Using Symbolism in Killing the Simultaneous Mockingbird"I'd rather you shoot the tin cans in the yard, but I know you'll chase the birds. Shoot all the jays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it's a shame to kill a mockingbird." This is what Atticus Finch tells his children after they receive air rifles for Christmas. Uniquely, the title of Harper Lee's classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, was taken from this passage. At first glance, you might wonder why Harper Lee decided to title her book with what appears to be a rather insignificant passage. After careful study, however, one begins to see that this is just another example of symbolism in the novel. Harper Lee uses symbolism quite extensively throughout this story, and much of it relates to the problems of racism in the South in the early 20th century. Harper Lee's effective use of racial symbolism can be seen by studying various examples from the book. This includes the actions of children, racist white people, and the actions of Atticus Finch. The actions of the children in this novel certainly have their share of symbolism. For example, Jem and Scout's building of a snowman one winter is very symbolic. There wasn't enough snow to create a snowman made entirely of snow, so Jem created a foundation with dirt and then covered it with whatever snow they had. One could interpret this in two different ways. First of all, Jem's creation of the snowman can be seen as the symbol of Jem trying to cover up the black man and prove that he is equal to the white man, that all human beings are practically the same. Endorsement of these views is shown by Atticus when he tells Jem, "I didn't know how you would do it, but from now on I'll never worry about what becomes of you, son, you always will." have an idea." The fire that engulfed the home of Miss Maudie Atkinson that night may be seen as a Maycomb County injury, for the fire melted the snowman's snow and left nothing but a clump of mud.The fire depicts the prejudices of the people of the county that blacks and whites are certainly not the same means miscegenation, marriage or sexual relations between people of different races..