“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,” this famous line from Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, is hard to forget. The phrase “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” refers to intentionally and pointlessly destroying something that does no harm. The mockingbird is a songbird, not a pest, and it isn’t a game bird.
Killing a mockingbird serves no purpose and therefore is an act of unnecessary cruelty. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Lee explores with humour, the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina of one man’s struggle for justice.
But the weight of history will only tolerate so much. In this article we will explore how Scout’s perspective allows readers to engage with the heavy themes of the novel—racism, injustice, and moral integrity—through the innocent and unfiltered eyes of a child. Scout’s limited understanding of the social rules and prejudices of Maycomb exposes the absurdity and cruelty of these attitudes, challenging us to reflect on our own beliefs and biases.
Through Scout, Harper Lee doesn’t just tell a story about injustice; she helps us see it as irrational and unjust. Children usually perceive things as simply right or wrong, unaffected by society’s excuses or explanations. When Scout questions why he.
