Introduction
Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird explores the fragile nature of innocence in a world filled with prejudice and injustice. Set in a small Alabama town during the 1930s, the novel follows young Scout Finch as she begins to understand that the world is not as just and honorable as she once believed. While Scout and her brother Jem represent childhood innocence, their father Atticus demonstrates that maintaining one's integrity is possible even in the face of adversity. Over the course of the novel, Scout's innocence is tested but not broken, symbolizing that goodness can still prevail despite the evil and corruption in Maycomb society. This essay will analyze the role innocence plays in To Kill a Mockingbird and how it drives the novel's central themes.
The Significance of Innocence in Literature
In literature, the theme of innocence refers to purity and lack of corruption, often represented by children. Innocence is easily lost as one gains experience and knowledge of the world. Many great American novels like The Catcher in the Rye and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn explore the journey from childhood innocence to adult experience. To Kill a Mockingbird joins this literary tradition by using Scout, Jem and Dill's adventures and perceptions to reflect social issues of racial injustice and class divisions in the segregated South. Scout's innate sense of fairness makes her question the town's prejudices and desire to cling to outdated traditions, representing author Harper Lee's own progressive viewpoint.
Scout's Loss of Innocence
One way Lee explores the theme of innocence is through the character of Scout Finch, who provides the young and innocent perspective on the events in the novel. Scout begins the novel as an innocent six-year-old who believes that "folks are just folks" regardless of race or class. However, as Scout witnesses the racial prejudice toward Tom Robinson during his trial, she starts to lose her naive belief in the ultimate goodness of humanity. For instance, after Tom is unfairly convicted, Scout says, "It was Jem's turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. 'It ain't right,' he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square" (Lee 211). Scout feels the injustice of Tom's conviction just as clearly as Jem, showing that her innocence makes her one of the few townspeople able to recognize the immorality of the situation. Her youth allows her to detect the unfairness that the biased adults accept.
Boo Radley: A Symbol of Corrupted Innocence
While Scout represents innocence, the character of Boo Radley symbolizes how innocence is often corrupted in Maycomb. Arthur "Boo" Radley is an enigmatic figure who was corrupted from a normal childhood into an ostracized adulthood. Scout describes Boo as a "malevolent phantom" while noting that he was imprisoned by his cruel father for fifteen years (Lee 13). Boo thus represents how the prejudice and pettiness of Maycomb society crushes innocence and goodness. Scout's belief that Boo is an evil ghost reflects the town’s judgment of him as a monster. However, her childlike ability to reconsider her views allows her to see beyond appearances. At the end of the novel when Boo saves Jem and Scout's lives, Scout finally meets him and declares, “Hey, Boo,” ...Scout took one giant step, then another” towards Boo, accepting him with the innocence the town lacks (Lee 278). While Maycomb views Boo with prejudice, Scout overcomes social conditioning through childlike empathy.
The Limitations of Innocence
Some argue that the novel does not present a positive view of innocence given the racial inequality and injustice that remain intact at the book's end. While Scout, Jem and Dill attempt to intervene in unjust situations, like confronting a lynch mob or helping the disadvantaged Tom Robinson, their efforts fail to create real social change. However, though Scout is unable to completely correct social injustices, the novel suggests that preserving her fundamental innocence and integrity offers hope for the future. Scout's youthful sense of morality withstands the pressure to conform to the town's prejudice. While Maycomb does not transform overnight, the moral awareness Scout gains during her childhood could inspire her to continue fighting injustice as an adult. So, while the social order largely remains stagnant, the novel ultimately presents innocence as a vital spark that can enlighten future generations.
Conclusion
Harper Lee shows that innocence provides insight that the prejudiced adults of Maycomb lack. Though the town clings to injustice and condemns outsiders like Boo and Tom, the young protagonists listen to their consciences and stand up for what is right. Scout and Jem struggle to reconcile their innate sense of fairness with the evil they witness, yet they hold onto their principles. Through exploring the experiences of Scout, Jem and Boo, Lee argues that preserving innocence and integrity, though difficult, provides hope for overcoming hatred and creating positive change. To Kill a Mockingbird suggests that the goodness and open-mindedness of innocent children like Scout and Jem may one day enlighten society and create a fairer and more just world.
