To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was a perfect example of the loss of innocence. Innocence is such a pure thing, yet can be injured or destroyed through being around bad things. Pure means many things, but the best definition is being without contamination. Throughout this anecdote the case of Tom Robinson and the introduction to social classes and evil was shown not only to the children, but the adults too. The knowledge shared with them through this story. Many people went through this throughout the story.
For example, Scout lost a lot of her innocence in this because she didn’t know people could be so barbaric in the world. She learned that it is so easy to lose innocence in life. Atticus served as a very wise person in the story. Atticus says, “...you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it “ (30). Boo Radley was never out in the world with people to learn about reality and how life works, yet he still jumped right in to help in the fight. He was so shy and childlike...like he was never shown to grow up in life. He was innocent, his actions showed the Finches that and they immediately brought up what Atticus said before and understood it better.
…show more content…
Jem, Tom Robinson, Dill, Boo Radley, and Mr. Raymond all were a symbol for the mockingbirds. Why damage something that doesn’t deserve the pain or cruelty right? Mockingbirds make gorgeous music and do no harm, much like these people have not done anything wrong yet they still have to suffer with the accusations or the repercussions of others actions, and that is why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Much like it’s not right to blame someone else for your
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Tom Robinson’s innocence can be proven through Mayella's injuries, Bob’s history of neglect, and discrepancies between Bob and Mayelaa’s testimonies. First, Tom’s disability makes it impossible for him to have caused Mayella’s injuries. For example, Heck and Bob testified that all around her neck and the right side of her face is bruised. Tom could not have done this because his left hand is weak and mangled. Bob on the other hand is left-handed.
The Universal Loss of Innocence As children, we are often protected from the outside world, as we should be. As a human race, we have the instinct to protect our young and keep them from any kind of harm that could pose a threat. Such young ears or eyes shouldn’t be exposed to something as harsh and cruel as the society we live in both today or 60 years ago. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, you see the same concept exercised in the small town of Maycomb with Jem, Scout, and Dill. As honest and open as Atticus is, he knows when something should be bent to a more positive idea or when to not inform them of something, but as they age throughout the story, the blatantly obvious cruelties of the world get harder and harder to mask or filter out.
Robert South a man known for his powerful preaching in the English church once said “Innocence is like polished armor; it adorns and defends.” In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Scout Finch lives along with her insightful father Atticus, and brother Jem in the small town of 1930’s Maycomb, Alabama, a town of people stuck in their ways. Atticus, being one of the best lawyers in town takes on a major case, the rape of a white woman supposedly committed by a black man but the people just can’t seem to sense true innocence through their prejudice. Scout, and Jem as they explore their small town know of a child who everyone is terrified of, and jokes about
Every person enters this world with the same level of innocence. Whether that innocence is kept throughout one’s life depends on their specific circumstances. In To Kill a Mockingbird, a classic novel by Harper Lee, mockingbirds are symbolic of people who “don’t do one thing but sing their heart out for us” (Lee 119). In other words, mockingbirds are people who are innocent and defenseless, but their innocence is affected by the evil deeds of others. Dill Harris’s innocence is lost when he witnesses the inequality during the trial, identifying him as a mockingbird.
Loss of innocence is when someone comes to a realization through an event that alters their perception and understanding of reality. The novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in the small town of Maycomb in the 1930s, also known as the Great Depression. Many characters play a specific role in the novel, for instance, Boo Radley plays a mysterious character that scares children unintentionally because of events in the past. Atticus Finch, who is a white lawyer, becomes well-known to the black activists in the community because he takes on the case of Tom Robison, a black person accused of raping a white woman. The aftermath of taking the case was sizable.
Many themes can be found in the book To Kill A Mockingbird. The many older, wiser characters that have a lot of knowledge to offer make the most important theme in this story: innocence vs experience. The character that offers the most knowledge to the children is Atticus. Secondly, there is Calpurnia, who’s been helping to raise these kids their whole life. There are also many town’s people who have offered their wisdom to Scout and Jem.
Harper Lee shows slight signs of the loss of innocence as she gets older and tries to understand things. As Scout loses this innocence, she won’t get it back. An example of her loss would be when she thinks to herself, “As Atticus once advised me to do, I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walk around in it…” (Lee 48). This metaphor showed the reader her slight maturing as she starts to understand how others feel.
In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tells a poignant coming-of-age story about the loss of innocence in the character of Scout. Three significant events illustrate this fact. The first example portrayed in the novel occurred when Scout went to the jail to find out what Atticus was up to, only to find that a mob had arrived to lynch Tom Robinson. This event left Scout with the notion of a mob mentality. Another event was the turning point of the story, the trial of Tom Robinson; this defining moment taught Scout of prejudice and injustice.
When one grows up, it is inevitable they will lose their innocence. Seeing the world through rose colored glasses can only take one so far, and eventually they will have to open their eyes to real issues in their lives. While this happens at different ages for everyone, Atticus in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee believes that his kids should not be sheltered from the real world. As Scout and Jem, Atticus’ children, grow up, especially in a time where Maycomb is so segregated, Atticus teaches his kids real life lessons and to not become like the rest of their town; racist and judgemental. This comes with a cost, however, as the kids “grow up” at an expedited rate.
“You’re just a girl.” This quote speaks volumes to my work topic. Many events in this novel had standout innocent moments for 3 characters. When Scout was hearing noises and thought it was Boo. When Jem cries because Tom was convicted of rape.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a book mainly about the coexistence of good and evil. The book stresses and emphasizes on the exploration of moral nature in humans. There are many themes in this novel including courage, innocence, racism, femininity, etc. However the most prevalent theme in the book is innocence. Not just innocence in itself but the danger and harm evil poses to the innocent.
Theme: Innocence One of the themes presented in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is innocence. Innocence is one of the key elements which shape and connect the whole piece together. The title itself uncovers the importance of the innocence factor in the book. As Miss Maudie explains, mockingbirds represented innocence. For this reason “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 119).
Mockingbirds are an important symbol because they represent goodness and innocence. In this book, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are two innocent men, similar to mockingbirds, who get taken advantage of due to their innocence. Atticus and Miss Maudie teach Scout and Jem that it’s a sin to harm anything innocent by using the example of mockingbirds. Mockingbirds are innocent because they only positively affect people through their singing.
In ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ we can encounter more than one theme. For instance, there are race, justice, morality, femininity, and family. Amongst these, youth is one of the most significant themes that can be thought. Through the eyes of a young girl, the controversial circumstances are thought through the various minds of children and adults. The novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ thinks of children as different from adults.
Innocence is a word used to describe someone 's purity. Children are prime examples of innocence, as they don’t have judgments and don’t understand mature topics. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the reader can interpret innocence as the growing up of the children. Specifically, Jem Finch showed a loss of innocence as he grew up. He showed his loss of innocence by not playing games, his more mature use of words and body language, and his different view of the world around him.