Scout's Journey From Innocence To Experience

To Kill a Mockingbird
Loss of innocence and growing up is a prominent theme in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird. As Scout matures through childhood, she learns how cruel and unfair the world can be. Throughout the novel, Scout Gains experience and she is distraught at the fact that Tom Robinson is found guilty at the trial. The journey from innocence to experience is demonstrated in To Kill a Mockingbird with Scouts coming of age.

At the beginning of the novel, Scout Finch is a 6 year old girl who narrates the story of what took place in her hometown of Maycomb. As she is so young, it is clear that often she does not understand what she has seen. However she is an intelligent and sensitive child as demonstrated by her observations. Her father has passed on his values to his children but she discovers that her family’s ideals are different from many people in the town. Her experiences throughout the novel teach her the novel teach her the harsh reality of certain human nature.

One example of Scout’s innocence as shown at the beginning of the novel is when Walter Cunningham comes to her home for dinner and she is perplexed by his eating habits and she insults him when she makes a negative remark. Scout does not mean to offend Walter; she is just curious why he eats differently from her family. An older, more mature person would know not to draw attention to his eating habits. Calpurnia draws her aside to scold her and this is a lesson in manners.
In the Trial of Tom Robinson, this is when Scout is truly exposed to the realities of inequality, racism and unfairness. Even though Scout has grown up in a racist town, Atticus has always taught her differently. When Tom Robinson is convicted guilty in the trial, the children are greatly disappointed because they had more faith in their townspeople judging fairly. It became apparent that even though Tom is innocent, this is a trial about a black man being accused by a white female. Before the trial, a group of men gathered around her father and Tom, intent of harming Atticus and lynching Tom, so that there would be trial. Scout innocently approached the men and talks to Mr. Cunningham as a friend and she knew his son from school and she knew he had done business with her father. This was a reminder that they were neighbours and friends. The mob became ashamed of their actions and this ultimately protected Atticus and Tom. Scout did not realize how dangerous and volatile the situation was.