Literary Techniques In To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel which intelligently explores the theme of innocence using several key techniques. The novel is set in a fictional town in Alabama in the '30s and follows the growth of Scout, a young child and the book's narrator, as she experiences first-hand the prejudice of the time by watching her father defend a black man for doing a crime of which he is innocent. Innumerable techniques such as usage of similes, narrative voice, key events and symbolism are fundamental in creating the theme of innocence in Lee's novel and ensure that To Kill A Mockingbird is a timeless classic.

One of the many literary techniques that Lee uses in To Kill A Mockingbird to explore the theme of innocence is the extended mockingbird
One of the many examples of this is the way that he is portrayed by the people of Maycomb in comparison to how he actually is; it is said in the beginning of the book that "People said he went out at night when the moon was down, and peeped in windows. When people's azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he had breathed on them", whereas later in the book it is shown that Boo is very kind, and completely unlike the rumours cast about him. His innocent kindness and loyalty to the children despite all of the gossip in the town, along with his lack of understanding of some aspects of adult society paints him in the same innocent light as the children, with him becoming the physical embodiment of the innocence Lee portrays in her novel.

Through many different techniques, Lee was able to very effectively explore the theme of innocence in her book, To Kill A Mockingbird, adding depth and structure to an already fantastic book. Using similes, narrative voice, key events and symbolism, Lee is very successful in fully developing the theme of innocence, while also retaining a light conversational tone and maintaining a riveting