To Kill A Mockingbird Innocence Essay Example

In this world there are two types of people, those who are meant to be protectors and those who are meant to be protected. In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," the author Harper Lee constantly discusses and enhances many themes, one of the themes being innocent individuals  who do no harm and require protection. This is shown through a motif of the symbolization of a mockingbird. Furthermore, it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because mockingbirds do no harm and only attempt to bring pleasure. The book is told through a child's perspective, Scout, and it takes place around the time of the Great Depression. Tragedies are constantly occurring to this child and those around her. One particular tragedy that happens is the wrongful accusation of rape by a white women to an innocent black man, this black man being Tom Roberson. Tom is a prime example of a mockingbird because of his vulnerability, benevolent nature, and the unethical treatment he receives from society. 

To begin, Tom faces challenges where he is vulnerable making him unable to protect himself. When Tom was asleep in a jail cell, a mob of men came to find him and have a wile to kill him. Tom is not able to rely on the sheriff, Mr. Heck Tate, to ensure his safety because he was sent on a snipe hunt by the mob. Tate was, "bunch's so deep in the woods they [would not] get out till mornin" and by morning Tom would be dead (Lee 202). Tom is not able to stand a chance by himself to protect himself against a violent mob with weapons. Not only is Tom vulnerable to them, but he has a disability. His disability makes him even more vulnerable to protect himself in this situation. Tom's "left arm [is] fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and h[a]ng[s] dead at his side"(Lee 248). In all, Tom Robinson is incapable of protecting himself making him vulnerable against the mob, which connects to the similarity of a mockingbird because they do no harm and require protection.

Furthermore, Tom not only portrays a benevolent person, but continuously acts out of genuine kindness. While on Tom's course to work he passes Mayella Ewell's house and "every time [he] pass[es] by yonder she'd have some little somethin' for [him] to do" (Lee 256). Tom never complains about all the housework tasks she asks assistance for. He is more than willing to assist her with tasks without any sort of payment or reciprocation for his aid. In fact, he was "glad to do it, [because] Mr. Ewell [does not] seem to help her none, and neither [do] the chillun, and [he] kn[ows] she [does not] have no nickels to spare" (Lee 256). Tom only has the purest intentions in regard to helping her, and constantly determines to make her life a little less difficult than it already is. Collectively, Tom strives to help out Mayella and depicts a benevolent nature throughout his actions. Therefore, he is indistinguishable to a mockingbird's nature to endeavor to give out pleasure to others. 

Finally, Tom encounters numerous injustices from society. He is unjustly convicted of rape. To start with the case was never fair and automatically Mayella has the upper hand. Tom has no chance of winning, because the court shows prejudice towards him because of the color of his skin. After he is convicted he is in a camp waiting to see if he would get an appeal, he attempts to escape, so he can be free and gets shot at. There are "seventeen bullet holes in him" from the gunshots (Lee 315). Despite knowing the consequences he will face if he is caught he takes his chance anyway. He would rather attempt to escape than rely on society and the law to do the right thing. This proves how society has a bias towards Mayella because of her skin color rather than treating this case fairly. This links to a mockingbird because Tom does no harm to society, such as a mockingbird does no harm. 

Subsequently, Tom is a primary example of a mockingbird because of his need for protection, selfless nature, and prejudice he faces from society. Tom's parallel to a mockingbird is significantly visible throughout his encounters with Mayella, the trial he was put on and after the trial. Tom never does any harm but requires protection such as a mockingbird. To this day prejudice through our society still remains, such do innocent people who do no harm and need to have protection. These individuals can be seen as representatives to parallels to mockingbirds in "To Kill A Mockingbird".