Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Harper Lee and her use of Metaphor in To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee uses multiple forms of figurative language within her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Metaphor and symbolism are two of the many literary devices that she uses to advance and develop the story. The mockingbird, in particular, is a metaphor for the loss of innocence of the two children, Jem and Scout Finch, who symbolize innocence and harmlessness themselves. Being that the plot revolves around the trial of a black man, named Tom Robinson, being falsely accused of raping and killing a white woman, the children witness firsthand the prejudicial mores of their community. The children are slowly stripped of their innocence as the story progresses, and this is subtly shown through Lee's use of the mockingbird. The mockingbird appears several times throughout the novel, serving as an indication of the loss of their purity and innocence each time. However, even though they are so exposed to the world around them, including the hypocrisy of their fellow townsfolk, because of how their father Atticus allows them to be independent, they still serve as primary figures of innocence throughout the novel. They question and respond to the good and bad going on around them, and are always willing to make the right decisions and foster goodness within their community.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment