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Examples Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

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An innocent perspective of a child has the potential to alter society's beliefs. The unique voice of a child has the ability to change humanity's preconceived ideas as they have not been corrupted by society's prejudice. Harper lee explores this notion within her novel "To Kill A Mocking Bird" through the protagonist Scout, who is a child growing up in the southern states of the U.S.A. During the novel Scout is oblivious to the prejudice that is present in the community around her. Scout is symbolic of the innocence of children and their ability to guide the way to a less discriminatory society. Colloquial language when Scouts teenage cousin said "it aint your fault Atticus is a nigger lover". This offensive slang shows the discriminatory beliefs of society and how young people can be easily corrupted to support these beliefs. …show more content…

Scouts father Atticus defends Robinson against falsely accused rape charges. Due to society's preconceived prejudice, Robinson is found guilty and eventually murderer. Repetition is utilised when the jury gives their verdict " I shut my eyes, judge Taylor was polling the jury; guilty... guilty .... Guilty". This extract demonstrates how an innocent man was given an unjust verdict due to the colour of his skin. A powerful metaphor is used to describe the innocents pain at this unjust verdict. " I peeked over at Jen : his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each guilty was a separate stab between them". This amplify's that the innocent such as a child is able to see that this man is innocent due to them not yet have been corrupted by society's prejudice. Harper Lee uses a range of powerful literary techniques throughout her novel to show how an Innocent perspective on the world is able to see past society's prejudice and ultimately alter humanity's views on the

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646 Words | 3 Pages

Scout when her classmates are making fun of Atticus for defending a black man , and Jem when he believed Nathan Radley when he cemented the tree because it was “ill”. Scout hears her classmates saying terrible things about Atticus because he's defending a black man, but she doesn't see the wrong in what her father is doing. Atticus explains to her that it's not really a bad thing, but some people see it that way. Scout is too young to understand prejudice and injustice. Atticus tries to preserve this innocence by raising her to believe that there is nothing wrong with defending a black man.

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648 Words | 3 Pages

Stories of Innocence “Nice guys finish last,” an unfortunate truth where the innocent are sometimes persecuted, harassed or even killed even though they have done nothing to harm anyone else. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, A mockingbird symbolizes innocence and is shown through few characters .Tom Robinson and Arthur Radley are the two main mockingbirds. Real life mockingbirds could be found as civil rights activists who fought for the rights of African Americans during the 1960’s. According to Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, the meaning of the mockingbird as a symbol of innocence is shown through Tom Robinson, Arthur Radley and real life civil rights activist Rev. Bruce Klunder.

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772 Words | 4 Pages

A Loss of Innocence And A Gain of Maturity Have you ever experienced something that you still think about today? Or have you experienced something that you wish never would have happened? Throughout To Kill A Mockingbird Scout and Jem face many of these things, and at a young age too. During the story and the situations they find themselves in, a loss of innocence is evident.

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1534 Words | 7 Pages

The Effect of Perspective and Understanding To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, brings into great perspective how important genuine understanding can be in day-to-day life. Her story follows siblings living in southern Alabama, positioned in the heart of a town poisoned by prejudice. This novel follows a young girl facing morals in her town, through her eyes, as well as her father Atticus, a lawyer, willing to stand up for what is right against rigid, set-in-stone views shared by the town. Simply put, a sympathetic perspective is all it takes to sway mindsets. At the beginning of the book, through the eyes of Scout, she complains to her father, Atticus, about her misfortunes at school that particular day.

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493 Words | 2 Pages

Innocence is the light in the world and each child is born with it. It’s only a matter of time until it’s ripped from them. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A mockingbird, Scout, Jem and Dill’s childhood innocence are slowly wore away as they realize the world isn’t as bright as they think. The word “Dibs” can be a child’s downfall or their triumph. Only three letters give a child the security of a certain fate, but in a court trial, Jem’s eyes are opened to the possibility of losing no matter how you play your cards.

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1174 Words | 5 Pages

The Killing of Innocence Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, we see more and more innocent characters become victims to the evil in Maycomb County. These characters symbolize the mockingbird, a bird that should not be harmed due to its lack of trouble inflicted on others. These characters had yet to see the evil of the world, or partake in it, and are therefore innocent. Nethertheless, they are brought to reality when they are “killed”, or their innocence is destroyed.

