The mockingbird can symbolize Atticus because Atticus never intends to harm anyone.
Like the mockingbird he describes in Chapter 10 as merely "singing his heart out" all day, Atticus does his best to avoid antagonism and he nurtures his children with gentle persuasions rather than harsh punishments.
When a disgruntled Scout returns from her first day of school, Atticus listens as she describes her perceived antagonist, Miss Caroline, who has said that Atticus has "taught...
The mockingbird can symbolize Atticus because Atticus never intends to harm anyone.
Like the mockingbird he describes in Chapter 10 as merely "singing his heart out" all day, Atticus does his best to avoid antagonism and he nurtures his children with gentle persuasions rather than harsh punishments.
When a disgruntled Scout returns from her first day of school, Atticus listens as she describes her perceived antagonist, Miss Caroline, who has said that Atticus has "taught [her] all wrong," so they cannot read any more. Instead of growing angry at the insult, Atticus stands and quietly walks to the wisteria vine at the end of the porch; he then tells Scout that sometimes people need to "climb into the skin" of another person "and walk around in it" so that they can really know and understand that person (Ch. 3). He explains to Scout what they can do in order to continue their nightly practice of reading the newspaper without causing Miss Caroline to feel consternation in thinking that he is "teaching" his daughter.
Further, Atticus does not want harm done to Boo Radley, so he forbids the children to bother him by slipping him a letter, or performing other acts of intrusion. Atticus tells the children,
What Mr. Radley did was his own business. If he wanted to come out, he would. If he wanted to stay inside his own house, he had the right to stay inside free from the attentions of inquisitive children.... (Ch. 5)
He is always polite to Mrs. Dubose despite the vituperative things she says about Atticus. Later, when Jem tears the blooms off the camellias, Atticus has Jem read to her in order to bring her some pleasure before she dies.
Further, Atticus is reluctant to shoot the rabid dog, and he takes the Tom Robinson case because he believes in everyone's right to justice. When the mob comes to take Tom and lynch him, Atticus is not cruel in his speech or demeanor as he talks to Mr. Cunningham at the jailhouse. During the trial of Tom Robinson, at which Atticus does his best for the innocent man, he is polite and professional in his questioning of Bob Ewell and Mayella Ewell. Even after the trial, when Ewell spits in his face, Atticus does not strike the man or call him names.
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