Symbolism:
Symbolism in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird was something that appeared a lot. Almost every chapter had at least some sort of symbolism whether it was minor and could easily be passed over, or something huge that forms the entire layout of the book. 5 types of major symbols in the book would be Tom Robinson, the red geraniums, the blanket Boo Radley gave to Scout, The snowman made by Jem and Scout, and the fire of Miss Maudies house.
Tom Robinson's case is what mainly built up the entire book until Jem broke his arm. Tom Robinson was crippled, his left arm 12 inches shorter than his right in an accident when he was a kid. Earlier in the book Atticus had told Jem and Scout that it was a sin to kill the mockingbirds, and Miss Maudie elaborated telling them that they do nothing to the humans besides sing a song. Mr, Underwood wrote a paper about how it was a sin to kill a mockingbird, and a sin to kill the crippled, showing that Tom Robinson was in fact a metaphorical mockingbird. Tom Robinson could also be represented by the mad dog, Tim Johnson. Not only do their names sound very similar, but they both were doing absolutely nothing to get killed. Tim happened to have rabies, something he did not wish upon himself, and Tom Robinson was not birthed and decided what color he would be, it was simply genetics (not saying being black, white, or any race is bad). Both were killed, and for no reason but fear. Fear that Tim Johnson the mad dog would spread rabies, and fear that Tom Robinson might actually win this case.
The red geraniums in To Kill A Mockingbird were not spoken about that much, but it did play a great role as a symbol and foreshadowing. Mayella Ewell was the daughter of Bob Ewell, the antagonist of the book, and had a hard life. She was poor and had little to no love from her father. The only thing she really cared for was in fact her red geraniums, that she planted right along a fence. People had said they were so well cared for they looked like they could be in Miss. Maudies house. The geraniums were red, the color or love and death. Mayella had loved Tom Robinson, or at least kissed him because she had never kissed a man before. Then, Tom Robinson died by 17 shots to the chest. Many people had also thought that the red geraniums could represent Mayella desire for a better life, and beauty.
The snowman in To Kill A Mockingbird was very important to the whole 'Maycomd Idea'. The town that Scout lived in, Maycomb, was very racist, every black person was not human, and the whites were above them. When it snowed one evening, Scout and Jem desided to make a snowman, but sadly they had only a little snow. Jem, being the creative person he was, had developed a plan to make a snowman with mud and then cover it in the white snow. So, thats what they did, finishing it off with normal snowman things. The only thing was that they could see the brown mud through the snow. When Miss Maudie had come out, she noticed the snowman right away and shouted "erected and absolute morphodite in that yard! Atticus, you'll never raise 'em"
The fire in To Kill A Mockingbird was ment to resemble the racist people in Maycomb. One day Miss Maudies house had caught on fire, a little while after the snowman previously mentioned was made, and had burned her whole house down. The fire had had also melted the snowman that Jam and Scout had made. The fire was suppose to represent all the racist people in Maycomb because the fire had seperated mub from the snow. Like speperating the blacks from the whites.
Above is a picture of the "racist snowman" Above is Tom Robinson at the court house Above is Tim Johnson "mad dog" limping down the street towards Atticus
The fire in To Kill A Mockingbird was meant to resemble the racist people in Maycomb. One day Miss Maudies house had caught on fire. A little while after the snowman previously mentioned was made, and had burned her whole house down. The fire had had also melted the snowman that Jam and Scout had made. The fire was suppose to represent all the racist people in Maycomb because the fire had separated mud from the snow. Like separating the blacks from the whites.
In conclusion the four pictures many parts in To Kill a Mocking bird it symbolizes racism and death.