Mockingbird Motif

At the beginning of the year we discussed the meaning of "motif" as it relates to a work of literature. How has reading To Kill a Mockingbird enhanced your understanding of the term "motif?" What is the "mockingbird motif" and how does it add a symbolic level of meaning to the other themes in the novel? Write at least two well-developed paragraphs in which you address the questions above. Showcase your understanding of the characters, events, and themes in the novel as well as your ability to analyze literature thoroughly and with insight.

To Kill a Mockingbird has helped define what a motif was. I used to think motif was basically the theme. After reading the book, I've started to think of it a little bit differently. The recurring "mockingbird motif" showed me that a motif is a symbol that appears repeatedly throughout the book.
The "mockingbird" motif first came up in this book when Atticus told Scout and Jem that they could shoot at many blue jays as they wanted but it was a sin to kill a mockingbird. As the book progresses, the motif is used less literally. One example is in the last portion of the book: Atticus is advocating fro Boo to go to court, but Mr. Tate wanted to lie in order to protect Boo. Scout recognizes that like a mockingbird, Boo Radley never meant to do any harm. So, he should not be bothered. This motif contributes to one of the major themes of this book: standing in another person's shoes. Throughout the story, the author used the motif to help define the theme and give the reader a symbol to connect with throughout the book.



My computer was being crazy and wouldn't let me publish my blog post. Seriously.