Essay 7

Acting Like a Bird:

A Connection From To Kill a Mockingbird, to a Bird

January 10, 2012

8th Grade

Pine Point School

Eliza Griffin

Chapter 15 in To Kill a Mockingbird may seem odd, but it connects to a bird. From the chirping of a bird to the behavior of a bird, it all relates to what happens in Chapter 15. A bird chirps for many reasons two of which are happiness and  fear. Jem and Scout display behavior similar to that of a bird through their actions in this chapter.

(T.S) In Chapter 15 in To Kill A Mockingbird, men come, and gather around Atticus’s house trying to talk him out a defending Tom Robinson in the trial. (S.D) When Jem, Scout, and Dill saw the men outside their house confronting Atticus , they were scared. (C.M.) When Jem saw men outside his door, he thought that they were the Ku Klux Klan coming after his father. (C.M.)“ They were after you, weren’t they?” Jem said to Atticus. “They wanted to get you, didn’t they?”(Cm) Jem’s words to his father are like a bird chirping his fear.  (SD) When the  three children were scared, they start to chirp, first to one to one another and then Jem to his father. (C.M.) Although, Jem and his sister were not actually chirping, you could tell by the description of the look on their faces that they were quite scared about what might happen to their loving father. (C.M.) Also, they were asking Atticus questions about who the men were at the door, and what they wanted from him. (S.D) Another way that the bird related to the book is because, birds are very adventurous. (C.M.) For example, if you were eating in the large, green Central Park, birds would fly directly to you to see what you were doing. (C.M.) In the chapter, Jem, Dill, and Scout sneak out to follow Atticus. (C.S.) In a way, they are acting like risky and curious birds, always wanting to know what is happening around them

From chirping to acting, I found that the bird relates strongly to what happens in chapter 15. Atticus has taken on an important trial which has brought some danger into their family’s life. Jem, Scout, and Dill display the characteristics of a bird showing concern for their father. Before I read this chapter,  I did not think of Jem, Scout, and Dill acting like birds, but from now, on when I read, I will forever think of them as acting like birds.