To Kill A Mockingbird Essay: Use of Symbols and Symbolism :: Kill Mockingbird essays

Use of Symbolism in To land a Mockingbird   It is quite noniceable that some characters names in To Kill a Mockingbird are implicitly symbolic. Sc verboten, for example, like the familiar military scouts who were dispatched from the main body to gather information, is a seeker, scouting out new areas of experience. Additionally, genus Atticuss name is a reference to the district Attica of superannuated Greece in which Athens was located. In some way Atticuss rational approach to life history is similar to that of ancient philosophers, especially the Stoics The four cardinal virtues of the Stoic school of thought are wisdom, courage, justice and temperance. All people are manifestations of the one comprehensive spirit and should, according to the Stoics, love and help another, regardless of rank and wealthiness (Encarta Encyclopedia). Atticus is the main character who serves these four virtues, justice, wisdom, courage and temperance in the story, just like the anc ient philosophers of Athens did. As a attorney he is a faithful servant of justice for all people, colored or white. His wisdom lies not in his education but in the way he raises his children and his knowledge of peoples attitude. For him courage is Mrs Duboses effort to break from morphine. He says to Jem the day she died I wanted to show you what real courage is, alternatively of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gas in his hand. Its when you know youre licked before you come out but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what (118). From his point of view, Atticus showed his courage when he accepted the Tom Robinson case even though he knew beforehand that it was a lost battle. And, finally, the reader knows he believes in temperance when he advises lookout man and Jem not to get carried away by peoples provocation, and sets the example when he does not react to Bob Ewells threats. Therefore it becomes intelligible that Atticus could easily be conside red a Stoic as he made their philosophy his way of living. He could be a citizen of ancient Attica as his name implies. Another symbol in the story is Jems depressed arm as well as Scouts ham costume. It has been mentioned that Atticus did not expect Jem to be so greatly affected by the events of the trial. Scout was more likely to be influenced because she was younger.