What are some quotations from To Kill a Mockingbird?

It really depends on what theme or issue you are exploring, but there are some commonly quoted parts of the book.  Most of these relate to the theme of coming of age or injustice.  I have chosen some and explained them here.

The first significant quote is a conversation between Atticus and Scout.  Scout is upset by her teacher’s reaction to her at school.  She and Miss Caroline have many conflicts.  Atticus tries to teach Scout that sometimes the key to getting along with people is to try to see things from their perspective.

“First of all,” he said, “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-”

“Sir?”

“-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Ch. 3)

Empathy is an important lesson for any child to learn, and it is part of growing up.  It is especially important for Scout, because she will face some challenges soon.  Atticus knows this, and he tries to guide her in her interactions with others.

Another concept that is key to the novel is the concept of courage.  Scout and Jem will have to face injustice and come to an understanding of it as they get older and it gets closer to the trial of Tom Robinson.  Atticus tries to teach his children the importance of moral courage.  He explains to them that Mrs. Dubose was brave because she fought her illness and addiction.

I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. (Ch. 11) 

This is important because Scout and Jem will both have to understand that their father is brave for fighting for Tom Robinson against impossible odds. He wants them to understand why he is doing it, even though winning is unlikely.  He is setting an example for them that some things are worth doing even though they are hard.

When the children get guns for Christmas, Atticus explains to them that guns are not to be used to target the innocent.  Scout is surprised that her father says it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, because he never says anything is a sin.  She asks Miss Maudie, who explains what Atticus means. 

“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Ch. 10)

The mockingbirds are symbolic.  Scout realizes this later.  Mockingbirds do not harm anyone; their singing is only good for people.  They are easy targets.  Scout later realizes that people can be mockingbirds too, and society targeted Tom Robinson and Boo Radley for being different.