The title of To Kill a Mockingbird refers to a passage from the book in which Atticus tells Scout that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." When Scout asks Ms. Maudie why her father would say it's "a sin," Ms. Maudie explains that mockingbirds do nothing but sing and make music for people to enjoy, which is why killing them would be cruel and sinful.
In a broader sense, Lee is using the mockingbird...
The title of To Kill a Mockingbird refers to a passage from the book in which Atticus tells Scout that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." When Scout asks Ms. Maudie why her father would say it's "a sin," Ms. Maudie explains that mockingbirds do nothing but sing and make music for people to enjoy, which is why killing them would be cruel and sinful.
In a broader sense, Lee is using the mockingbird as a metaphor for innocence and goodness. In that way, "to kill a mockingbird" becomes a major theme throughout the novel. Scout's coming of age and the realization that people can be racist or prejudiced is one of the themes of the book, and it easily fits the mockingbird metaphor. In the early chapters, Scout is the picture of innocence and she sees things in a very rigid way, generally believing that people are good. By the end of the book, however, her innocence has been significantly chipped away at by the realities of adult life (like racism and classism), and she'll never be that innocent again.
Boo Radley is another character who fits the title. Boo is an emotionally fragile person who ostensibly wants to be left alone. After he saves Jem and Scout by killing Mr. Ewell, Atticus and the sheriff put together a story that will allow Boo to avoid any attention from the townspeople. For Boo to be thrust into the spotlight and have his life examined would be cruel, particularly since he has just saved the children.
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