How does Harper Lee Manage to Draw Together the Stories of Boo Radley E

How does Harper Lee Manage to Draw Together the Stories of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson? Do you find her Way of doing this Effective? There is a strong literary motif running through Harper Lee's novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. The stories of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are drawn together by the way they are both mockingbirds in their own way. Both men are on the outskirts of society and are misunderstood by the predominantly white population of Maycomb. In the first part of the novel, there is a very important quote used: "Shoot all the Bluejays you want if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a novel about a young girl named Jean Louise Finch or Scout growing up in a very prejudiced American town in the 1930's. Her life is fairly normal until her father, a lawyer named Atticus, is asked to defend a black man charged with the rape of a white girl, Mayella Ewell. Atticus knows there is no chance he can win because his defendant, Tom Robinson is black and therefore guilty but as Atticus said himself: "Just because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win." The jury persecutes Tom Robinson in his trial. It would have been impossible for him to abuse Mayella because he cannot use his left arm. Mr Heck-Tate said that she had a black right eye, suggesting her attacker was left-handed. Her father, Bob Ewell, was, suggesting that he beat her up. Because Tom couldn't punch Mayella with his left fist, it couldn't have been him. Tom Robinson is an admirable character and very brave. He showed these qualities in the trial by speaking his mind and saying the truth, but this still was not enough to sway the ju... ...or example he leaves two dolls carved out of soap in the likeness of Jem and Scout. A lot of effort and thought would have gone into those dolls, just to please the children. He has done nothing but try to make the children happy but they are still unkind towards him. Harper Lee's way of making both Boo Radley and Tom Robinson mockingbirds is very effective. It gives the reader a parallel to compare each two. Both men are on the outskirts of society and are misunderstood by the predominantly white population of Maycomb. Harper Lee draws the two stories together to give out a very powerful message: you shouldn't judge people on the colour of their skin or their lifestyle. You never know exactly how that person's feeling until you climb inside their skin and walk around in it. This is summarised in a quote made by Atticus: "Were you ever a turtle huh?"