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To Kill a Mockingbird
Throughout the book, songs and church hymns often accompany heightened emotional scenes. In particular, hymns and songs are often sung by or for individuals whose situations are especially grim. Song gives comfort and a voice to individuals who are systemically denied agency, hope, or self-expression. In particular, song represents the suffering, resilience, and hope of oppressed individuals. This connects to the central role of music in historically African-American churches, and also it alludes to the role of spirituals during slavery.
Songs/ Hymns Quotes in Just Mercy
The Just Mercy quotes below all refer to the symbol of Songs/ Hymns. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Introduction Quotes
Henry sang slowly and with great sincerity and conviction […]
Lord lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Heaven’s tableland
A higher plane, that I have found
Lord, plant my feet on Higher Ground.
I sat down, completely stunned. Henry’s voice was filled with desire. I experienced his song as a precious gift.
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Henry is the first death row inmate that Stevenson ever meets, and, on his first visit with Henry in prison, Stevenson is appalled by the rough manner in which the guard shackles Henry to lead him back to his cell. Stevenson tells the guard to stop, but Henry says not to worry and begins singing the hymn. Henry’s song impacts Stevenson greatly. It symbolizes Henry’s suffering, faith, kindness, and his desire for redemption. Though Stevenson had been worried that he wouldn’t be able to relate to Henry, Stevenson is surprised during their meeting by how much he identifies with Henry, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendi
Chapter 4 Quotes
It was sad like few other hymns I’d heard. I don’t know why exactly, but I started to hum it as I saw more uniformed officers entering the vestibule outside the visitation room. It seemed like something that might help […] After a few minutes, the family joined me. I went over to Herbert’s wife as she held him tightly, sobbing softly. I whispered to her, “We have to let him go.” Herbert saw the officers lining up outside, and he pulled away from her slowly and told me to take her out of the room.
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Here, Stevenson describes the moments before Herbert Richardson’s family leaves the visitor center on the night of Herbert’s execution. After many failed attempts to seek legal recourse for Herbert, Stevenson has come to be with Herbert and his family for his death. Herbert had asked in advance for the church hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” to be played during his execution. Now, unable to get Herbert’s wife and family to say their goodbyes, Stevenson hopes that humming the song will help to ease their pain. The hymn, which describes a man’s faith and repentance as he speaks to Jesus before Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque
Chapter 16 Quotes
“I’ve been singing sad songs my whole life. Had to. When you catch stones, even happy songs can make you sad.” She paused and grew silent. I heard her chuckle before she continued. “But you keep singing. Your songs will make you strong. They might even make you happy.”
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After his successful defense in the Carter and Caston hearings, Stevenson meets a mysterious and charming older woman outside the courtroom. She tells Stevenson that she is a “stonecatcher” just like he is: someone who holds others’ sadness and who fights against injustice by defending those who are blamed and condemned. She argues in favor of mercy and compassion, and she offers to let Stevenson “lean on” her, because she knows his work can be tiring and painful. The phrase “stonecatcher” references a Biblical story in which Jesus prevents a group of people from stoning a woman for committing adultery. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat.
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Songs/ Hymns Symbol Timeline in Just Mercy
The timeline below shows where the symbol Songs/ Hymns appears in Just Mercy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4: The Old Rugged Cross
...Stevenson recounts that a week beforehand he had requested on Herbert’s behalf that the church hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” be played during his execution. To his surprise, the officers had...
(full context)
...long hug before he is taken away. The officers put on a record of the hymn “The Old Rugged Cross.” As he watches Herbert die, Stevenson notices a “cloud of regret...
(full context)
Chapter 13: Recovery
...seem to care about injustices against strangers so far away. The students sing a sorrowful song that Stevenson describes as “dissonant” and “transcendent.” He fights tears when he thinks of his...
(full context)
