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To Kill A Mockingbird Innocence Quotes

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“Experience, which destroys innocence, also leads one back to it” (James Arthur Baldwin). This quote perfectly reflects on the issue of loss of innocence, as did the author of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee, who was able to examine this as well as the growth of character within the protagonist of the novel: Jean Louise “Scout” Finch. There are several characters who help change Scout’s thinking, such as her father, Atticus Finch, her family’s maid, Calpurnia, and her friend, Maudie Atkinson. It can be reasoned that the journey from innocence to understanding for Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, is guided by the lessons taught to her by the closest people in her life.

As the father of Scout, Atticus Finch’s placement in her life allows …show more content…

First and foremost, when Scout blurts out a rude comment about Walter Cunningham Jr. as they are eating lunch, Calpurnia lectures Scout on proper manners. She states, “Hush your mouth! Don't matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house's yo' comp'ny, and don't you let me catch you remarkin' on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo' folks might be better'n the Cunninghams but it don't count for nothin' the way you're disgracin' 'em” (27). As Scout does not know the concept of prejudice, she makes the comment against Walter without a second thought. However, Calpurnia’s furious lecture towards her treatment of Walter Cunningham helps Scout in realizing how she should treat everyone equally. Calpurnia also shows Scout the difference between the white and black community in Maycomb, specifically after Scout and Jem accompany Calpurnia at her church when she explains to them why she speaks differently in church than at home. “Suppose you and Scout talked colored-folks' talk at home it'd be out of place, wouldn't it” (139). Scout learns the big differences in the black community from the white community, and how the two are so different; they even change the personality of Calpurnia herself. Thirdly, Calpurnia’s motherly influence on Scout also helps her in learning how to be a lady, which is shown when Scout spends time with Calpurnia as Jem chooses not to. Scout narrates, “Calpurnia would do until Dill came. She seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think there was some skill involved in being a girl” (116). As Scout is raised with many males in her life, she does not understand what the significance of being a proper lady is. Calpurnia’s presence as one of the only female figures in her

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919 Words | 4 Pages

When the school year had just started, Scout had already got into a fight because Walter Cunningham had apparently gotten her started off on the wrong foot. Though in fact it wasn’t Walter’s fault that Scout got off on the wrong foot with Miss Caroline, it was just a misunderstanding. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view” (Lee), wise words from Atticus, a father of two and lawyer. Scout has a conflict with her teacher, Miss

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580 Words | 3 Pages

Walter lived an extremely different life than Scout, and did things that were foreign and foolish to her. She did learn to respect his ways, but not until after a grand scolding from Calipurnia. After mocking Walter about eating differently than her family did Scout was called into the kitchen to have a little chat with Cal. Calipurnia’s greatest remark was this “Don’t matter who they are, anybody set’s foot in this house’s yo’ com’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty” (Harper Lee 33)!

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487 Words | 2 Pages

Calpurnia is Jem and Scouts mother figure, because their mother died due to a sudden heart attack. Calpurnia takes Jem and Scout to her church, First Purchase, and introduces them to the fact that not all black people are bad people. She shows courage because it’s nerve racking to bring 2 white children to an all black church. Calpurnia says, “I don’t want anybody sayin’ I don’t look after my children” (Lee pg. 118). Calpurnia takes pride in Jem and Scout and shows a massive amount of courage taking these children to her type of life, and to her church.

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1537 Words | 7 Pages

He poured it all over--” (Lee 24). What she did not understand was that his family was less fortunate than the Finch’s, and he did not get to eat like this at home. Seconds later, Scout learns one of the limits of adult patience when Calpurnia calls her into the kitchen to scold her. “Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n than the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em-- if you can’t act fit to eat at the table you can just set here and eat in the kitchen” (Lee 25).

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1336 Words | 6 Pages

But later on in the book once Scout and Calpurnia’s relationship begins to flower, she slowly begins to realize that Cal is both a friend and role model. Once they have a good relationship Scout begins to look at Cal more as a second mom than anything. The second reason that Calpurnia influences them is because when Walter Cunningham first came over for dinner at their house, Scout insulted Walter when he was pouring molasses all over his food. Walter is poor and his family is very poor, and to make his food flavorful, he has a habit of pouring molasses on his food to improve the taste that his food has. Scout isn’t used to seeing people act in this way, so she found this odd.

