Themes explored in To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

Innocence is most commonly defined as ‘freedom from sin, moral wrong, or guilt through lack of knowledge of evil’. When comparing this definition to the characters of Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, it becomes clear that the loss of innocence is a central theme and is pivotal to character development. Some of the key characters who have lost their innocence are Jem Finch and his sister Scout , Arthur (Boo) Radley and Mayella Ewell. This collection of characters is unique, as they all…

In Richard Rodriquez’ essay, “The Achievement of Desire”, experiences with education and how a desire to acquire knowledge has the possibility of straining family relationships are explored. Rodriquez describes himself as a scholarship boy; the type of student who is “Always successful” but “always unconfident”, he was “exhilarated by my progress” but “Sad” while being “anxious and eager to learn”, in conjunction with being “an imitative and unoriginal pupil” (Rodriquez 339). In essence,…