To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee, is a story about Scout and Jem Finch playing with their friend Dill and spying on the mysterious Boo Radley. Atticus Finch is a respected lawyer and defends a black man, Tom Robinson, who was accused of rape. The trial shows the evils of prejudice and racism. In this novel Atticus, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are metaphorically portrayed as mockingbirds because they didn’t do anything wrong and were denounced by the people of Maycomb. Mockingbirds are innocent creatures who don't harm humans or their crops, only making beautiful music for people to enjoy. Tom Robinson, a hardworking family man,is a mockingbird because he did nothing but try to help Mayella and make her life a little easier but they “killed” him any way.
She repays his kindness by accusing him of assault and rape. All the evidence in the trial clearly shows that Tom didn’t rape Mayella Ewell but the jury simply ignored the evidence and looked at the color of his skin. “In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life." (220) this is the first major sign of racism the trial shows.
Scout and Dill were too young to
really understand this even Jem couldn’t wrap his mind around it. The sin of killing Tom
Robinson falls mostly into the hands of Bob Ewell but also every Maycomb person who helped with his demise.
The mysterious Boo Radley isn’t psychotic at all, he reveals himself as a pretty shy character. Boo was preconceived by many people because he wasn’t let out of the house by his father or brother because of their religious beliefs. Not only does Boo save Jem and Scout he also avenges Tom Robinson’s death. Tate said “let the dead bury the dead”(369) and convinced
Atticus that Bob Ewell fell on his own knife. Boo Radley, the real murderer of Mr. Ewell, shouldn’t be out in the public for a trial. By simply covering it up by saying Mr. Ewell fell on his knife, Tate is able to protect Boo from court and get justice for Tom's death. Boo minds his own business and it would be "a sin" to do anything to
