If mockingbirds are innocent birds that are often persecuted because they are mistaken for blue jays, than the mockingbird can be used to represent characters in the novel. Mockingbirds could represent Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch, and Boo Radley. These characters are innocent and harmless in their own way, but each is also looked down on and persecuted because of whom they are, the same way mockingbirds are hunted in the wild. While the blue jay can be used to represent the persecutors in the novel, such as Bob Ewell, Miss Stephanie, and the angry mob.
Tom Robinson is a mockingbird because he is wrongly accused of rape, while he is an innocent man; he was persecuted because of the colour of his skin. The people of Maycomb stereotype blacks as being bad people, or Blue Jays. While Tom Robinson is an innocent man, or considered a Mockingbird. He is persecuted unjustly due to the fact that he is a black man, and therefore untrustworthy. Atticus is also a mockingbird because he is persecuted for his beliefs, and called a "nigger-lover" for trying to defend Tom. Finally, Boo Radley can also be viewed as a mockingbird because he is generally harmless and good-natured, but is viewed as a monster by the rest of Maycomb.
The blue jay could be used to represent Bob Ewell, Miss Stephanie, and the mob that visits the jail before the trial. Each of these characters persecutes the innocent "mockingbirds"- Atticus, Boo, and Tom. Bob Ewell is the most obvious blue jay because of his passionate hatred for Tom Robinson, and his desire to gain revenge on Atticus for defending him. Miss Stephanie and the town mob can also be seen as blue jays, Miss Stephanie because of the gossip about Tom, Atticus, and Boo, and the mob because they arrive at the jail house intending to kill Tom, but is turned away by Atticus, Mr. Underwood, and the children.
The Mockingbird was also mentioned at four important times during the book.
