Mockingbird Motif

In the beginning of the year when we had to know all the definitions of the literary terms, Motif was one of the literary terms I just couldn't grasp. None of the definitions could explain well enough what exactly a Motif was. After reading To Kill a Mockingbird I finally understand what exactly a Motif is. A Motif is a reoccurring symbol or event in a novel that enhances the theme/themes in a novel. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the 'Mockingbird Motif' was a symbol meaning that it's a sin to kill a mocking bird.

Harper Lee says it's a sin to kill a mockingbird, because they don't ever do anything wrong they're put on the Earth to do good things. In the novel, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are considered mockingbirds. They were both innocent people who were trying to do something good for someone else. Tom Robinson was considered a mockingbird because he was put on trial and then killed because the jury thought Tom was guilty of the raping and beating of Mayella Ewell, even though he did not do anything to her. And Boo Radley is considered a mockingbird because he was always there for Jem and Scout and he was always doing something right for them, and people were always brought up thinking he was a bad insane man, but he really was a good man. Both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley were good, innocent people trying to do good for other people - They are like mockingbirds.

-Nicole Dandridge