Essay On Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

This is shown in the scene where Scout is being teased by Cecil Jacobs because Atticus is defending Tom, Scout states in this scene that "My fists were clenched and I was ready to let fly" (Lee 74). Although Scout was tempted to fight Cecil she did not because she made a promise to Atticus that she would stop fighting. Scout 's actions throughout these scenes show how she is beginning to mature. Although Scout shows development in her maturity she is still lacking in it. This is seen all throughout the scene of her cousin Francis stating "If Uncle Atticus lets you run around with stray dogs, that’s his own business, like Grandma says, so it ain 't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I 'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family--" (Lee 83). Scouts loses all sense of her actions in this point in time and pounce on Francis but he just manages to escape her grasp and escape to the kitchen, so Scout sits on the steps and waits for him. A few moments later Aunt Alexandra comes in and asks what is going on, and Francis says that Scout is holding him hostage and says that she beat him up, but Scout shows a lot of maturity by owning up to her actions and not lying to Aunt Alexandra. Scout 's maturity has really started to develop as she is faced with the judgements of others during the Robinson case.

In this novel, innocence is represented from all ages yet all still contribute to the mockingbird factor. Charles Baker “Dill” Harris doesn’t develop and mature throughout the story. In this way, he is seen as a mocking bird because he’s innocent by his childish actions. His childish actions flow throughout To Kill A Mockingbird and he never changes this lifestyle, because that’s all he knows how to do. An example of this is in the court scene when we wasn’t aware of what’s going on, “Dill leaned across me and asked Jem what Atticus was doing”(Lee 254). In this scene the children snuck into the courthouse to listen to Atticus defend Tom Robinson, and Dill is questioning what is happening in the court.This scene is an example of

In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird innocence is spread throughout the novel. Innocence is connected to the mockingbird because they do nothing but sing. There are three examples of innocence within the novel; Boo Radley, Mayella Ewell, and Tom Robinson.

In the novel, to kill a mockingbird, Harper Lee presents three very distinct types of innocence that are portrayed by different characters throughout the novel. A good part in this story’s brilliance is that Harper Lee has managed to use the innocence of a young girl to her advantage. She does this by telling the whole story from a child’s point-of-view. By having an innocent little girl make racial remarks and regard people of color in a way consistent with the community, Lee provides the reader with an objective view of the situation. As a child, Scout can make observations that an adult would often avoid. In addition, readers are also likely to be forgiving of a child’s perception, whereas they would find an adult who makes these

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless novel that has been both accepted and refused by many readers. To Kill a Mockingbird took place is a town called Maycomb. It is narrated by a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, otherwise known as Scout, who learns how to deal with many things in her life. While learning to deal with racism, injustice, and criticism, she also finds courage being showed by many of her role models. The theme courage is best depicted through Boo Radley, Scout and Atticus.

Through this, we learn that most situations are complicated and that we should look at them from different angles. The greatest example of this is the interaction between Scout and Uncle Jack Finch. When Scout gets into the fight with Francis, it is not due to the childish insults from Francis; It stems from the built up anger that Scout has suppressed as a result of the kids calling her a “nigger lover (112, 99).” Uncle Jack immediate accepts Francis’ lies as the truth without listening to Scout’s side or when Scout had been through. Once he realizes what he did wrong Uncle Jack says, “She told me how I should have treated her…(115)” This whole situation could have been avoided if Uncle Jack looked at it from different angles.

Scout’s courage is similar to her fathers as she is defending someone also. The person she is defending is Atticus. “A nigger-lover. I ain’t very sure what it means, but the way Francis said it - tell you one thing right now, Uncle Jack, I’ll be - I swear before God if I’ll sit there and let him say something about Atticus” (86). What has happened is that Scout has beaten up her cousin Francis.

