Analyses of Multi-layered Symbolic Meanings of “Mockingbird” in To Kill a Mockingbird Abstract To Kill a Mockingbird is the great masterpiece of the contemporary American writer—Harper Lee. This novel was published in 1960 and it won the Pulitzer Prize one year later. In the novel, the unjust trial of the black man Tom Robinson was focused on from the perspective of the little girl Scout Finch. The tragic death of Tom in the end totally reveals the dark society at that time which was full of injustice, ranks of hypocrisy and racial discrimination. 51496

Symbolism in this novel is used skillfully. Objects like gun and camellia, are endowed with different symbolic meanings. Previous research has studied that mockingbird in the novel symbolic characters Tom Robinson, Boo Radley and Mayella. This study is going to dig out the new multi-layered symbolic meanings of the mockingbird in other characters: Dill, Raymond, Atticus, Jem and Scout respectively according to two main characteristics of mockingbird. One is that mockingbird makes music for people, which symbolizes the innocence and integrity of human nature; another is that the sin to kill a mockingbird has the symbolic meaning of failure to show sympathy and extend simple human dignity. 

The symbolic significance connected with the theme will be fully demonstrated, meanwhile, racial discrimination and social injustice under the Great Depression will be revealed incisively and vividly with the use of symbolism as a rhetorical device, which reflects the call for justice and equality.

Keywords: symbolism; mockingbird; racial discrimination; social injustice

知更鸟的多重象征意义解读

摘要《杀死一只知更鸟》是美国伟大的女作家哈勃·李的一大杰作。该小说发表与1960年并在次年获得了美国文学界最高奖项——普利策奖。小说从小主人公的斯各特·芬奇的视角出发，着重讲述了发生在黑人汤姆身上的不公平审判事件。结尾处汤姆的惨死全面揭露了当时社会的黑暗，布满了私欲、森严的社会等级以及种族歧视。

哈勃·李在小说中巧妙地运用了象征主义的手法，包括知更鸟、枪、山茶花等。而现有的文学研究也对知更鸟的象征意义进行了解读，得出了知更鸟象征着文中人物汤姆·鲁滨逊、布·拉德利及梅耶拉的结论。而本文将着眼于作品的象征意义，重新挖掘并分析知更鸟在小说中的多重象征意义。在小说中，知更鸟只会全心为人们歌唱，这象征着善良无辜的人们身上所具备的闪光点；而杀死一只知更鸟则是一种罪过，这一行为象征着善良之人虽像知更鸟一般从不为恶，但却仍难逃社会无端的攻击及摧残，知更鸟被杀的故事在重复上演。

本文将从知更鸟的这两大特征出发，分别分析其在迪尔、雷蒙德、阿迪克斯、杰姆和斯各特这几个人物身上的新象征意义，并解析象征主义手法在小说中起到的凸显主题的文学作用，揭示了大萧条背景下美国南方社会中的种族歧视、社会不公等丑陋现实，也表达出作者对平等及公平正义的呼唤。

毕业论文关键词：象征主义，知更鸟，种族歧视，社会不公

Contents

1. Introduction 1

1.1Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird 1

1.2 Literature Review 1

2. Symbolism 3

2.1 Symbol and symbolism 3

2.2 Symbolism used in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird as a rhetorical device 4

3. Dill 5

3.1 The brightness of Dill in the novel 5