ipl-logo

Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

1623 Words7 Pages

Analyse how the writer develops an important idea for a particular purpose in a written text you have studied

In the novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, a range of language features are used by the author Harper Lee to develop the important idea of loss of innocence for the purpose of showing the change in the character of Jem Finch as he gains understanding and maturity. Through Jem, Harper Lee shows how the pure innocence of a child can be lost so instantly due to the attainment of insight into the truth of mankind.

Harper Lee develops the important idea of loss of innocence for the purpose of showing the change in the understanding of Jem as he grows older through the use of the symbol of the Radley House, which acts as a representation of …show more content…

She does this by comparing young Jem (aged 10) who moaned over Atticus not participating in a football match against other fathers-“He did not do the things our schoolmates' fathers did: he never went hunting…”, to the three years older Jem (aged 13) who refuses to leave the side of his father at the hands of the ill-intentioned Lynch Mob- “ ‘Go home, I said.’ Jem shook his head. As Atticus's fists went to his hips, so did Jem’s”. The reader sees how Jem has matured and grown to be gallant and extremely protective towards his father who he immensely admires. Therefore, when Jem senses that Atticus is in danger, he does what any daring and concerned young man would do, he boldly refuses the orders of Atticus in order to ensure his father’s safety. This is in vast comparison to the young Jem who was very mindful towards Atticus because he was afraid of disappointing him, but in this case, Jem’s impulse to defend Atticus was stronger than wanting his approval. Atticus has taught Jem from a young age to behave with honour, but not necessarily obedience, and here he puts honour first. This demonstrates how Jem is making a stand as a young man as opposed to a child through how he crosses the line with his father and declines to leave him. Jem’s loss of precious innocence was compensated by the broad understanding he later gains, allowing him to make reasonable decisions whilst being aware of the

Show More
Related

How Does Jem Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

568 Words | 3 Pages

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem, or Jeremy Atticus Finch, is Scout's brother, and throughout the story he changes and matures a lot through a series of stages. First, you have the event that caused this, the trial, then you have the influence that it put upon Jem ,and lastly, how he had overall changed from the experience. After Tom's Trial, when Tom is deemed guilty and goes to jail, Jem is mad because he feels it's unfair. Jem realizes that his outlook on law was rather naive and that there's much more to it, and that his ways of thinking were childish as shown when he is speaking to Atticus, “How could they do it, how could they?’’

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird How Has Jem Changed

844 Words | 4 Pages

Jem was lost in society throughout this part of the novel, yet towards the end of the novel he had learned more to understand his community. At the

Read More

How Does Jem Change In To Kill A Mockingbird

520 Words | 3 Pages

As the novel progresses, Jem becomes less defiant and more understanding of adults. Jem witnesses the physical and moral courage of his father before and during the trial of

Read More

Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

208 Words | 1 Pages

Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird uses mockingbirds to symbolize characters and their stations. The mockingbird is used as a symbol of innocence to describe characters. The term of killing a mockingbird or shooting a mockingbird is in direct reference to the people losing their innocence. The mockingbirds in To Kill A Mockingbird are the characters Tom Robinson, Mayella Ewell, Boo Radley, Dill, and Jem.

Read More

Atticus Changes In To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

456 Words | 2 Pages

The perception of Atticus changes. The kids originally think Atticus is to old to do much. They say that because when Jem wants to play football Atticus will say no I’m to old. When Jem wanted to play tackle football he would say he was to old for that also. Atticus was fifty years old so he can’t do much.

Read More

Examples Of Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

893 Words | 4 Pages

Jem knows that this action is putting his life in danger, but he chooses to defend his father in this huge courageous act. Through Jems actions, and an enormous amount of courage is

Read More

How Do People Shape Children In To Kill A Mockingbird

743 Words | 3 Pages

Jem grows up sheltered from the evil in the world. Once the trial comes around, however, he learns out imperfect the world is through the racism and prejudice, and he struggles to come to terms with this realization. After the trial he tells Miss Maudie, who is their neighbor, how it feels like “bein’ a caterpillar in a cocoon… Like somethin’ asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world least that’s what they seemed like” (Lee 288). Miss Maudie then tries to comfort Jem, but it still shows that Jem has been changed because his childhood view of Maycomb being perfect has been shattered.

Read More

How Is Boo Radley Portrayed In To Kill A Mockingbird

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.

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Loss Of Innocence Analysis

651 Words | 3 Pages

This lesson of empathy impacts Jem abundantly teaching him that he has to put himself in other's

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Moral Development Essay

1153 Words | 5 Pages

Jem’s moral development in chapters 1-16 in To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem has significantly grown from a childish, playful boy that he was from the beginning of the novel to a more calm, composed and mature figure resemblance to that of his father, Atticus. Before maturity, Jem bore a childish concept of courage. His concept of bravery was through the acceptance of dares imposed upon him. According to Scout, Jem had "never declined a dare" throughout his entire life. This exhibited his stupidity, rather than his bravery, especially when it was in Jem's nature to "love honor before his head", signifying that not only does Jem accepts dares blindly, he does not think of the consequences of a dare, or about his safety in performing a dare.

Read More

Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

752 Words | 4 Pages

Children are shielded from the bad parts of life. It seems that’s part of being a parent; making sure your child keeps their youthful innocence, pushing away every bad thing and person as far away from them as possible. But when they’re exposed to the negative parts of life, it feels like all that effort put into protecting them was useless; all the subject avoiding, ear covering, word spelling, whispering so they don’t hear from all the way down the hall, it’s all for nothing. Every ounce of effort you put into guarding that pure child has disappeared. Harper Lee’s

Read More

Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

886 Words | 4 Pages

At a very young age both of them experience what the real world is like. There father Atticus is a lawyer, who is apart of a case that has happened in Maycomb. Atticus is defending a black man named Tom Robinson who has been accused of raping a white woman Mayella. Throughout the novel you learn that racism is greatly apart of there town; even in modern day, racism is still a huge problem and we can not look away from it. As Jem grows up he loses his childhood innocence and he becomes more aware of the different events that are happening in his town.

Read More

Literary Elements In To Kill A Mockingbird

1066 Words | 5 Pages

It showed Jem in his coming of age because he understands that he’s responsible for his own actions, people makes mistakes, and that he needs to be careful to what he does. Just remember that, “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

Read More

Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

750 Words | 3 Pages

Have you ever wondered which event in your life made you see everything differently? Everybody faces various experiences with the realities of the world that eventually results in the loss of their innocence. The loss of innocence can be the outcome of an incident witnessed, a final conclusion about an issue, or an understanding of a situation. The loss of innocence is the same thing as maturity. Now, of course, you can’t go to sleep one night and wake up mature.

Read More

The Theme Of Good And Evil In To Kill A Mockingbird

170 Words | 1 Pages

The realization that there is true evil within their society shakes Jem to the core. Jem, like Atticus, holds a strong belief in the goodness of all people, but after the trial he reevaluate his understanding of human nature.

Read More

More about Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

Related Topics

Open Document