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795 Words | 4 Pages

“I’ve always been fascinated with the stealing of innocence. It’s the most heinous crime, and certainly a capital crime if there ever was one. ”(Clint Eastwood) In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, this quote reigns true for many reasons. The book starts as a family and friend oriented community, but its true colors show when Atticus Finch takes on a black mans trial.

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Father, lawyer, and friend, the gentlemanly Atticus Finch hopes to shape the character of his children. The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is the story of the childhood of a young girl named Jean Louise “Scout” Finch. Throughout the book, Scout’s father, Atticus, tries his best to raise her and her brother, Jem, the right way as a single parent. To Kill a Mockingbird exemplifies the way the character of Atticus Finch either uses ritual or abandons it in order to develop certain character qualities within his children. He specifically focuses on the development of honesty, courage, and humility.

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1365 Words | 6 Pages

The Cunninghams, a poor farming family living on the outskirts of Maycomb, are not viewed as “‘...company, [they are] Cunningham’” otherwise known as the trash of Maycomb, according to Scout Finch (Lee 24). Scout makes rude remarks about Walter Cunningham Jr., a classmate of hers, after he drenched his supper in molasses. Calpurnia quickly scolds Scout, explaining to her that Walter had not known any better, not having had supper like that before. Social prejudice is clearly demonstrated here because Walter Cunningham Jr. is not welcome by Scout at the Finch home due to the fact that she does not perceive him to be of her same caliber and social class. No person should be alienated because of the way they dress, where they live, or who they affiliate with.

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900 Words | 4 Pages

When a large riot came to get Atticus, Scout was timid at first, but once, she saw a familiar face, Mr.Cunningham, she realized they were just regular people just like her she remembered that “there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.” (304) and used this opportunity to try to stop them. She walked up to him and started talking to him like it was a normal conversation, and that is all it took to save her father.

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924 Words | 4 Pages

Dylan Bauer Ms. Crutchfield Silver 5 6 March 2023 To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird's broad message and recurring theme throughout the book is good and innocence being interrupted or destroyed by evil, which is symbolic of the title because killing a mockingbird would be a sin because they are innocent and all they do is sing. Chapter 4 of To Kill a Mockingbird needs to stay because it is about scouts' first interactions with boo radley and how Atticus wants them to not bother them because bothering them would be for no reason as they mind their own business. Chapter 9 of TKAM needs to stay because it also symbolizes innocence being destroyed by evil as many people use racial slurs in disapproval of Atticus defending Tom Robinson.

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1015 Words | 5 Pages

She displays this by teaching Jem and Scout essential lessons. As they grow older, Calpurnia teaches them more and more about the world they live in. One of the many lessons Calpurnia teaches Scout is a different way to be more "ladylike." In chapter 12, Scout says, "She seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think there was some skill involved in being a girl" (Lee 154). Scout starts to like being a girl after watching Calpurnia in the kitchen.

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1247 Words | 5 Pages

Calpurnia is an ideal influence for Scout’s coming of age moments. She teaches Scout the importance of manners, and treating people with respect. When Walter Cunningham comes to eat lunch with Scout and Jem one day, Scout

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714 Words | 3 Pages

Everybody could say the same thing, but each person could mean something totally different by it. It is the same way with a song or work of writing can mean many different things. Sometimes, the different meanings are intentional, but others, it is something discovered by an outsider. For example, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird uses the mockingbird to symbolize innocence.

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933 Words | 4 Pages

Giving dignity boosts someones ego, yet stripping dignity can ruin it as read in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee portrays how others can give and strip someones dignity by their actions and language. The novel takes place in a tired, racist town in the South called Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930’s. It tells the story of a white woman accusing a black man of rape. The case is taken by Atticus Finch, the best lawyer in town defending the black defendant, Tom Robinson.

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1132 Words | 5 Pages

Moral dilemma of characters in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird The way people handle moral dilemmas are often different. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee show various moral dilemmas and how different characters deal with it. Scout chose to be different in handling with her moral dilemma and change for the better while Mayella does not change and does wrong.

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