Loss of Innocence
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by, Harper Lee many characters throughout the novel lose their innocence for different reasons. To lose one’s innocence can be interpreted in different ways but it is usually caused by society because you’re growing up and seeing all the imperfections in the world. Growing up will leave a scar on the individual emotionally and physically because it is such a changing point in their life, it will be a great impact. It is positive because the children are learning the truth but on the contrary it is a painful and necessary process. Lee conveys the idea of lost innocence by putting the children into adult situations. The major thematic topic nostalgia helps emphasize the idea of loss of innocence …show more content…
But throughout the book circumstances pushed them to grow up, forcing them to think differently and realize the harsh reality of the society they live in. The first example is when Tom Robinson got accused of rape. Even with all the evidence that showed he was innocent he was still convicted. This is because the jury was prejudice and in the courtroom and anywhere else everyone should be seen as equal. The children are not racist and found it completely unfair and forced them to realize there are good people in this world like Atticus who does the jobs no one else is up to do and bad people that will let a man die because they can’t get over their own petty opinion. Next is the people of Maycomb, who originally the kids thought were the best people in the world, but now they think otherwise. They realized that most of the county is prejudice and full of gossip. The town makes good people like Boo and Atticus appear like the villains just because they’re doing what’s right. Finally is the fact Bob Ewell even tried to harm Scout and Jem. At first it seemed like empty threats and if he was to do something it would be towards Atticus but not his children considering he is a father too. It just shows how little regard he has and what a vile person he is considering he would go as low as hurting children who haven’t done him wrong. The fact the children’s innocent opinion is completely different it just …show more content…
An example of this is how Jem is growing up and there are noticeable changes about himself, his interests and personality are different as he enters adolescence. During this phase he is also much ruder to Scout because he is always irritated which hurts Scout, representing how it is a painful process. Next is boo Radley who stays in his cocoon and refuses to face the real world. Time has stopped for him and he gives the children little remnants from the time before everything stopped for him. “Scout, I think I’m beginning to understand something. I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time… it’s because he wants to stay inside.” This quote represents how afraid Boo is of the outside world and how badly he wishes to stay in the safety of his youth by cutting off everyone else. Finally is Atticus’ speech about how Maycomb’s society may act now towards black people will have repercussions and will cause big changes when Scout and Jem become adults. This is foreshadowing in the 1930’s that once the kids grow up in around 1960’s civil rights is put into action with protests demanding that this unfair treatment be stopped. Lee incorporates the theme nostalgia in her writing to help emphasize the point of growing
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by, Harper Lee many characters throughout the novel lose their innocence for different reasons. To lose one’s innocence can be interpreted in different ways but it is usually caused by society because you’re growing up and seeing all the imperfections in the world. Growing up will leave a scar on the individual emotionally and physically because it is such a changing point in their life, it will be a great impact. It is positive because the children are learning the truth but on the contrary it is a painful and necessary process. Lee conveys the idea of lost innocence by putting the children into adult situations. The major thematic topic nostalgia helps emphasize the idea of loss of innocence …show more content…
But throughout the book circumstances pushed them to grow up, forcing them to think differently and realize the harsh reality of the society they live in. The first example is when Tom Robinson got accused of rape. Even with all the evidence that showed he was innocent he was still convicted. This is because the jury was prejudice and in the courtroom and anywhere else everyone should be seen as equal. The children are not racist and found it completely unfair and forced them to realize there are good people in this world like Atticus who does the jobs no one else is up to do and bad people that will let a man die because they can’t get over their own petty opinion. Next is the people of Maycomb, who originally the kids thought were the best people in the world, but now they think otherwise. They realized that most of the county is prejudice and full of gossip. The town makes good people like Boo and Atticus appear like the villains just because they’re doing what’s right. Finally is the fact Bob Ewell even tried to harm Scout and Jem. At first it seemed like empty threats and if he was to do something it would be towards Atticus but not his children considering he is a father too. It just shows how little regard he has and what a vile person he is considering he would go as low as hurting children who haven’t done him wrong. The fact the children’s innocent opinion is completely different it just …show more content…
An example of this is how Jem is growing up and there are noticeable changes about himself, his interests and personality are different as he enters adolescence. During this phase he is also much ruder to Scout because he is always irritated which hurts Scout, representing how it is a painful process. Next is boo Radley who stays in his cocoon and refuses to face the real world. Time has stopped for him and he gives the children little remnants from the time before everything stopped for him. “Scout, I think I’m beginning to understand something. I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time… it’s because he wants to stay inside.” This quote represents how afraid Boo is of the outside world and how badly he wishes to stay in the safety of his youth by cutting off everyone else. Finally is Atticus’ speech about how Maycomb’s society may act now towards black people will have repercussions and will cause big changes when Scout and Jem become adults. This is foreshadowing in the 1930’s that once the kids grow up in around 1960’s civil rights is put into action with protests demanding that this unfair treatment be stopped. Lee incorporates the theme nostalgia in her writing to help emphasize the point of growing