How appropriate was the ending of To Kill a Mockingbird?

It was very appropriate. For Scout it is very much a coming of age tale. There is sadness and yet a sense of hope and understanding. Tom Robinson is dead due to the ignorance and bigotry of much of the town. Scout has learned that the mockingbird is also a symbol of innocents who are so easily misread and harmed (Boo Radley). The ending of the story has the tone of bitter sweet nostalgia about flawed human nature and a wonderful man names Atticus who stood up for what was right in the face of overwhelming ignorance and opposition.

Here is a great quote from the last chapter that captures the nostalgia of the text and lesson that Scout has learned.

"Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough. The street lights were fuzzy from the fine rain that was falling. As I made my way home, I felt very old, but when I looked at the tip of my nose I could see fine misty beads, but looking cross-eyed made me dizzy so I quit."