One symbol found in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is a tree. Throughout the ages, trees have been noted for their strength and beauty. Trees stand tall, towering into the sky; many of them also stand strong and able to withstand inclement weather, fire, a variety of illnesses, and live for hundreds of years. For these reasons, trees are associated with inner and physical strength and everlasting life. Trees also bear fruit needed to nurture and renew life. For this reason, trees can also be associated with rebirth and rejuvenated life.
A display of courage is a display of both inner and physical strength because courage cannot be enacted upon without strength. Often times, a person has to visualize himself/herself anew, to see himself/herself as a different person in order to act courageously. Hence, we can easily see how trees that represent strength and renewed life can also represent courage. The oak tree in particular is known to symbolize courage and power because it is known to be one of the most resilient trees of them all.
Interestingly, in her narrative, Scout describes that "two live oaks" stand on the Radley property, "at the edge of the Radley lot" (Ch. 4). In a knot-hole in one of these oak trees, Scout and Jem begin finding presents. In Chapter 4, the first present found is two wrapped pieces of chewing gum; the second is an aluminum-covered ring box containing two pennies dated 1906. Later in Chapter 7, they discover a ball of gray string. The most impressive present they find in the knot-hole of the oak tree is two white bars of soap, carefully carved to look exactly like Jem and Scout. Jem becomes convinced that it is actually Arthur Radley, called Boo Radley by the children, who is leaving gifts for the children, as if Arthur is trying to reach out to them and connect with them in Arthur's own special way. Just when Jem and Scout think to leave a thank you note in the knot-hole, they are devastated to find the hole filled in with cement. Arthur's father, Mr. Nathan Radley says he filled it with cement because the tree was dying, but Jem is convinced the tree is perfectly healthy and that Mr, Radley really did it to keep Arthur from continuing to contact the children. Jem is so devastated by these realizations that he cries.
If Arthur truly was the one leaving the children gifts in the knot-hole, as all evidence points to, then Arthur would have had to sneak out of his house and cross his yard in order to do it. Since he has been forbidden to leave his house for a number of years, his leaving his house for the sake of connecting with the children is a genuine display of courage.
Hence, as we can see, Harper Lee is using the oak tree with the knot-hole to symbolize Arthur Radley's hidden and developing courage.
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