It is appropriate to kill a mad dog because it is causing trouble and fear to the neighborhood. A Mockingbird on the other hand is simply singing to everyone willing to listen, not eating your plants, or tearing up your yard. On page 124, it says, " Whoever's got a phone on this street and tell 'em a mad dogs comin'?"[Lee 124] This shows that just knowing that there is a mad dog in the neighborhood is frightening everyone and causing chaos in the town. It also shows that if the dog bit anyone they could kill them or spread the disease all over the town nearly killing everyone. Also a mad dog could potentially infect other animals in the town, then you would have a bunch of mad animals running all over the place. Now if you kill a mockingbird, your killing it for no reason. Mockingbirds have never done anything to harm humans in anyway. On page 119, it says, "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy". [Lee 119] This shows that Mockingbirds don't do anything but make music so there no reason for you to kill them. Mockingbirds are just enjoying life, while mad dogs are terrifiying innocent people.That's why it's more appropriate to kill a mad dog and not a Mockingbird.
Why do you think that Harper Lee added the scene about the mad dog into the story? Why do you think the Radley's ignored everyone screaming about the mad dog?
I agree with Lauren's opinion of why it is okay to kill a mad dog but not a Mockingbird, but I believe that there is also more to the mad dog than lead on. While the sick dog strikes fear into the town of Maycomb, a Mockingbird is a helpless bird harming no one and causing no fear. By shooting the mad dog and putting him out of his misery, Atticus Finch saves the dog from hours and maybe days of suffering. When watching the dog, Mr. Tate says, "He's far from dead, Jem, he hasn't got started yet" (Lee 126). Killing a Mockingbird is killing an innocent creature; harmless and defenseless, but by putting down the mad dog, Atticus saves the dog from suffering and potentially hurting, infecting or killing other people.
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