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Examples Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Innocence, according to Merriam Webster Dictionary, is defined as “freedom from guilt or sin through being unacquainted with evil.” In Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird, the story was based off of a time period where segregation was common; Jem and Scout grew up in a segregated world, and as the book progressed they both were coming to realize the dangers of the world and why segregation was such a horrific situation. One situation that both kids found unfair was the situation with Tom Robinson, a man who was accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Tom had been put in an awful situation, his innocence was ruined, and he was shown as a symbol of a mockingbird throughout the book. Tom Robinson was an innocent man put in front of the court on …show more content…

At the trial, Mayella was blaming Tom, “will you identify the man who raped you… I will that’s him right yonder… is this the man who raped you…it most certainly is”(Lee 248-249) Mayella was frustrated with the questions Atticus was asking, so when she was asked who hurt her she immediately breaks down in frustration and tells everyone that it was Tom who hurt her. Mayella was becoming emotional and she didn’t see that Atticus was trying to show a little compassion so she got mad and quit answering questions. She blamed Tom immediately and he was suddenly guilty, therefore losing his innocence forever. Additionally, as Judge Gantry was polling the jury the responses were, “guilty…guilty…guilty…guilty” (Lee 282) At this point, the jury had voted and the decision was almost final. There was specific evidence that proved it was highly unlikely that Tom could do something like that, and during cross examination the evidence wasn’t lining up. Tom was just an innocent man until he was put into this awful situation where he lost his innocence and therefore a mockingbird had been

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999 Words | 4 Pages

One reason Atticus should be found guilty is “Atticus put his hand on Tom’s shoulder and whispered. Atticus took his coat off the back of his chair and pulled it over his shoulder. Then he left but not by his usual exit” (Lee 282/283). This evidence shows that Atticus gave up and didn’t give Tom any hope after he walked out. Another reason Atticus should be found guilty is that the judge asked “How many witnesses do you got” “One” Atticus replied (Lee 253).

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646 Words | 3 Pages

'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… (Lee 211). Jem and Scout Finch from the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Arnold Spirit (Junior) from The Absolutely True Diary by Sherman Alexie all show that innocence is lost when compassion is found. In To Kill A Mockingbird, both Jem and Scout show innocence.

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565 Words | 3 Pages

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.

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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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571 Words | 3 Pages

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the all-encompassing theme of the narrative, loss of innocence, through several of the characters as a means of illustrating the innocence found in all that can be instantly gone by an earth-shattering event. Loss of innocence is found throughout “Scout” Finch, “Jem” Finch, and Tom Robinson. Scout can best be described as an outgoing, strong willed young girl with fists to match. With no inherent desire to dress or remotely act lady like, (“I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me”) ( Lee 136) ,as evidenced that she shuns her real name, Jean Louise, and instead prefers to use her more tomboyish name, Scout.

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953 Words | 4 Pages

After Tom is convicted Scout talks about Mr. Underwood’s editorial, “Mr. Underwood simply figured it was a sin to kill cripples, be they standing, sitting, or escaping. He likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children” (323). Bob and the racist jury had harmed the innocent Tom Robinson, solely for the fact that he was a black man. As a result, he is considered a mockingbird because he was harmed even though he is innocent. Throughout the court case, his innocence was evident but regardless he was convicted.

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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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1985 Words | 8 Pages

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.

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447 Words | 2 Pages

According to the dictionary, innocence is the quality in a person or thing that lacks impurity which makes a person innocent of a crime or offense. Innocence itself in a person should not be tested or forgotten because it is what makes a person free of wrong doings and hatred. In her novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the symbol of the mockingbird to portray how innocence should be preserved and protected from the discrimination and prejudice of the world. Harper Lee uses Boo Radley in her novel to portray her own understanding of innocence by showing how innocence can be the victim of prejudice which can be saved. The beginning of the book talks about how Boo lived in an eerie house and stayed in his house all day which led kids to believe there was a phantom inside (10).

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1138 Words | 5 Pages

Innocence of Mockingbirds The Free Dictionary defines innocence as “the quality or state of being innocent; freedom from sin or moral wrong” and also “harmlessness”. Think about what innocence looks like to you. Imagine who comes into your mind when someone says the word innocent. In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee, the childhood of siblings Scout, Jem, and their friend Dill is shown.

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1226 Words | 5 Pages

In my opinion Tom is the one true mockingbird. He was clearly not guilty of the crime he was accused of, but he was charged for it anyway. An innocent man accused of a crime he did not commit, and everyone who was in that courtroom knew that, but it all will always come down to what race the person is. Tom's innocence of the crime he's accused of makes him similar to the mockingbird who does no harm to anyone. After Tom’s death Mr. Underwood wrote an editorial for Tom and Scout had the quote summarized by saying “Mr. Underwood didn't talk about miscarriages of justice, he was writing so children could understand.

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1332 Words | 6 Pages

The Persecutions of Innocents Innocence, or the loss of innocence, is a significant theme presented in several notable works of literature. In the classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the well-known theme of innocence is illustrated in a distinctive manner, which involves a comparison between characters and mockingbirds. The mockingbird acts as a central symbolic reference to the aspect of innocence or purity. Three of the most prominent of mockingbirds are Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mayella Ewell, who present the ultimate symbolic reference of innocence through their pure natures and persecutions.

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132 Words | 1 Pages

William Godwin once said “No man knows the value of innocence and integrity but he who lost them.” In accordance with this quote, Tom Robinson had lost his innocence according to the court and his integrity according to the Maycomb residents. Hypothetically, if Tom had one the case, many of the townspeople would still view him as guilty because they presuppose that he is because he is black. In the chance that he would be let out, he would still have been treated as a guilty man. There was nothing to look forward to if he were to win the case, he and his family would be treated awfully along with everyone who supported him.

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747 Words | 3 Pages

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.

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1730 Words | 7 Pages

The Mockingbird Spirit of Innocence How do you define innocence? Is there someone out in the world who is purely innocent? To understand innocence you should look at what a mockingbird does, because all they do is sing. In Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus and Miss Maudie teach Scout and Jem that it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.

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