Mockingbird Motif

Before this school year, I could never understand what a motif was because I always got it mixed up with symbol. After being in Honors English for about two months, I have a better understanding of what it is. By reading, To Kill a Mockingbird, motif has become even more clear for me to understand.

The "mockingbird motif" is first brought up at the beginning of the book when Jem and Scout get their new air-rifles. Atticus warns them that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because all they do is sing songs for people to enjoy. At the end of the novel, the "mockingbird motif" is brought up again. When Boo Radley stabs Bob Ewell to save Scout and Jem, Heck Tate says that Bob "fell on the knife." Mr. Tate says this because Boo Radley was only doing good and trying to save the kids and he didn't want Boo to have to go to court. When everyone leaves Atticus asks Scout if she can understand what was happening. Scout replied, "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"

The use of motif in, To Kill a Mockingbird, helps express the novel's main theme of good vs. evil.