Jerry La Period 1-2 Honors Humanities Literary Analysis: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee To Kill a Mockingbird is regarded as a classic

American novel and is often required and/or recommended reading at schools and libraries alike. In order to get its message across to the readers, Harper Lee has primarily used three literary devices throughout the narrative; imagery, foreshadowing and symbolism. To Kill a Mockingbird uses these devices so effectively, that Harper Lee herself has always refused to write a forward in the many publications of her sole novel. She argued that the book does well enough to explain itself. And with these three literary devices, it does. Harper Lee employs a good amount of imagery in writing To Kill a Mockingbird. When it comes to the setting, Maycomb, Alabama can be described as Gothic. Formerly popularized in eighteenth-century England, Gothicism employs the use of supernatural or out-of-place elements to build tension. Maycomb to the naked eye can be seen as a simple and quiet little town in Alabama, but in the eyes of Jem and Scout during the events of To Kill a Mockingbird there are plenty of out-of-place locations and occurrences. Examples include the unnatural snowfall in the first half of the story, Tim Johnson, the rabid dog that Atticus puts down, and debatably the most important of the Gothicist descriptions in to Kill a Mockingbird is the Radley house and the childrens view of it. There have been many occasions of foreshadowing in To Kill a Mockingbird. A significant use of foreshadowing is the Johnsons rabid dog, Tim. Atticus, knowing that the dog would be a threat to the greater community is forced to put down Tim. The dog was never guilty of anything but because of a sequence of events, he had to be killed. Coincidentally, Tim Johnson sounds a lot like Tom Robinson, the African American man convicted of rape that Atticus would be defending in court, and Tom Robinson would end up being gunned down, just like Tim. On Jem and Scouts end, they initially fear Boo Radley, seeing him as a monster. Yet, his gifts to them over the course of the story, from candy in a treehole or putting a blanket over Scout, foreshadow him eventually saving the two from Bob Ewell near the conclusion of the story. Symbolism, is arguably the strongest literary device that Harper Lee employs. The title of the book itself, To Kill a Mockingbird, is a direct references to one of the most important uses of symbolism within Harper Lees narrative. During Christmas time, Scout and Jem receive air rifles as presents from their Uncle and go out to shoot them. Their father, Atticus, warns them about shooting mockingbirds, I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. At first, the children question their fathers motives when he tells them not to kill mockingbirds, but when they query their neighbor Miss Maudie, she explains, 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. Mockingbirds are harmless creatures, that represent the innocent and killing one is a symbol of taking advantage of the innocent. This comes into play during the second half of the book, first following the trial of Tom Robinson and the case of Arthur Boo Radley. Tom Robinson was convicted guilty of raping Mayella Ewell despite Atticus efforts to prove him innocent. Most of the evidence proved Tom Robinson a free man, yet the evils of racism was what killed the African American man. Tom, lost hope and attempted to flee his prison and was gunned down, a mockingbird shot. Subsequently, Bob Ewell, the plaintiff's father during the trial became angry at Atticus for making a fool of him during the trial and attacked Jem and Scout on the way home from school. Boo Radley, who befriended the children from behind closed doors, killed Bob Ewell and saved Jem and Scout. Scout ultimately decides that Boo Radley does not deserve any reward for his efforts, the only appropriate one would be to leave him be, since has been a recluse away from society and giving him all of that positive attention for his actions is comparable to killing a mockingbird. In conclusion, it can safely be said that To Kill a Mockingbird has solidified its place in American literary history through Harper Lees evident and skillful use of imagery, foreshadowing and symbolism. From the Gothic setting to Atticus failed defense of Tom Robinson to the final closing scene as Scout walks Arthur Boo Radley back to his home, To Kill a Mockingbird is, without a doubt, a masterpiece of literature.