Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee follows Jean Louis “Scout” Finch, as she navigates the pitfalls of growing up. She is accompanied by her older brother Jem, and her father, Atticus Finch, a lawyer from a prominent family. In their small town of Maycomb, Alabama, the Finches are near the top of the town’s social structure. At the beginning of the novel, Scout partakes in fun, childhood adventures while remaining blissfully unaware of the segregated society she lives in. However, as the story progresses, Scout and Jem are forced to abandon their sheltered lives and childhood innocence as they are exposed to grownup concepts.
At the start of the story, Scout lives a very guarded life with narrow views of society. Her father, Atticus, realizes the negative aspects of the southern way of …show more content…
As kids, Jem and Scout had fun creating stories about the reclusive Boo Radley. He was somewhat of a mystery because the kids had never seen him, but had heard stories about him. Their imaginations led them to believe that he was something of a monster who ate squirrels and attacked his relatives. Their curiosity led them into unfortunate circumstances, such as when they tried to send a note to him, or when they tried to see into his house. At the end of the book, she finally meets him after he saves her and Jem from Bob Ewell. Standing on his porch after she walked him home, Scout is able to stand in his shoes. She remembers the gifts he hid for her in the tree, and realizes that she never paid him back, like a good neighbor would. She reflects on the games she formerly played, and regretfully realizes that although at the time it just seemed like innocent fun, she had been tormenting Arthur for years. In many ways, she had committed the same sin as the citizens of Maycomb- she mocked a man who, for all of his life, only ever minded his own

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