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Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

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The title of To Kill a Mockingbird represents how Harper Lee feels about the Southern Society during the 1930s. She uses the term mockingbird to represent the innocent traits, and the loss of innocence that the characters face.In this novel Scout, Boo Radley, and Tom Robinson all have the traits and qualities of a mockingbird.

We learn early in the novel that a mockingbird symbolizes innocence when Atticus says that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Many of the events and actions that occurred, caused Scout to represent a mockingbird.Throughout the book we see her innocence, but also her loss of innocence, which is a big quality of a mockingbird. Her innocence is shown when the lynching mob goes to kill Tom, she appeals emotionally to Walter …show more content…

In the beginning of the book we know Boo as the weird person that stabbed his father, but Mrs. Stephanie says “Boo wasn’t crazy, he was high-strung at times.” (11). As the story of Boo progresses, the children keep interacting with Boo without knowing it. His innocence is shown when he brings a blanket for Scout in the event of Mrs. Maudie’s house burning down, and when he saved Jem and Scout from Bob. His loss of innocence is shown earlier in his life when he was in a “gang” that did not always do the right things. “Nobody in Maycomb had nerve enough to tell Mr. Radley that his boy was in with the wrong crowd.” (10) Before Boo came out to save the children many people assumed he was bad from stories they have heard, this shows the unfair maltreatment towards …show more content…

Tom is accused of taking advantage and physically hurting Mayella Ewell, but we learn from what Tom said and Atticus’s evidence that Tom is not guilty. On multiple occasions Atticus proves that Tom could not have hurt Mayella, and Tom testifies that he did not hurt her. “Mr. Finch, I got down offa that chair an’ turned around an’ she sorta jumped on me.” (194) Mayella was beat on the right side of her face, meaning that it needed to be a left handed person. But Tom’s left hand was injured in a cotton machine incident. The case shows Tom’s innocence, but also his loss of it. After the case and Tom is proven guilty, he tries to escape and ends up getting himself killed, Tom’s purity is lost in this event. Even though Atticus had evidence that Tom was not guilty, the prejudice and misconduct is shown, even though Tom was

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