To tell the truth, I've had the impression that a motif was just a made-up word designed to fool honors freshman. In my summer assignment, I ended up guessing on the answer, deciding that to find a motif, I must find a foreign word. "To Kill a Mockingbird" enlightened me with a better understanding of what a motif is; it is definitely not a foreign word, but a recurring symbol. From what I've read, it seems to me that a motif is also a concept that is centered around - an idea that runs the plot, and motivates the themes.
Obviously the motif of this book is shown as the mockingbird - a melodic creature who brings nothing but goodwill, one whose pure innocence is overlooked. It is referred to often in the novel, and serves a connection to the many themes; it ties them all together to create a well-knit plot and moral. The themes: Prejudice(race, class, and gender), Justice vs. Injustice, and Standing in Another's Shoes all focalize the main point which is "to kill a mockingbird". Tom Robinson was quite a literal example of a mockingbird. He was the picture of innocence; respectful, gracious, and eager to help. He was also framed to be the rapist of Mayella Ewell. No matter how obvious he was innocent, the townsfolk would not let a black man's word go above a white man's (pardon- woman's*). The jury was vicious, and held fast to the clutches of prejudice. Letting their tainted minds overrule the truth, they found him guilty of a crime he did not commit. This is Injustice defeating Justice; it is "killing a mockingbird".
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