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Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

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“Dreams of innocence are just that; they usually depend on the denial of reality that can be its own form of hubris” - Michael Pollan. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, innocence plays a very big part during the novel. Its story is told in the eyes of a six year old girl, Jean Louise, who calls herself Scout in the town of Maycomb during the 1930’s. Along Scout’s journey is her brother, Jem, and her summer lover, Dill, who try to face a supposed psychotic neighbor, a crazy dog, an old rude lady, and a life changing trial in the span of three years. To Kill A Mockingbird is Scout growing up and experiencing the loss of innocence while seeing it happen among Jem and her father, Atticus.

Although Atticus is an adult, he experiences the loss of innocence just like any growing …show more content…
From Don’t Bury Black History’s Horrors, “Mamie Till Mobley was 81 at the time of her death. Her only child was 14 at the time of his” Leonard Pitts Jr. 14 January 2003. Mamie has to live with the fact that her son, Emmett Till died at a very young age for all the wrong reasons. Much like Mamie, Atticus grasps at what happens and goes on so he can fight for what he believes in during the very life changing trial to change his peers’ views on the world and to strip his peers of their ignorance. Atticus wants the people to believe what is right. Despite their beliefs, he did his best to convince the people that an innocent man has been convicted while the true criminal continues to walk around. The verdict still came out guilty, yet Atticus did not lose hope that the town will change for the better. Atticus continuously loses his innocence while the trial goes on, since he defends a black man in one of the worst times of segregation and racism. Atticus also goes through the loss of innocence the way his kids grow up because the more they grow up, the less advice and answers he has to give to

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