Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

These days, children are expected to be pure without any adult-like knowledge, but as they develop into adults they’re expected to lose their child-like innocence. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the poem “Loss of Innocence”, and the novel Speak all show this loss of innocence in children growing up. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is about a girl named Scout who in the book loses their innocence when her father, Atticus, defends a black man who is falsely accused of rape towards a white women. The poem “Loss of Innocence” by Casey Stewart is about how child-like innocence in general is lost as people grow up. Finally Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is about a high school freshman named Melinda choosing not to speak after a traumatic

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird has life-events that cause the loss of innocence. In the book, Scout loses her innocence when her father, Atticus, informs her about how she should treat all people with respect and see things from other people's point of views. Scout begins to think about the effect she has on other people, which is shown with "... couldn't get along unless I was there" (Lee 162). The lessons Atticus teaches to Scout changes her perspective on the world around her such as realizing how she's important to the rest of her family. This thought-provoking event caused Scout to lose her innocence because now she is not that ignorant and is starting to notice the world in a different perspective. This newfound knowledge is an essential part of Scout growing up and losing her innocence. Secondly, Jem, who is Scout’s brother, loses his innocence by becoming more aware of the concept of racism in society when Atticus is defending a black man and wanting to make a change about it. “‘Doesn't make it right,' said Jem stolidly" (Lee 224). Jem experiences the thought provoking event of his dad defending a black man and becomes more

In the novel, Melinda experiences the life-changing event of being raped,”. ..dump the memory, it will stay with me... "(Anderson 151). This memory of Melinda is very traumatic and is something that she cannot forget about. This traumatic event caused Melinda to grow up and become more mature. This increase in maturity suddenly caused Melinda to lose her innocence. Another example of loss of innocence being portrayed in the book is how traumatic events can affect someone's view on the world which can ultimately cause someone to lose their innocence. “‘You are the most depressed person I've met’”(Anderson 105). Melinda's friend, saying that Melinda is depressed expresses the fact that after this traumatic event, Melinda stripped herself away from her previous youthful innocence as a coping mechanism. After facing a lot of trauma at a very young age, Medlina becomes depressed and stops acting like a child with youthful innocence. This traumatic event causes Melinda to find herself in the world of chaos. This is what ultimately caused her to lose her innocence. Finally, Melinda from Speak loses her innocence after suffering from a very traumatic event which caused her to mature