Theme Of Coming Of Age In To Kill A Mockingbird

One key coming of age scene in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” is when Jem and Scout attend Tom Robinson’s trial and witness the injustices of the legal system.The following passages from chapter
20 highlights the tension in the courtroom and the children’s reactions to the trial.
“Judge Tylor was polling the jury”
‘Guilty...guilty...guilty...guilty...’ I peeked at Jem,his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail,and his shoulders jerked as if each
“guilty’’was a separate stab between them.Someone was me,but i was reluctant to take my eyes from the people below us,and from the image of Atticus’s lonely,lonely walk down the aisle’’.
Lee employs several literary elements in this passage to convey the emotions and themes of the novel.

Additionally,the image of
Atticus’s “lonely,loney walk” highlights the isolation of those who stand up if right,even when it is unpopular.
The use of symbolism is also evident in this passage,as the repeated use of “guilty” highlights the flawed and biased nature of the justice system. The word takes on a symbolic meaning beyond its literal definition,representing the systemic racism and prejudice that permeate Maycomb society. The fact that Jem feels each “guilty” as a “separate stab” emphasizes the personal impact of this injustice on him and his family.
Finally,Lee employs foreshadowing in this passage, hinting at the eventual outcome of the trial and the impact it will have on the children’s understanding of the world. The fact that Jem is experiencing such intense emotions and physical reactions suggests that he will be deeply affected by the trial’s outcome and may struggle to reconcile the injustice he has witnessed with his previous beliefs about the fairness and impartiality of the