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Examples Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

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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. As the kids see and experience more in the world, they lose their innocence. In the beginning of To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout and Jem are terrified of Arthur Radley. They would make rumors up about him because he never came out of his house, dubbing him “Boo Radley” …show more content…

In the beginning of the book, Jem was very much like Scout; innocent to prejudice and the problems in Maycomb County. As time passes, Scout notices a significant change in Jem. He became more mature and less fun in her eyes. One instance of Jem being very mature is when he’s watching Tom Robinson’s court case. When the judge was calling out the votes, Jem’s “hands were turning white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” were a separate stab between them” (pg. 282). All this time Jem thought that there was no way Tom was going to be deemed guilty by the jury, but as he was proven wrong it hurt him to listen to the prejudice of an innocent black man get proven guilty for something he didn’t do. The way Jem feels emotionally is shown physically in this sense. Each “guilty” from the jury is another reason for Jem to cringe because he knows that Tom isn’t guilty and he believes it isn’t right. The pain he feels when experiencing this prejudice is unlike anything he would’ve been able to comprehend in the beginning of the book because he lost his innocence and formed an understanding of why prejudice is a

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982 Words | 4 Pages

Scout’s loss of innocence in this novel is pretty minimal compared to the next character Boo Radley. The second character that represents a mockingbird is Arthur “Boo” Radley. Jem is growing older and starting to realize how the world is

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503 Words | 3 Pages

After Tom Robinson’s verdict was guilty, Jem started to throw a fit because he knew that everyone knew Tom was innocent but didn’t understand that white men basically always won in court. He realized with his age that everyone says people are equal but that’s false. Through Jem’s life lesson, he loses his innocence by him seeing the world for how it truly is and not a perfect as he thought it was when he was a kid. This loss of innocence shows coming of age as Jem is now aware of the world around.

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661 Words | 3 Pages

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee it demonstrates the loss of innocence in many different situations. As Atticus has to take over Tom Robinson’s case, Jem and Scout witness the difficulties of defending a black man after being accused of raping a white woman. As a result, Scout and Jem lose their innocence throughout this trial. Over time Scout and a Jem realize that the world isn’t just in black and white, and that there’ll be different shades of gray in between. Children lose their innocence after experiencing traumatic events that force them to become more independent.

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886 Words | 4 Pages

Jem was mature enough to then start to create his independent values, which were complementary to Atticus’s and Harper Lee’s. During the case of Tom Robinson, Jem said, “Doesn’t make it right... You just can’t convict a man on evidence like that—you can’t” (224). Showing that he views this case based on fact, not opinion. After the verdict turned up guilty, Jem cried on the way home.

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1030 Words | 5 Pages

In chapter 21, Jem, Dill, and Scout go to the courthouse to watch the trial. They watch the whole trial from the colored section. While jury was being polled, Scout notices something about Jem, “Judge Taylor 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,” (240). This shows Jems loss of innocence because he knew that Tom wasn’t guilty, he understood that yes he would probably be convicted.

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626 Words | 3 Pages

The major theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is the loss of innocence. Not only do Scout and Jem lose their innocence, but other characters do as well. Scout and Jem grow up throughout the book, as they are exposed to the realities of racism, hatred and child abuse. They witness racism in the Tom Robinson case when Mayella Ewell claims he took advantage of her, when it was really Bob Ewell that did it. The court voted Tom Robinson guilty because he was African American, and most of the town would have been furious if a white man was convicted over a black man.

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1240 Words | 5 Pages

Jems opinion on life changes a lot through the Tom Robinson case. He learns that people aren't treated equally just by the color of their skin. From this quote it shows just how much Jem cares about people's equality and how he's maturing. After the case and Tom Robinson's death Jem doesn't do anything to anybody or anything that doesn't deserve it. Like this incident in the story, A rolly polly has crawled in the house by Scouts bed she was going to smash it

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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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904 Words | 4 Pages

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".

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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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855 Words | 4 Pages

Every child lives in a fantasy world, they believe that everyone will always do the right thing with no hesitation. No one can say when a child will begin to mature and lose focus with this world they have allowed to believe is the same one, that everyone else is living in. Everyone goes through that one life altering moment as a child, that makes them realize their innocence has been taken, and it is only then that they are forced to see the world for its true colors. In the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, Jem Finch was once living in a fantasy world, he then was force to lose his innocence by hearing the verdict of Tom Robinson’s trial, and by losing his innocence he gained knowledge that allowed him to understand Society better

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822 Words | 4 Pages

Jem, a young and smart boy develops and matures through many unique situations in the novel. Jem is exposed to the harsh belief, judgement and circumstances of the court at a very young age. Following his father, Jem involves himself in the trial between Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell yet takes Tom’s side due to his father's involvement. Jem slowly loses faith in the justice system and is faced with a loss of innocence as explained by Scout“It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.

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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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361 Words | 2 Pages

Hamlet In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince Hamlet's arrogance as his hamartia is best shown in the scene where Hamlet confronts Gertrude and kills Polonius. This is portrayed through Hamlet's excessive ambition and desire to avenge his father, losing his sense of empathy. While conversing with Gertrude, Hamlet hears a noise behind the curtain and kills Polonius thinking it was Claudius, exclaiming “How now? A rat. Dead for a ducat, dead!”(Shakespeare 3.4.27-28).

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747 Words | 3 Pages

As Jem starts to mature, his body language and use of words also start to show his overall maturity and his loss of innocence. Specifically, he acts exactly like his father,

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