Student Essay on Innocence in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

Innocence in "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee by Harper Lee

Essay

The book is called To Kill a Mockingbird because it is about losing ones innocence. As the story progresses, the characters grow and learn some of the hard lessons of life. Scout grows up by learning that she has to be a lady to some people and to be herself around others. Jem learns that not all men are treated equal. Dill learns this as well and is upset by it.

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing--but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs. They don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee, p. 90). This quote shows the reader that we shouldn't destroy a person's innocence, but that we should revere it. Also, that we should treasure it as long as we can.

Scout is usually the one compared to the mockingbird in this story for numerous reasons. This is because of her age and her naivety. She is unaware that the things she does reflect upon herself. She is also compared to a mockingbird because she usually brings joy into the lives she touches but is unaware of it. Although she is not the only character in To Kill a Mockingbird, she is the most obvious in her innocence.