Miriam Webster's Dictionary

Miriam Webster's Dictionary defines innocence as "freedom from guilt or sin through being unacquainted with evil". In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Le, the main theme of the book is innocence. Throughout the entire book, it inadvertently hints at innocence, and how it is affecting people. Places where innocence is specifically brought up are, when Atticus talks about mockingbirds, the Tom Robinson trial, and when it affects Jem and Scout.

In chapter 10, Atticus gave Jem and Scout air-rifles. He said "shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Jem later asked Miss Maudie about what Atticus said, she replied, "You're father's right. 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 mocking bird." In other words, don't shoot mockingbirds because they cause no harm and are innocent.

Starting in chapter 16, trial for Tom Robinson begins. Tom Robinson, a black male, is accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell. When this book took place, almost all white folk were racist against African Americans. Over the long course of the trial, you come to realize that there is no possible way that Tom could have raped Mayella. For example, Tom has a crippled right hand and Mayella was beaten in her right side. The courtroom, including the jury comes to realize this. Once the jury had made a decision, they announced that Tom Robinson was guilty of raping Mayella. This shows that the majority of the court jury was racist, because they knew that Tom did not do it but, they still accused him of it because of the color of his skin. Even though a man was innocent, he was ultimately sent to jail and was murdered.

The last major event in the book that had to do with innocence was when it affected the children. Specifically Jem and Scout. In chapter 28, Jem and Scout are walking home from the school play at night time, when they hear footsteps following them. They are attacked by Bob Ewell, the father of Mayella Ewell. Bob tries to kill both Jem and Scout, who are innocent and have done nothing to Bob Ewell. He is trying to get revenge on Atticus for helping Tom in the case. Boo Radley steps in and kills Bob before he can hurt the innocent children.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, there are many instances of innocence. Many are stated directly, many are hinted at. Three of the most important instances of innocence in the book are when, Atticus talks about mockingbirds, the Tom Robinson trial, and when it affects Jem and Scout.