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1045 Words | 5 Pages

After hours of waiting, the jury came back in. Scout explains how “A jury never looks at the defendant if it has convicted, and when this jury came in, not one of them looked at Tom Robinson… Judge Taylor was polling the jury; ‘ Guilty...Guilty...Guilty’”(211) When Scout and Jem hear the verdict, they are distraught. As they were walking home, “It was Jem’s turn to cry.. ‘It’s not right, Atticus’”(212)

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665 Words | 3 Pages

In perspective to the novel as a whole and the biblical view on sin and innocence, I can come to the conclusion that the killing or convicting of the innocent who have done nothing to you to harm or hurt you is a sin. Further evidence for this is first shown in the obvious of the convicting of Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is black man who works hard for his family to support and he is in the wrong place at the wrong time when Bob Ewell seizes the opportunity to cover his own sin by accusing Tom Robinson of it instead. This is the most obvious evidence backing up this idea and theme for the novel. Tom Robinson is the mockingbird who is innocent of all wrong doing in this situation, yet he still gets accused because of the racism going on in this time

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577 Words | 3 Pages

“Shoot all the Bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird,’’ This is a famous quote from Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. In the book a Mockingbird is a sign of innocence and is the symbol for several characters. Including: Tom Robinson, Scout, Jem, Dill, and other characters. Harper Lee shows that the innocent doesn’t always get what they deserve, and they sometimes lose their innocence, but other times it can help them out in risky situations.

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437 Words | 2 Pages

In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are certain characters who are described as mockingbirds. Mockingbirds are described as innocent birds who do not cause any harm to humans. There are three characters who are innocent but they are forced or they are claimed to be not innocent. Firstly, Jem is a mockingbird, because of how racism and injustice is all around him. Jem was very disappointed and angry when they found Tom guilty, and how racist and unfair it was to claim Tom guilty, just because he was black.

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711 Words | 3 Pages

As we grow up and experience new things, we learn more about the world, as well as who and what is in it. We see that the world isn’t just our house and family and friends; there are issues, different views, and prejudice. In To Kill A Mockingbird, the reader sees Scout and Jem mature throughout the book, gradually losing their innocence. This can be seen in more than just To Kill A Mockingbird. Ex-child soldier Ishmael Beah can recall the parts of his childhood where there wasn’t a time to be innocent.

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1016 Words | 5 Pages

How the mockingbird is to kill a mockingbird represents innocence. Is it possible for a person to be guilty until proven innocent? In the book to kill a mockingbird, a woman named Scout retells her life during the great depression alongside her brother Jem and her father Atticus in a town called Maycomb. During the book, Atticus defends a black character named Tom Robinson that was accused of raping a young girl named mayella ewell and was convicted guilty even though it was shown that it would have been impossible but, due to the racism of the people in Maycomb, he was still convicted guilty.

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909 Words | 4 Pages

It is a sin to kill someone or something that is innocent. A very good example of this is killing a mockingbird. They generally are good spirited beings and bring people joy. They are innocent and killing them is an act of cruelty beyond measure. Now picture this except the bird is an innocent black man killed because of racial discrimination.

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714 Words | 3 Pages

Through To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee teaches us the righteousness of empathy. Harper Lee 's technique of writing and coinciding Christian beliefs weaved through emphasizes the importance of the story 's moral and themes. It is through Scout, the young dynamic and protagonist, that Lee opens the reader 's eyes to a realistic world of prejudice and inequality during the 1930s. Though introducing many characters throughout the novel, it is through Lee 's wise father character, Atticus Finch, that she further helps teach her readers life lessons, one being empathy. While narrating in first person, Lee further details her novel with the setting and use of style and diction.

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674 Words | 3 Pages

“Lawyers, I suppose, were children once”. Lee chooses to write from a child’s point-of-view, and that is what makes this story so brilliant. The story is presentable from the perspective of Scout. An innocent little girl that can make racial remarks and regard people of color in a way like the community, Lee provides an unbiased view of the condition. As a child, Scout can make remarks that an adult would avoid saying; whereas they would find an adult who makes these remarks offensive.

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