In this book, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are both mockingbirds. Sardonically, both of them have disabilities and are different because one of them is shot and one of them has to kill. They are both convicted of something they are not; one of them is regarded as “monster” and the other as “rapist.” Tom's life ends when a white woman accuses him of rape while Boo is a recluse who wants to stay inside. Tom is a black man and Boo is white. They are questionable characters but nevertheless, their true innocence comes together when their parts played in the book's end.

Tom Robinson is the mockingbird throughout the entire trial. He was an innocent man but died when “[Mayella] opened her mouth and screamed.” He empathize Mayella, saying that “I felt right sorry for her…” Tom was an honest, sympathetic, and caring Negro who is incapable of defending himself and liable to be victimized. He is a mockingbird because this compassionate caring Tom holds shows that he has nothing to hide and is not guilty, yet, he is falsely accused of wrong doing due to racial injustice no matter how persuasively Atticus defended him. When Mayella Ewell makes the charge of rape, Tom's judgment comes not from the facts, but the stereotypes that clouded every jury member and every citizen of the town. They do not take the time to understand Tom, but fear and hate him unfairly. Tom, like a mockingbird, is frightened and desperate, trying to break away and escape from prison, but yet, he is shot to death by guards. People of Maycomb are aware of Tom's death at the end of the book when Heck Tate remarks “A black boy is dead for no reason.” His death is the embodiment of innocence destroyed by carelessness or deliberation, and he is a victim of racial injustice.

In the book, Tom has to confront Mayella who is “a steady-eyed cat with a twitchy tail.” Cats hunt birds, which is highly ironic because that Tom is a mockingbird that is trying to make Mayella's life easier. Nevertheless, Tom's life was cut short by her accusation of rape.

Boo Radley is another mockingbird with different traits from that of Tom. His childhood was ruined by his cruel father and personality is twisted by the early life experiences. He is locked up in his house for years because he doesn't want to face the world as it is. He is reclusive and introverted, staying away from the town. However, he does not harm anybody other than Bob Ewell when trying to save others' life, and he has a soft spot for children. He drops off gifts in a tree hole where Scout and Jem receive. “He gave [Scout & Jem's] two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies and our lives.” It was at that moment Scout realizes that Boo was a child-lover. When Mrs. Maudie's house burned to the ground and Scout and Jem were standing near Boo's house, it must have been rather cold. So, Boo places a warm and snug blanket around Scout and Jem, to keep them warm. Ironically, Scout is repulsed at the idea and does not take it as a kind move. Nevertheless, this portion of the story shows Boo's more sensitive and caring side of him. Boo is the icon of good that thrives within people. In saving Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell, Boo stands as the ultimate symbol of good vs. evil. The fact that Scout reminds Atticus that revealing Boo to the authorities would “be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird” demonstrates Scout's advanced ability to “climb into [people's] skin and walk around in it.”

Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are humans that help others. Tom comes to the aid of Mayella Ewell and Boo saves the children of Atticus. The difference is that Tom's death resulted in helping Mayella while Boo is left unscathed. These two mockingbirds are important to the town of Maycomb because they represent the good. Tom was acting as the symbol of what would happen if that “good” is killed. Boo, on the other hand, is a small evolving good that is released at the end of the story. Tom is a public person while Boo confines himself to a private life. The idea of two mockingbirds, representing the same idea but different personalities is the idea that Harper Lee wants to have in the book. Originally, she wanted to name the book “Atticus”, but the most important characters were mostly innocent therefore, granting the name of this book, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Had Harper Lee named it differently, the symbol of the mockingbird would be less clearly expressed. “Remember, it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

Arthur “Boo” Radley

At first, Scout believed that the mysterious Author “Boo” Radley was an insane man who snuck around at night and looked in people's windows, attacked his parents, and desperately wanted to get out of the house which he had been trapped in all of his life. As Scout grew older and wiser, and due to the influence of father, Atticus, and her brother, Jem, Scout realizes that Mr. Radley doesn't want to escape the house he has spent most of his life in and that he actually couldn't live any other lifestyle for he wouldn't know what to do out in a free world. At one point Scout puts herself in Boo Radley's position and find out how juvenile it had been for her to bother Boo the way that she did.

The Jury in Tom Robinson's shoes

Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell. The jury, who failed to put themselves in Tom's shoes, convicted him to death even though the only person that should have been prosecuted for doing any damage to Mayella was Bob Ewell. All the evidence pointed to Tom having sexual relations with Mayella but never raping her. At the same time, other townsfolk expressed the ability to put themselves in Tom's shoes. Judge Taylor specifically appointed Atticus as Mr. Robinson's attorney. Mr. Taylor knew Atticus was the only person in Maycomb that stood a chance of actually providing a defense, which had a slight chance of persuading some of the jurors to argue that Tom Robinson was not guilty of rape. Ms. Maudie even told Jem that “…I thought, Atticus Finch won't win, he can't win, but he's the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that.” (216).

The Mob in Atticus' position

Another example of how Harper Lee puts the characters into other people's shoes is when the mob came to kill Tom Robinson. At first, it looked like a violent scuffle was going to breakout, but Scout, not even realizing it, puts the mob in Atticus' position. They could never harm Atticus in front of his own children, especially when the children knew some of the people in the mob. The morning after the mob visited Atticus and threatened the life of Tom Robinson, Atticus described to Jem why no one attacked him that night. He said, “…a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're still human. Hmp, maybe we need a police force of children…you children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute. That was enough.” (157).

Helen Robinson

Many people are put into Helen Robinson's shoes. After Tom's arrest many people rose to the occasion to help her and her children out. Helen couldn't get a job and with her husband in jail, no money was coming into the family. While visiting Calpurnia's church, Reverend Sykes had a collection for Helen. When the reverend didn't think there was enough money to get her through the week, he closed the doors of the church and said no one was leaving until Helen had enough money to support her family. Slowly but surely, money came in from the church goes and finally everyone was able to leave. Another example is when Link Deas stands up for Helen. First, since her husband died, he hired Helen. Although he didn't need her to work for him he felt it was the right thing to do. Mr. Deas also stands up for Helen. Bob Ewell started following her to work everyday and whispering profanities under his breath to her. When she told Link Deas he yelled at Mr. Ewell saying, “…stay away from my cook or I'll have you up for assault…You don't have to touch her, all you have to do is make her afraid, an' if assault ain't enough to keep you locked up awhile, I'll get you in on the Ladies' Law, so get outa my sight!” (249). From then on, Mr. Ewell never said another word to Mrs. Robinson.

Jem in Bob Ewell's Shoes

After the trial, Bob Ewell spits on Atticus and tells him he's going to get him back for defending Tom. Jem is scared that Bob Ewell is true to his word even though his father is not affected by it and believes that he will not follow through. He told Jem, “Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does.” (218). Atticus says that Mr. Ewell did what he had to do and if it saved Mayella one beating, he would gladly take it.

Conclusion

Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, uses the motif of putting people in other character's shoes to gain further knowledge on the actions of the characters. This motif is clearly seen in many of the characters including Helen and Tom Robinson, Bob Ewell, Atticus and Scout, and many other people living in Maycomb County. Without this aspect of the story, it would be hard to understand the feelings of individuals and the people living in Maycomb.