Mockingbirds, Mayella's geraniums, and the Radley household are all big symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird. An example of symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird is mockingbirds themselves. When Atticus says “'I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you'll go after birds. Jem and Dill obey Atticus until Dill's last day in Maycomb, when he and Jem plan to sneak over to the Radley Place and peek in through a loose shutter. ... They escape under the fence by the schoolyard, but Jem's pants get caught on the fence, and he has to kick them off in order to free himself. Scout, I'm tellin' you for the last time, shut your trap or go home- I declare to the Lord you're getting more like a girl every day!” (pg. 69) Jem
“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (pg. 119) Atticus Another major theme in the novel that is introduced in this chapter is that of defining bravery. For the children at this point in the story, bravery means nothing more than accepting a dare to touch the Radley house.