Explain the idea of the mockingbird as a symbol of innocence. One of the central themes in "To Kill A Mockingbird" is the victimization of innocence. The mockingbird is a symbol of innocence whose only purpose is to make music. Atticus Finch tells his children that is is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Tom Robinson is an innocent man falsely accused and unjustly convicted of a crime that he didn't commit. Innocence is also presented in the narrator of the book, Scout, who is Atticus's 7-year-old daughter.
Present the story as a coming of age story. Related to the idea of innocence is the fact that innocence of the child is forced to grow up as a child comes into contact with adult reality. Scout represents the innocence of childhood coming to terms with the social reality of culture in the Alabama of the 1930s. She has faith in the general goodness of people but her faith is tested by the events she encounters when her father, Atticus, decides to take Tom Robinson's case.
Emphasize the conflict between the two codes of conduct that Scout seeks to understand. Human behavior does not occur in a vacuum. Human action and decision follows from an implicit or explicit worldview or code that sets the standard for right and wrong conduct. There are two codes of conduct that come into conflict in "To Kill A Mockingbird" One code of conduct is based on the idea of Southern culture and honor but, in reality, the code of conduct is based on racial supremacy. Aunt Alexandra implores Atticus to not take Tom Robinson's case. Southern honor discourages defending a black man who is attacking a white woman. Furthermore, implicit in the code of conduct is that a white woman's word has more legitimacy than a black man's word. The second code of conduct is represented by Atticus. The search for the truth takes precedence over tradition, custom and established social mores.
Highlight the themes of racism and racial prejudice. "To Kill A Mockingbird" is above all an indictment of the racist climate and culture of 1930s Alabama. Racism is indicted at a number of levels, poor and uneducated population represented by Bob Ewel and his daughter Mayella. Mayella falsely accuses Tom Robinson of rape after he refuses her attempt to seduce him. The novel also shows how racism functions at among the more educated elements of the population including Atticus's sister Alexandra. The court and legal system themselves are also indicted.