To Kill a Mockingbird

The jury’s verdict, ‘guilty’ was inevitable. It was interesting that every single person in that courtroom knew what the outcome would be except for Jem. Even Scout had her doubts, but this could also be due to the fact that she didn’t necessarily understand the entire proceedings. Jem’s reaction initiates him into the adult world - one that is seemingly unjust. I find this ‘rite of passage’ to not only be a test for Jem, but the town as well. The town failed to find Tom innocent, and in a way failed to find themselves innocent. Thus, the town is unable to see the ‘black and white’ of innocence that Jem and Scout portray. For instance, when Dell and Scout are with the ‘town drunk’ they discover that he is a fraud. The idea of a fraud is horrible to them and yet Mr. Raymond insists that, “Because your children and you can understand it” (228). There are feelings of not being able to be one’s true self in the social network of the town. We see this with Boo Radley, Mayella etc. There seems to be an intrinsic force at work in which people live in fear of the truth. The fact that Mr. Raymond sees the children as more understanding than the adults, places a tremendous pressure on them to keep their innocence. With Jem’s initiation, one realizes that his innocence is gone, with the verdict of ‘guilty.’ This leaves Scout alone to not only share her innocence, but also help others reconnect. A hint at her power as a child occurs a little earlier in the novel when she points out Mr. Cunningham, reminding him of how she and her family helped out his son. It’s interesting to note that much of Scout’s ‘teaching’ has been in the real world rather than school. I don’t find this as an argument to avoid school, but rather a sign of the times. One would think the real world would scar a child as there are no limits to what the child can or is exposed to. However, there are limits as illustrated by parents. The obvious distortion between Mayella’s home life and Scout’s, is remarkable. Here is Scout introduced to everything and who seems to have a good head on her shoulders, despite little outbursts. On the other hand here is Mayella who is sheltered and oblivious to the world (no education) and yet manages in one moment to confront the world head on. It’s difficult to grasp these two different portrayals of the ‘real world’ and I think the only difference is a child vs an adult.