To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird
Literary Devices
Alex's Literary Devices
Mockingbirds
The literary device mockingbirds are is symbolism. Since the book is called ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ we can assume that mockingbirds will be a big part of the novel. The Mockingbirds play a big part in describing the theme. Compared to the theme the mockingbirds are the good, all they are is song birds, they only sing for us. But they are soon tainted by the evils of the world/killed by a gunshot.
“I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walked around in it”
This is an example of metaphors in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’. This metaphor means that Scout was trying to understand what Jem was going through, through his perspective. Scout said it this way because in a previous chapter Atticus explained to her that before you judge someone you need to look through their perspective, and he used the climbing into someones skin as an analogy. Atticus used this because he wanted to accurately explain looking at someone from their perspective, Scout is smart, but she might have not fully comprehended that. So, Atticus used a simpler more animated way of saying it so Scout could really understand what he was saying and apply it to her life.
“Now tell your father not to teach you anymore. It’s best to begin with a fresh mind.”
This is an example of irony in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, when Miss Caroline confronts Scout on her reading. This shows irony because instead of praising Scouts advanced ability to read she discourages it. This seems to depict that Miss Caroline hasn’t received proper training to become a teacher. You could tell that she was taught on a strict regimen for how her students are supposed to behave, so when she sees something different like Scout’s reading ability she demands Scout to stop being advanced. Whereas a modern day school teacher would praise a student for being advanced and encourage her to keep on reading.
“ Jem waved away my words as if fanning gnats”
This is a smilie in the book. When Scout says this i can infer that she is talking about Jem ignoring her. In the middle of the book Jem turns 13, which is when he starts puberty. He used to hang out with Scout everywhere besides school, and play with her everyday. Although now that Jem is going through this changed he doesn’t see the point in hanging out with someone so much younger than him, especially if that’s his younger sister.
The literary device mockingbirds are is symbolism. Since the book is called ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ we can assume that mockingbirds will be a big part of the novel. The Mockingbirds play a big part in describing the theme. Compared to the theme the mockingbirds are the good, all they are is song birds, they only sing for us. But they are soon tainted by the evils of the world/killed by a gunshot.
“I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walked around in it”
This is an example of metaphors in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’. This metaphor means that Scout was trying to understand what Jem was going through, through his perspective. Scout said it this way because in a previous chapter Atticus explained to her that before you judge someone you need to look through their perspective, and he used the climbing into someones skin as an analogy. Atticus used this because he wanted to accurately explain looking at someone from their perspective, Scout is smart, but she might have not fully comprehended that. So, Atticus used a simpler more animated way of saying it so Scout could really understand what he was saying and apply it to her life.
“Now tell your father not to teach you anymore. It’s best to begin with a fresh mind.”
This is an example of irony in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, when Miss Caroline confronts Scout on her reading. This shows irony because instead of praising Scouts advanced ability to read she discourages it. This seems to depict that Miss Caroline hasn’t received proper training to become a teacher. You could tell that she was taught on a strict regimen for how her students are supposed to behave, so when she sees something different like Scout’s reading ability she demands Scout to stop being advanced. Whereas a modern day school teacher would praise a student for being advanced and encourage her to keep on reading.
“ Jem waved away my words as if fanning gnats”
This is a smilie in the book. When Scout says this i can infer that she is talking about Jem ignoring her. In the middle of the book Jem turns 13, which is when he starts puberty. He used to hang out with Scout everywhere besides school, and play with her everyday. Although now that Jem is going through this changed he doesn’t see the point in hanging out with someone so much younger than him, especially if that’s his younger sister.
Casie's Literary Devices
Mockingbirds - symbolism
Mockingbirds are symbols in the book for innocence. The character that represents a mockingbird in the book is Boo Radley. In the book he is considered a good person as a child but then he gets mixed in with the wrong crowd as he gets older. This also portrays the theme as good and evil. Killing a mockingbird is considered a sin. Many characters are sucked into evil by the end of the book showing that the “mockingbirds” were “killed”.
“I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walked around in it.” - metaphor
When Scout said this she was referring to the advice Atticus had given her about how she should get to know someone before she judges them or their situation. She said this meaning she tried to understand his situation from his point of view. This advice could be used for many situations in the book. Things might work out better if people understood things from the person’s point of view.
"The Radley place jutted into a sharp curve beyond our house. Walking south, one faced its porch; the sidewalk turned and ran beside the lot. The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the color of the slate-grey yard around it. Rain rotted shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda; oak trees kept the sun away. The remains of a picket drunkenly guarded the front yard-a ‘swept’yard that was never swept-where Johnson grass and rabbit-tobacco grew in abundance"- imagery
This is an example of imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout was describing the Radley house at the beginning of the boooook. Scout said “The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the color of the slate-grey yard around it.” She gives examples of colors and what it looked like.
Dark Tone
The book’s tone is dark because the whole book has a dull feel in it. With all of the racism and judgements going around the book can seem to be kind of dark. When Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a colored person, many people judge him and criticize him for defending a black person. This gives a dark feel because people in the town are racist and judge people for no reason.
Mockingbirds are symbols in the book for innocence. The character that represents a mockingbird in the book is Boo Radley. In the book he is considered a good person as a child but then he gets mixed in with the wrong crowd as he gets older. This also portrays the theme as good and evil. Killing a mockingbird is considered a sin. Many characters are sucked into evil by the end of the book showing that the “mockingbirds” were “killed”.
“I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walked around in it.” - metaphor
When Scout said this she was referring to the advice Atticus had given her about how she should get to know someone before she judges them or their situation. She said this meaning she tried to understand his situation from his point of view. This advice could be used for many situations in the book. Things might work out better if people understood things from the person’s point of view.
"The Radley place jutted into a sharp curve beyond our house. Walking south, one faced its porch; the sidewalk turned and ran beside the lot. The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the color of the slate-grey yard around it. Rain rotted shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda; oak trees kept the sun away. The remains of a picket drunkenly guarded the front yard-a ‘swept’yard that was never swept-where Johnson grass and rabbit-tobacco grew in abundance"- imagery
This is an example of imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout was describing the Radley house at the beginning of the boooook. Scout said “The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the color of the slate-grey yard around it.” She gives examples of colors and what it looked like.
Dark Tone
The book’s tone is dark because the whole book has a dull feel in it. With all of the racism and judgements going around the book can seem to be kind of dark. When Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a colored person, many people judge him and criticize him for defending a black person. This gives a dark feel because people in the town are racist and judge people for no reason.