Examples Of Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

The Loss of Innocence What makes a child different than an adult is the fact that they have innocence. According to Dictionary.com, innocence is the quality or state of being innocent; freedom from sin or moral wrong. The picture, White Children in Front of Porch reminded me of just that. The picture depicts two white children who are smiling on the porch. Both kids seem so happy and stress free. Children that are around this age are innocent because they haven’t been exposed to the real world, they have no idea of real life problems. I can relate to this because I was once just like those kids. In the book, “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the mockingbirds are a symbol of innocence. So, to kill a mockingbird means to destroy innocence and she does so by writing about two kids, Jem and Scout whose innocence has been shattered. …show more content…
Towards the end of chapter fifteen, Scout, Jem, and Dill are at the jailhouse when an angry mob arrives. Scout doesn’t know she is in a dangerous position because she is just a little girl. So, she when she sees Mr. Cunningham in the mob she decides to talk to him. When Scout talks to him, he did not say anything back and the whole mob was quiet. Everybody was looking at her and there was an awkward silence. The text states “I began to feel a sweat gathering at the edges of my hair; I could stand anything but a bunch of people looking at me. They were quiet still. ‘What’s the matter?’ I asked.” (page 206) This quote shows the innocence of Scout because she does not know what is going on or the place she is