The Theme Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mocking Bird Essay In the novel To Kill a Mocking Bird Harper Lee uses the characters Boo, Scout, Jem, and Dill to illustrate the theme of innocence and courage.
Throughout the this novel, Jem, Scout, and Dill find ways to use the limits with their imaginations, to amuse themselves. The children seem to be the ones who change the old town and make it full of unexpected events. The adults of the novel also play games that come from their imaginations and, they themselves are the ones who provide the fear for everyone in the county to fear. "Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself"(Lee, 12). The adults and the
They have been faced with ignorant people calling them "n*****-lovers" but they do not get a full understanding of the slang term until the trial is upon them. The night Atticus spends reading in front of the jailhouse, he is actually guarding Tom Robinson's cell. The mob of men from Maycomb gathers around Atticus, threatening his and Tom's lives. Once Scout, Jem, and Dill enter the scene, it becomes harder for the men to conduct "business." Scout, still in her innocence, breaks into the crowd by recognizing Mr. Cunningham and, she talks about his son Walter without a thought to the fact that Mr. Cunningham has come to hurt Atticus. In her innocent gesture, Scout makes Mr. Cunningham realize that he is a father, and, in a way he "walks around in Atticus' shoes" for a minute. Scout does not realize the extent of her actions until later on and the understanding losing more of her
The players play the game Mayella and Bob Ewell have an advantage and the disadvantage to Tom Robinson, the entire Finch family, and every colored person in Maycomb County. The ‘winners’ (the Ewells), begin the game with the false accusation of rape against Tom, only to stop the reputation Mayella would gain if people know that she has flirted with a black man. The people of the county create the game based on the racial issues of the day and the rules are clear: if one is black, he is guilty, no questions asked. Scout and Jem personally see this terrible game of discrimniation and the consequences that result in an eventual end to Tom's life. The official trial is full of games the lawyers play so each one could present his side of the argument. The children have a bias toward their father but, as they watch and listen intently, they acquire a higher respect for him. It is evident that Atticus is playing the game but his version has rules of respect and regard for the ones involved, innocent or guilty. Jem and Scout gain an understanding of the case and respect for Atticus through his behavior in court and it is the understanding that makes it harder for them to accept the verdict. Atticus explains as best he can so the children have some indication of both opponents' reasons for the actions they see in the courtroom. The trial itself creates a separated reality for the children because it occurs in the courthouse and Atticus