Two Hamburger Style Paragraphs About "To Kill A Mockingbird" Chapters 9-11

A major theme that has developed in the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” is courage even if you think you have already lost.

In chapter 9, Atticus reveals to Scout that he is defending an African American in a trial and does not expect to win. He states that if he did not defend Tom Robinson he would not be able to face his family. He chooses to defend a person who has already been deemed guilty due to his race. Atticus shows true courage while the people in the town’s people and his family have labeled him and proceed to make rude comments about him. To quote J.K. Rowling’s character Dumbledore in Harry Potter, “It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends”.

In chapter 11, Mrs. Dubose is revealed to be a brave person with real courage instead of just a bitter, drooling old lady. She was a morphine addict who refused to die a morphine addict, not matter how much pain she had to suffer through. She wanted to die free. On page 149, at the end of chapter 11, Atticus says “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through not matter what.” Atticus goes on to say that Mrs. Dubose was the bravest person he ever knew.

Another character that I expect to see a courageous act from is Boo Radley. He came out of the house with the risk of being seen during the fire, which was a sign of courage and I expect we will see another side of Boo later in the readings.

Courage has become a major theme in To Kill A Mockingbird and I expect to see this theme progress throughout the book and even become a lesson that Scout may need to exercise.


The mockingbird has become a symbol of innocence and good in the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird”.

In the novel it was said that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they do not harm anyone, all they do is sing for everyone to enjoy. The mockingbird is described as something divine and pure, something that is innocent in every act. This may be comparable to some characters in the book, whether symmetrical or parallel in contrast.

Tom Robinson, the African American that Atticus has agreed to defend in court may be comparable to the mockingbird in many aspects. After some research, I discovered that mockingbirds are called mockingbirds because they don’t have their own song and merely mimic other birds. This may be the case for Tom Robinson, we have not met Tom in the story but we have heard a lot about the idea of him. Like the mockingbirds, Tom does not have his own voice; he does not have his own song. This is simply due to his race.

Another character that can be compared to the mockingbird is Boo Radley. Boo, like Tom and the mockingbird, does not have his own voice/song. All that is known about Boo is the rumors that have been spread around the town. The town is singing a different song, I believe Boo’s “true song” is that he is harmless like the mockingbird.

The mockingbird can be used as a symbol of Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.