The Existantiallist Interpretation Of"Mockingbird" Images In To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird is the only novel of Harper Lee—an female writer from American South, which was published, and won the Pulitzer Prize in1961. The two main events of this novel, namely the climaxes, by a protagonist Scout’s observation and narration, focus on a mysterious neighbour Arthur· Boo· Radley’s reclusion and the unjust trial of a black man, Tom Robinson. They present us the social background at that time, attack human selfishness, ugliness, racial discrimination and social ranks of hypocrisy. Meanwhile, the novel gives support and sympathy to the innocent, shows persistence and defense to justice, and strikes a chord with readers in terms of the glory of human nature.From the title to the development of the plot and to the conversation between characters,"mockingbird" images are referred to many times, and show the essence and gist of this novel sufficiently, hence make an irreplaceably great difference among numerous lively characters. In this novel,"mockingbirds" exist in Maycomb in different roles and different life styles, make separate choices freely faced with life changes, and undertake the due obligations. The exploration of human nature and fates of "mockingbirds" from Existentialism prospective sublimate the theme and artistic concept of this novel.In this paper, mockingbirds’living style and situation are analyzed from three basic principles of existentialism, that is,"Existence precedes essence","The world is absurd, and life is painful", and "Free choice". The characters’personalities and the reasons that lead to their fates are discussed with the current social background, moral codes and complex and changeable human nature.This paper consists of introduction, content and reference. In the introduction of this essay, the writer of the paper will give a description of the plot of the novel and the author’s life, and summarize the overseas and domestic research status about it and the research content, meaning and purpose of this paper. The content includes four chapters:the first chapter introduces existentialism and its historical origin, basic modes, the development and representatives; in the second chapter, the writer of the paper will use the basic viewpoint of Existentialism-"Existence Precedes Essence" to analyze the living states of "mockingbirds" and others’comments on them (that is, existence of "mockingbirds"), and then conclude that similarities of "mockingbirds"(essence of "mockingbirds") are kind, innocent but victimized, which just confirms "Existence Precedes Essence". These similarities are the reason why these characters are chosen as "mockingbirds" from this novel, correspond with the theme of the novel, and answer why it is "shooting a mockingbird is an evil"; in the third chapter, the writer of the paper will utilize "The world is absurd, and life is painful" to show the evil of racial discrimination and mockingbirds’ encounters to criticize the ugly human nature and its consequent hurt and to voice that praising virtue and punishing vice is important and it’s dangerous to be controlled by ignorance; in the last chapter, combining the fates of mockingbirds, the writer of the paper will state that faced with the absurd world and the painful life, making a choice and taking on the consequence is such an irresistible rule that even not making a choice itself is a choice.In a word, analyzing To Kill a Mockingbird from the perspective of existentialism, the writer of the paper intend to ensure the readers have a new understanding of the novel from a new angle, and appreciate its unique charm and the author’s intention.