"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." This quote from chapter 10, said by Miss Maudie, is used after Jem and Scout are given their guns. In the novel, the mockingbird is a symbol of innocence. Atticus and Miss Maudie find it very important not to shoot the mockingbirds because they have done nothing wrong, and don't deserve to be punished. The mockingbird symbol is also represents some of the characters in the novel. For example, Boo Radley can be seen as a mockingbird, as he has tried many times to prove he is a good person, but is still seen as a bad person for what he may have done in the past. The mockingbird symbol representing innocence will most likely to continue to be an important theme in the novel.
Even though Atticus may be perceived as just a man of great intelligence and with a kind heart, he is much more. In chapter 10 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is not only seen as what was described earlier, but also as a courageous and brave man. When Calpurnia sees Tim Johnson, she runs into the house with the 2 children, picks up the telephone and calls Atticus immediately to come home. This suggests that the community seeks and depends on Atticus for protection and help in difficult situations. Once the situation is dealt with, Scout's opinion of Atticus changes drastically into a man with much more courage and bravery, even though Atticus believes that courage is gained in other ways, not by having weapons.
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