At the end of To Kill a Mockingbird,Scout says that telling people Boo Radley killed Bob Ewell would be "sort of like shootin' a mockingbird." What...

In
,tells his children that it is considered a sin to kill a mockingbird. Miss Maudie elaborates on
Atticus's statement and explains his reasoning by mentioning that mockingbirds do nothing to
harm or annoy anyone, and simply make beautiful music for people to enjoy. Mockingbirds are also
vulnerable, defenseless beings, which is why people should not shoot them. Throughout the novel,
mockingbirds symbolize innocent, harmless, and defenseless beings, like .

At
the end of , Atticus and Sheriff Tate are discussing who murdered Bob Ewell, and Heck Tate
indirectly tells Atticus that Boo Radley killed Bob. However, Sheriff Tate refuses to inform the
community about Boo Radley's heroics because the unwanted attention will harm Boo, who is
extremely shy and reclusive. When Atticus asks his daughter if she understands Sheriff Tate's
reasoning for protecting Boo, she says,

"Well, itd be
sort of like shootin€˜ a mockingbird, wouldnt it?" (280)

Essentially,metaphorically applies her father's lesson by depicting Boo Radley as a
symbolic mockingbird. Given the fact that Boo Radley is a shy, vulnerable person, who spreads
joy by giving Scout andgifts, his portrayal as a symbolic mockingbird is
accurate.