To begin with, the novel To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates the idea that the effects of racism can result in loss of Innocence. Firstly, Scout is being bullied at school by kids who are annoyed that her father, Atticus is defending a Negro. As Lee writes, “He had announced in the schoolyard the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers. I denied it, but told Jem. ‘what’d he mean sayin’ that?” I asked. ‘Nothing,” Jem said, “ask Atticus he’ll tell you.” Do you defend niggers, Atticus?” I asked him that evening. “of course I do”(Lee 99). This quote illustrates the beginning of Scout’s loss of innocence, which essentially results in her gaining the knowledge of the racist society that she is living in. Scout begins to persecut by kids …show more content…
Additionally, from other people’s perspective, Atticus has lost, his innocence because of him defending a Negro. However, it is not true because Atticus is a lawyer and he is doing his job without criticizing him. This incident made Scout ask Atticus that if it is right to defend a Negro. By this, Scout is able to gain the ability to look from new perspectives on how the world works in very early age compared to her brother, Jem and other children. Secondly, Jem is not completely disillusion until a guilty verdict is returned to Tom Robinson at the end of his trial. Jem Says “….don’t fret, we’ve won it… Don’t see how any jury could convict on what we heard.” After, Reverend Sykes cautions Jem to not be so confident. Reverend tells him that because he has never seen justice for coloured people. Jem brings himself to tears over the injustice of the verdict, his faith in the legal system shattered and he loses his innocence. Additionally, the final decision also highlights the level of racism that is present in the town. To explain, all the evidence proves that Tom Robinson is not guilt, but still he is considering guilty because he is a