~Mockingbirds~

A thematic photo essay by Kayla Piiwaa

To Kill a Mockingbird uses the constant theme of hurting those who are innocent. These innocent beings are Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and arguably Jem and Scout Finch. Atticus tells Scout it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, though Scout doesn’t understand why. Miss Maudie explains to her, and the mockingbird symbolism is apparent throughout the rest of the story. These mockingbirds are harmed by people who have lost their way. But why do people harm the innocent? These people were innocent at some point, too. They grew up, though, experienced life, and committed the sin of killing a mockingbird.

“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s

gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s

why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”-Miss Maudie from To Kill A Mockingbird

We start out in this world without a

single mark of sin in us.

Life shows us things, makes us experience things, that change our perspective.

As we grow up, we realize there is more to life than just playing around,

and people often go astray.

These people go down a long twisted road, and can’t seem to find their way back.

They overtake the innocent. The innocent are overtaken by the sinful, overpowered by the

coldhearted, and pushed down by the callous.

We lose the people who keep the world sane, who make a difference; we lose their innocence.

We lose the people who have done nothing but “sing their hearts out for us.”

They are taken down by what they can’t defend themselves against;

these mockingbirds are killed.

“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a

mockingbird.” –Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird

~Mockingbirds~

So why do the guilty harm the guiltless? Why do the sinful corrupt the pure? And why do the evil corrupt the angelic? The answer is simple. The hunters are lost. They are lost and do not realize what innocence means anymore. But to the mockingbirds, the world of the hunters interferes with their being, their moral, their innocence.

Works CitedDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking to an anti-Vietnam war rally at the

University of Minnesota, St. Paul on April 27, 1967. Detroit will host the 4th annual MLK Day march and rally on Jan. 15, 2007. (Photo by St. Paul Pioneer Press). 15 Dec. 2006. Pan-African News Wire Photo File, Flickr.com. Flickr.com. 15 Dec. 2006. Pan-African News Wire Photo File. 1 June 2009 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/24756454@N00/323534537/>.

Earthen Princess. 23 July 2007. Carf. Flickr.com. 23 Aug. 2007. Carf. 1 June 2009 <www.flickr.com/photos/beija-flor/1249479319>.

Fallen. 13 July 2007. Photobunny, Flickr.com. Flickr.com. 13 July 2008. Photobunny. 1 June 2009 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/71502646@N00/2671196670/>.

Just Watching Freedom. 18 Mar. 2007. Hamed Masoumi, Flickr.com. Flickr.com. 18 Mar. 2007. Hamed Masoumi. 1 June 2009 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/13582064@N00/2076857468/>.

Lonely road. 15 Nov. 2006. Rod.hoad, Flickr.com. Flickr.com. 15 Nov. 2006. Rod.hoad. 1 June 2009 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoad/297808349/>.

Lost innocence. 5 Jan. 2008. Tataughina, Flickr.com. Flickr.com. 5 Jan. 2006. Tataughina. 1 June 2009 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/79195464@N00/2169660850/>.

Man... another picture eye? damn!! 2 Aug. 2006. Mirelamiada, Flickr.com. Flickr.com. 16 May 2007. Mierielamiranda. 1 June 2009 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mirelamiada/500621631/>.

Mocking crow attack 3. 12 June 2006. Schizoform, Flickr.com. Flickr.com. 12 June 2006. Schizoform. 1 June 2009 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/schizoform/41648825/>.

Mockingbird. Carlmorgan, Photobucket.com. Photobucket.com. 03 Oct. 2008. 1 June 2009 <http://media.photobucket.com/image/mockingbird/carlrmorgan/jb-mockingbird.jpg?o=2>.

Silence. 2 Dec. 2006. Lynn Fagerlie, Flickr.com. Flickr.com. 2 Dec. 2006. Lynn Fagerlie. 1 June 2009 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynn_fagerlie/315184999/>.