Question

What does atticus mean when he says, "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird"? predict how this idea will become a major theme in the novel? who are the metaphorical "mockingbirds" in the story?

Answer 1

Sin is the immoral action, which is against the humanism. In his viewpoint, humans should be moral. And the mockingbird represents an innocent(Tom). Thus, to kill a mockingbird is a sin. This idea become the major theme(racial prejuduce) because throughout the novel, white folks in Maycomb prejudge black folks as a bad person.