To Kill A Mockingbird Freedom Analysis

Words: 1048
Pages: 5

In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, multiple characters live with various types of oppression, both internal and societal, but manage to die free. Although they are constantly struggling and misunderstood by others, these characters fight for their independence until their last breaths. Therefore, Lee conveys the message that one should never stop trying to achieve freedom from all internal and external burdens until one’s last breath. Mrs. Dubose exemplifies the consequences and rewards of dying free of one’s burdens through her journey to become sober before she dies. Not long after her death, Atticus mentions how “‘she said she was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody… she meant to break herself of it before …show more content…
After Boo Radley kills Bob Ewell, Mr. Tate claims that “‘there’s just some kind of men you have to shoot before you can say hidy to ‘em’” (361). By choosing the phrase “have to shoot,” Lee emphasizes the severity of Ewell’s poor reputation among Maycomb’s citizens. Murder is one of the worst crimes, so a person who attempts to murder two young children is arguably one of the worst people. Mr. Tate believes that Ewell deserves to die because of his unforgivable actions. Throughout the novel, the mockingbird has represented a harmless, peaceful, pleasant person who does not deserve to die. However, Atticus claims that it is not a sin to kill a blue jay because blue jays often kill other songbirds, such as mockingbirds. Ewell attempted to kill two innocent children, so he represents the blue jay in this novel. Atticus and Mr. Tate that Boo Radley did the right thing by stabbing Ewell because he was going to kill others if he continued to live. Ewell did not die as his best self because, until his last breath, he was a “‘low-down skunk with enough liquor in him to make him brave enough to kill children’” (360). Ewell was an alcoholic who did not care about anyone else but himself. Ewell never tried to do anything to help others in his community and gain any respect. Lee uses Bob Ewell’s death to highlight the