To Kill a Mockingbird: Why the Title?

There are countless titles that, if chosen, would have been appropriate for the critically acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird. Why the author, Harper Lee, chose the title she did, is evident from the first chapter to the last of the novel. The title of this novel reflects upon a few of the major themes presented in it, including racial injustice and prejudice. The mockingbirds in this novel, as referred to in the title, are Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, who were both condemned to silence by the actions of those around them.

Scout was once told: “‘It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird… don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us’” (Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 239). This statement is the basis for which the author has titled her novel. Tom Robinson was falsely accused (as Atticus had proved) of committing a terrible crime against a white woman. African Americans in the deep south, including Maycomb, during the mid 20th century, were still considered to be inferior to white people. Mayella Ewell was the white woman making the false accusations, and her word counted for more than anyone’s, including some black man. For this reason, Tom’s life was condemned, and this mockingbird was killed; this pertains to Tom not only figuratively, but literally.

Other posts related to To Kill a Mockingbird:
An Outline for a Paper on To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
To Kill A Mockingbird: Seeming vs. Reality
To Kill a Mockingbird: Why the Title?

The other mockingbird in this novel, Boo Radley, was always though out to be some malicious, rampant character, with a terrible history: “…where he has remained unseen since his arrest and subsequent release from jail for an adolescent prank fifteen years earlier” (CLC, “Harper Lee”). Boo’s reputation has been developed over time, through the work of a few prime characters that live in close proximity to the Radley home. Naturally, Scout has developed a misconception of Boo, primarily through the spread of established rumors. But as the novel progresses, Scout’s worst fears are assuaged, as Boo begins to reveal himself and his ways: “‘Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough’” (Lee, 322). This event is also symbolized in the book that Jem reads, The Grey Ghost; its plot on which Scout comments: “‘An’ they chased him ‘n’ never could catch him ‘cause they didn’t know what he looked like, an’ Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn’t done any of those things… Atticus, he was real nice’” (Lee, 323). Boo Radley was no ‘malevolent phantom’; in fact, he ended up saving the children’s lives at the end of the novel. For this reason, Atticus and the sheriff make up a story to protect Boo, because they now know how he really is: a nice, caring character that would never do anything to hurt anyone. Scout confirms this false story to be true, with the comment: “‘Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?’”(Lee, 318).

Boo Radley and Rom Robinson are two mockingbirds who were condemned to silence because of tradition and rumor. The novel was undoubtedly titled for these two main characters, who, in one way or another, were sentenced to death [figuratively, and in Tom’s case, literally]. The title To Kill a Mockingbird symbolizes that to kill a mockingbird, would be killing either Boo or Tom; and as the novel itself expresses, killing a mockingbird is a sin against humanity. With this being the case, why did society still kill the mockingbirds in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Other posts related to To Kill a Mockingbird:
An Outline for a Paper on To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
To Kill A Mockingbird: Seeming vs. Reality
To Kill a Mockingbird: Why the Title?

Works Cited

“Harper Lee.” Contemporary Literary Criticism. Vol. 60, 1990.
Johnson, Claudia. Understanding To Kill a Mockingbird: a Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historic Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Harper Collins, 1960.