Mockingbird motif

Before reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee my understanding of a motif was not very clear. I thought that a motif was kinda the same thing as the theme, but after reading the book my understanding of a motif changed. The mockingbird motif in the book helped me figure out that the motif was a Symbol that kept reoccurring that helped enhance the themes of the book.

The motif of the mockingbird came up many times through out the book and it was very important for exemplifying the major themes. The mockingbird motif was first introduced by Atticus who told Scout and Jem that it was a sin to kill a mockingbird. One of the times the motif is used to exemplify the theme was when at the end of the story how Atticus was trying to have Boo go to court, but Mr. Tate wanted to just cover it up and Scout after Mr. Tate left she told Atticus that it was sorta like shooting a mockingbird. This motif was used to exemplify the theme of standing in someone elses shoes and how Boo wouldn't want to go out and get all this attention and he just wanted to be left alone in his house and Scout understood this through the motif. The motif was very important to the story and helped the themes.