First of all, Lee’s critical tone of prejudice is demonstrated by Scout’s innocent curiosity and perception of her surrounding society. Specifically, Lee’s critical tone is illustrated by Scout’s curiosity and the numerous questions she asks her family members throughout the duration of the novel. For example, when Scout raises questions to her Aunt Alexandra concerning her prejudice towards the Cunningham family, her innocence is exhibited by her desire to understand the world, but also to question it. A specific example of Scout’s curiosity is when Aunt Alexandra informs Scout not to invite Walter over for dinner, which leads Scout to ask “Why not, Aunty? They’re good folks” (223). Aunt Alexandra responds with: “The thing is, you can scrub Walter Cunningham till he shines, you can put him in shoes and a new suit, but he’ll never be like Jem” (224). Aunt Alexandra’s response exemplifies her prejudice towards the structure of the social classes in Maycomb County. However, Scout’s innocent nature enables her to remain uncorrupted by prejudice and to question the unquestionable. Lee’s use of a child as a narrator allows her to ask the tough questions regarding Maycomb County’s way of life and question why it is prejudiced towards a certain individual or group of individuals. Moreover, Harper Lee’s choice of narration

No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change” (101). Atticus knows that in the past Scout has used more of a violent approach in confrontation with others and he is telling her to keep on going and don’t give in to confrontation and become civil to those who have done wrong to her. Atticus wants Scout to be the better person and to use her head. Atticus is always there to help Scout comprehend many real world situations, such as the Tom Robison trial and verdict.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a beautiful story depicting a family living in the South of the 1930’s, and their struggle against the prejudice which was common to that time. The book centers on Atticus Finch, the father of the family as well as a lawyer, and his fight against prejudice. We see the story unfold through the innocent eyes of his young daughter, Scout, who is free from prejudice and not yet jaded. By viewing events as Scout sees them, the author shows us how to overcome prejudices, and gain tolerance.

Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are numerous implicit indications of symbolism that the author conceals behind items and ideas, but a main one that was found was the innocence of the Mockingbird. This was seen with Tom Robinson (a black man), Scout, and Boo Radley. For instance, Tom Robinson was living in a prejudiced world and was named guilty for an act he didn’t do. This led to his intentional death in prison. His death was done intentionally for a reason. Since he lost a rigged law case because of his skin color, he saw no reason of why he should live longer, but this could have been prevented by the jury/decision of the case, but the loss of the case was the metaphorical death of the Mockingbird. In fact,

“Shoot all the bluejays you want, of you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Atticus 119) In the story To Kill A Mockingbird, it is considered a sin to kill a mockingbird acording to Atticus. The symbols of a mockingbird are shown through loyalty, innocence, and independence.

The fascinating story To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in a sleepy, southern county of Maycomb in the 1930s. Although this town has a variety of pleasant and honorable citizens who have set morals, there are also people who live in Maycomb County who are unfair, possibly evil, and lack morals.

While in the jail with Tom Robinson, Atticus is bombarded by a group of men who intend to lynch Tom. Atticus is in no condition to fight back considering his age, so he resolves to use his words like a civil man. This is also something he has taught his children to do as well. His children had evidently followed him and had not recognized his predicament, and yet Scout made her way into the mob and attempted a friendly conversation. When they had given her their attention, her easy-going and innocent behavior made them speechless. In her own words, “Atticus had said it was the polite thing to talk to people about what they were interested in, not about what you were interested in” (Lee 205). As she had attempted to converse with the leader, she had made him and all the other men uncomfortable. Her childhood innocence and eerie calmness had made the men uncomfortable to do vicious acts in front of children. And, even when Scout is not the kindest she uses her ever expanding empathy to set others right, “Francis looked at me carefully, concluded that I had been sufficiently subdued, and crooned softly, ‘N*****-lover…’ This time, I split my knuckle to the bone on his front teeth. My left impaired, I sailed in with my right” (Lee 112). Francis, her first cousin once removed, was being incredibly insensitive and rude to African Americans and Atticus, and Scout saw that because he could not be persuaded with words to stop, she must pursue this battle physically. Even after the matter when she was telling her uncle her side of the story, she had pleaded with him not to tell Atticus, she did not Atticus to be bothered by what she had done, and what Francis had

Water that is too pure has no fish; a world with too many good people will be demolished, although water that is too dirty will not have fish either. We are a mere representation of that metaphor, just like how killing a mockingbird is a sin in society, innocence help balance out the evil in the world, since there will never be too much of innocence. Throughout the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the author manifested an expression to exhibit unconscientious integrity battling against the evil of the world. Harper Lee portrayed innocence versus evil clearly throughout her novel and pushed it into the reader’s thoughts and mind by using specific literary elements across her entire narrative. The author used the perspective of a little