Scout's Childhood Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

When you’re a child, you believe that the world is perfect and nothing bad will happen. But, we all know that's not true. Most of the time our parents try to shield us from the ugly parts of our world, however Atticus didn’t do this. He let Scout see how hideous their town of Maycomb, Alabama really was under the surface. Scout lost her childhood innocence by watching the Tom Robinson trial, being a part of Aunt Alexandra's tea party, and being attacked by Bob Ewell. Everyone losses their childhood innocence at one point in time, but Scout’s transition is caused by several brutal and life changing events that no one should ever have to experience. Back in the 1930s, there was less security so kids could just walk into a trial if they wanted.

During her quest, she invites Scout to sit with the ladies at her tea party. The ladies are members of Maycomb's missionary circle. “‘I tell you there are some good but misguided people in this town. Good, but misguided. Folks in this town who think they’re doing right, I mean. Now far be it from me to say who, but some of ‘em in this town thought they were doing the right thing a while back, but all they did was stir ‘em up. That’s all they did. Might’ve looked like the right thing to do at the time, I’m sure I don’t know, I’m not read in that field, but sulky… dissatisfied… I tell you if my Sophy’d kept it up another day I’d have let her go. It’s never entered that wool of hers that the only reason I keep her is because this depression’s on and she needs her dollar and a quarter every week she can get it.’ ‘His food doesn’t stick going down, does it?’ Miss Maudie said it.” (233) This quote is by Mrs. Merriweather, who is the most devout Methodist in the group. Scout learns here about the nastiness of women. When Mrs. Merriweather talks about the person who is “good, but misguided”, she is talking about Atticus. All the while, Scout is sitting next to her and Aunt Alexandra (Atticus’s sister) is listening. That is why Miss Maudie feels the need to expose Mrs. Merriweather on this point. Also in this quote, Scout sees people being hypocrites. Mrs. Merriweather says that the only

“I ran in the direction of Jem’s scream and sank into a flabby male stomach. Its owner said, ‘Uff!’ and tried to catch my arms, but they were tightly pinioned. He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not move. Suddenly he was jerked backwards and flung to the ground, almost carrying me with him. I thought, Jems up. One’s mind works very slowly at times. Stunned, I stood there dumbly. The scuffling noises were dying; someone wheezed and the bight was still again.” (262) The quote is thought by Scout during the fight. Scout experiences something that no person should ever have to go through, no matter what your age is. Scout is nearly killed that night. Although she isn’t killed, she still goes into shock and sees her older brother unconscious for the first time. Scout clearly goes into shock during this fight, because she states, “Stunned, I stood there dumbly.” (262). Normally a person of Scouts age would run away and hide, but Scout stands there and tries to see what is going on on. This experience may not have been a positive one, because it taught her bravery. This is also the first time Scout sees her brother severely hurt. Jem has always been a role model to Scout. Seeing him hurt makes her realize that no one is invincible. Nevertheless, there is one positive event that comes out of this attack. Scout finally gets to meet Boo (Arthur)