To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a fascinating story that has captured the hearts of many readers. The main character and narrator Scout Finch, or otherwise known as Jean Louise Finch, speaks the voice of a young girl who grows up in a small town called Maycomb County in the 1930’s. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a non-racist lawyer in a very prejudice town. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee includes many themes, but one of the most important one explains the loss of innocence and growing up. Even though one loses their childhood innocence, he or she eventually gains more consciousness and understands more about themselves and the world around them.

The first example in To Kill a Mockingbird of when Scout and her brother Jem lose their innocence has to do with a game they made based on Arthur Radley. Mr. Radley, also known as Boo, never goes outside of his home, at least not for anyone to see. It is believed by the citizens of Maycomb County that he is a monster, and the children due to the rumors have a set description of him, “There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time” (Lee 16). Atticus Finch one day sees the children playing the game. He asks them if it has anything to do with the Radley family; the children lie to their father and say that the game is not based on Boo. Once he leaves, they continue to play the game. Surprisingly, later throughout the story, they learn that Arthur Radley is truly a benevolent man. He leaves the children gifts in a little tree-hole from time to time; however he stops doing so suddenly for his brother fills up the tree-hole with cement and blocks him from the outer world. Scout and Jem r...

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...To Kill a Mockingbird: Themes | LitCharts.com." LitCharts.com | LitCharts Study Guides | The Faster, Downloadable Alternative to SparkNotes. Web. 8 Sept. 2011. .

"Growing Up." Growing Up or Loss of Innocence? Web. 8 Sept. 2011. .

"Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird: A Literary Analysis." Online Prose Portfolio. Web. 8 Sept. 2011. .

"Journal #3- Loss of Innocence." To Kill a Mockingbird. 3 Jan. 2011. Web. 8 Sept. 2011. .

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print.

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