoot all the bluejays they want—but not any mockingbirds. Atticus then tells the children that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. When Scout asks Miss Maudie why it is considered a sin to kill a mockingbird, Maudie says that it is considered a sin because mockingbirds do not cause anyone harm; they simply make music for everyone to enjoy. Maudie tells Scout,
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)
Throughout the novel, mockingbirds symbolically represent innocent beings who spread joy to their community but are defenseless and vulnerable. Several prominent characters embody these traits and are considered symbolic mockingbirds. Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are the two most prominent examples of symbolic mockingbirds. Both characters are innocent, benevolent people who are also defenseless against their prejudiced neighbors. Toward the end of the novel, Scout metaphorically applies Atticus's lesson when her father asks if she understands Sheriff Tate's reasoning for not telling the community about Boo's heroics. Scout asks,
Well, it’d be sort of like shootin‘ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it? (Lee, 280)
Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird according to Miss Maudie?
Atticus tells the children that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Scout and Jem go to Miss Maudie's house to ask her about it. They would like to know what her opinion is on the topic. Miss Maudie tells the children that she agrees with their father. She explains that mockingbirds do good things. They do not bother anyone or anything. Instead of being bothersome like some birds, mockingbirds sing beautiful songs to bring joy to people. Miss Maudie talks about all the things that mockingbirds do not do:
"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" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 10).
A mockingbird represents innocence in the story. Boo Radley is compared to a mockingbird by Scout because he does not harm anyone. Instead, he brings joy to the lives of Scout and Jem. In the end, he saves their lives.
Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird according to Miss Maudie?
In Harper Lee’s 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird, it is Atticus who first suggests to Jem and Scout that “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” In Chapter 10, Scout is describing the time Atticus gave his children air-rifles, with the provision that they not shoot mockingbirds. It was okay to shoot bluejays, but “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Asking Maudie Atkinson to explain her father’s remark, Maudie responds as follows:
“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.”
Scout professed to have never before heard Atticus refer to something as a “sin,” but that day he made an exception for mockingbirds. Maudie’s explanation stems from her approach to nature, which Scout sums up as “She loved everything that grew in God’s earth, even the weeds.” Bluejays are notorious for their generally unsociable disposition. They may be nice to look at, but they’re not particularly friendly. Mockingbirds, on the other hand, contribute beauty to the planet, and are to be spared the fate that might befall other species that happen into the gun sights of children with rifles.
Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird according to Miss Maudie?
Miss Maudie says that mockingbirds "don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us." This comment reinforces the theme that it is wrong to harm those who don't do anything but try to help others. We see this clearly when Tom Robinson is put on trial because he tried to help Mayella Ewell. He came into the yard because she asked him to help and wound up unfairly accused of hurting her. Miss Maudie wanted the children to know that it is wrong to hurt a helpless animal that seeks to please us. unfortunately, most of the town does not believe this ideal applies to all people as well as animals. Thus, the theme of injustice is closely tied with the previous theme.
Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird according to Miss Maudie?
Another important point is what mockingbirds do for us (people). Maudie points out what they "don't do" like nest in corn cribs or mess up people's gardens. However, they make music and sing for us. This is how it truly ties in with both mockingbird symbols in this book. Tom Robinson goes out of his way to help Mayella when she needs it most. He expects nothing out of it at all. Then she blames him for something he didn't do, just to cover up what her alcoholic father does to her on a daily basis. Tom is the mockingbird just because he only helps when he can. He never harmed a hair on that girl's head. Boo is then the second mockingbird for risking his anti-social personality (and risking the opportunity to become a hero in the eyes of the town) to save the lives of "his children."
Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird according to Miss Maudie?
Atticus told Scout that it was a sin to kill a mockingbird. This was the first time that Scout had ever heard Atticus say that it was a sin to do something, so she asked Miss Maudie about it. Miss Maudie said that Atticus was right. She said that mockingbirds “don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…but sing their hearts out for us.” The mockingbird was a metaphor for good and innocent people who are destroyed by evil. Boo Radley would be an example of one of the good and innocent people. He was kind to Jem and Scout even though he was damaged by an abusive father. In chapter 30, Scout tells Atticus that hurting Boo Radley would be “sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird.”
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