Characters and Symbols

1. Characters and Symbols What symbols can be applied to the various characters in TKAM? An Exploration of a Character Through a Symbol

2. Character Refers to an individual in a story or play and the qualities of that individual. We learn about characters in the following ways: • what the narrator says about them • what they say about themselves • what other characters say about them • how they act • what they feel and believe • how they are helped by others • how they help themselves

3. Symbol • A symbol is something that stands for or suggests something else. • The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, the Canadian flag is symbolic of peace and/or freedom. Types of Symbols: • Objects • Activities • Elements • Events • Animals and Plants • Symbols Represent: • Lifestyle • Beliefs • Personality • Outlook • Experiences • Hopes and Dreams

4. Atticus • A symbol that represents Atticus is a magician’s hat because he does not express his emotions and rarely reveals his thoughts and feelings. • Miss Maudie reveals, “Forgot to tell you the other day that besides playing the Jew’s Harp, Atticus Finch was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time,” (129). Atticus never revealed to his children that he was an expert with a rifle until he was forced to shoot Tim Johnson, a rabid dog. • Atticus tells Jem, “If you hadn’t fallen into her hands, I’d have made you go read to her anyway,” (148). Atticus reveals why he sent Jem to read to Mrs. Dubose.

5. Boo Radley • Boo Radley is represented by a mockingbird. Both he and the mockingbird are innocent, kind and free of ill-intentions. • Miss Maudie recalls Boo as a child, “I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Spoke as nicely as he knew how,” (61). • Atticus informs Jem and Scout of Boo’s kind gesture during Miss Maudie’s house fire, “You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he (Boo Radley) put the blanket around you,” (97).

6. Task • In groups of 3: • Make a list of the characters in the book. Consider all characters, not just the main characters. • Discuss a symbol that represents each character. When you have agreed that one “fits”, draw the symbol beside the character’s name. • Discuss events from the book that prove that the symbol you drew accurately represents your character. • Everyone must have a copy of the list at the end of the class.

7. Writing Task • Individually: • Choose one character in the novel TKAM . • Think of a symbol that represents that character. • Write an outline of an analysis paragraph using quotes to prove that this symbol represents this character. • Your paragraph must have 2 PPA and Tie-back. • Please refer to your notes on how to write an analysis paragraph.