Harper Lee wrote the novel To Kill a Mockingbird in the mid-1950s. The narrator, Scout, grew up alongside her brother in Maycomb County, in Alabama. Growing up in a time of extreme racism, they face many struggles related to discrimination. In the novel, their father, Atticus Finch, defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Lee grew up in a time when situations similar to those in the novel occurred. She grew up in a small town that looked a lot like Maycomb County. Like Jem and Scout, Lee's father was also a lawyer. In her novel, Harper Lee uses many examples of symbolism, themes, and motifs to tell the story of Scout growing up and learning life lessons in a sleepy Alabama town. Symbols are used to represent concepts. Lee uses several examples of symbolism in the novel. The mockingbird became the main symbol throughout the novel when Atticus tells Jem and Scout that it is okay to kill blue jays, but that killing a mockingbird is wrong. This is where the title of the novel comes from. Mockingbirds are harmless and innocent creatures (Lee). Many things represent the mockingbird. For example, being naive. Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are great examples. They are both innocent and would not harm anyone (Murray). The mockingbird is also a symbol of tolerance (Tavernier-Courbin). An example of this is the relationship between Mrs. Dubose and Atticus Finch. Even though she thinks badly and talks about Atticus, he still says she is a good woman (Lee). In the novel, Boo and Tom are caged birds. Tom is in prison for most of the story since Mayella falsely accused him of raping her. Boo's father kept him locked up in his house (Boundaries). His imprisonment leads to Maycomb's children...... middle of paper ......search, 1980. Gale Literary Resources. Internet. January 14, 2014. Smykowski, Adam. “Symbolism and Racism in To Kill a Mockingbird.” Readings on “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Ed. Terry O'Neill. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 2000. 52-56. Rep. in contemporary literary criticism. Ed. Jeffrey W. Hunter. Flight. 194. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Gale Library Resources. Internet. January 14, 2014. Tavernier-Courbin, Jacqueline. “Humor and humanity in To Kill a Mockingbird.” On Harper Lee: essays and reflections. Ed. Alice Hall Petry. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2007. 41-60. Rep. in Youth Literature Review. Ed. Jelena Krstovic. Flight. 169. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Gale Library Resources. Internet. January 14, 2014. “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Novels for students. Ed. Diane Telgen. Flight. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 285-307. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Internet. February 3. 2014.