How the Mockingbird Lost Its Voice Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the symbol of a mockingbird to represent essential qualities of three of the main characters: Boo (Arthur) Radley, Atticus Finch, and Tom Robinson. In the book, Miss Maudie comments, “‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’” (Lee, 119). A mockingbird, within the world of birds, communicates uniquely a sense of joy and goodness through its songs. In slightly contrasting manners, Boo, Atticus, and Tom share a degree of innocence and goodness, which the image of the mockingbird conveys. Each character is harmed in some way, and through direct characterizations and events of the plot Lee communicates the message that it is wrong to hurt innocent people. Boo Radley is metaphorically portrayed as a mockingbird throughout the novel. In the beginning of the story, Boo is locked up in his house as punishment for getting into trouble with some other boys. Due to the fact that “‘the doors of the Radley house were closed on weekdays as well as Sundays, and Mr. Radley’s boy was not seen again for fifteen years,’” (13) Jem and Scout create stories about Boo. The Finch children are extremely curious about him because “inside the house lived a malevolent phantom. People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him” (10). Boo Radley is lonely and does not have a pleasant life at home, but not many people have met him face-to-face. Toward the end of the book, Boo does a remarkable act by saving the lives of Jem and Scout. Atticus tells him, “‘Thank you for my children, Arthur’” (370). Unfortunately, in saving the children, Boo is forced to kill their attacker. While contemplating the justification for exposing Boo, Scout asks, “‘Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?’” (370). Boo acts out of self-defense and protection of Atticus’ children, and like an innocent mockingbird, he does the right thing. After finally meeting Boo, Scout recalls the many times Boo had done kind things for Jem and her. “‘Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives…. We had given him nothing, and it made me sad’” (373). Boo had given most likely what were his only earthly possessions to the children, and now he had also given them their lives. One night as Scout falls asleep, she says, “‘An’ they chased him ‘n’ never could find 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…’” (376). Scout begins to realize that Boo is not the person that everyone thinks he is, and that she has not been a good neighbor to him. After finally meeting him, Scout understands that Boo is indeed like a mockingbird that brings joy and goodness into peoples’ lives. Harper Lee also symbolically portrays the character of Atticus Finch as a mockingbird. Throughout the story, Atticus remains a man with integrity who seeks justice. He is appointed as the defense attorney in Tom Robinson’s trial, and he tells Scout, “‘I’m simply defending a Negro….For a number of reasons….The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town…’” (100). Most of the people in Maycomb assume that Tom is guilty solely based on his skin color, and they ridicule Atticus because he is willing to defend him. Miss Maudie, however, respects Atticus and says to Jem, “‘I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them….We’re so rarely called on to be Christians, but when we are, we’ve got men like Atticus to go for us’” (288). Like a mockingbird, Atticus does not cause any harm but only does good. Atticus is intent upon justice for all people, no matter their race or background. Atticus also finds the good in every situation. For example, after Bob Ewell spat on him, cursed him, and threatened to kill him, Atticus responds with, “‘So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there’” (292-293). Even after the heat of the trial, Atticus is willing to take the brunt of Bob Ewell’s anger and risk his own life in order to protect Mayella from getting hurt. This is just one example of Atticus’ selfless character. The compassion in his heart and respect for others are displayed in his interactions with the people of Maycomb. After Atticus defends Tom, Scout comes to the conclusion that “my father had fought for him all the way…. Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson’” (323). Atticus puts every ounce of his being into focusing on a fair trial for Tom Robinson in spite of the unfair discrimination from the townspeople. Similar to a mockingbird, Atticus aims to bring the harmony of a song to his community. Tom Robinson is another character in To Kill a Mockingbird who is metaphorically portrayed as a mockingbird. Tom is a black man who is unjustly accused by Bob Ewell of raping his daughter, Mayella. Atticus is the lawyer defending Tom, and his trial comes down to “‘a black man’s word against the Ewells’’” (116-117). Because there is no evidence to prove that Tom is innocent or guilty, the jury is forced to decide which man to believe. Tom’s true character is illuminated when he testifies, “‘No suh, not after she offered me a nickel the first time. I was glad to do it, Mr. Ewell didn’t seem to help her none, and neither did the chillun, and I knowed she didn’t have no nickels to spare’” (256). Tom was willing to be a good neighbor to Mayella and help her do various jobs in her home without pay because he knew she didn’t have much money. In the middle of the trial, Mr. Link Deas stands up and states, “‘I just want the whole lot of you to know one thing right now. That boy’s worked for me eight years an’ I ain’t had a speck o’ trouble outa him. Not a speck’” (261). Despite Mr. Link Deas’ account of Tom as a reliable worker, the jury is still not convinced of his innocence. Even after the members of the jury hear Tom’s honest testimony, they are not swayed to believe Tom’s innocence due to their predisposed racial prejudices and thus find him “‘guilty…guilty…guilty…guilty…’” (282). Tom represents a mockingbird because he is innocent and has done nothing wrong. When the members of the jury convict Tom and send him to prison, they symbolically kill a mockingbird. Shortly afterward, Tom tries to escape during his exercise period, and Atticus has to share the tragic news that “‘Tom’s dead’…. ‘They shot him,’…. ‘He was running’” (315). Tom’s “‘senseless slaughter,’” (323) which represents the metaphorical death of a mockingbird, seems tragically undeserved. Just like mockingbirds only “sing their hearts out for us,” (119) Tom Robinson never intentionally hurt anyone; rather, he incessantly strives to contribute to the world. In conclusion, it is apparent that Boo Radley, Atticus Finch, and Tom Robinson each represent the symbolic mockingbird in his own way. By showing the societal abuse that each of these characters receives as a result of their innocent, well-intentioned actions, Harper Lee further develops and supports the idea that “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (119). While witnessing Atticus teach Scout this essential lesson throughout the novel, Lee likewise teaches the reader the importance of not harming innocent people.