Iwagaki 1

Alex Iwagaki

Per.2

Interpretive Essay: To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

Assignment #4: Final

They are everywhere. They hurt all in an emotional or physical way. They are too

dangerous to carry, with the potential of permanently damaging the logical senses of any

innocent adolescent. If ignored, they will hit a person in later years with a heavy toll, too

big to handle. They, are the immoral behaviors that roam the world over powering all

good, sensible reasoning. The main character in the gripping novel, To Kill a

Mockingbird by Harper Lee learns many useful lessons involving these behaviors such as

racism, social expectations, and injustice. Everyone must start their growth and maturity

sometime, and that is childhood. It is a time when clear minds have the most potential to

be corrupted with racism and injustice and acquire bad habits. Although childhood is also

a time when they may learn the right thing and later build from it. The best way to create

true ideas in their minds is to allow them to have all the knowledge and first hand

experiences they require. So when children learn something with their own experiences

to answer their questions, they may remember that lesson so much better than if they

were just verbally taught. In result, it is best to give good habits when young so they do

not grow to be ignorant and stubborn. If children were informed enough, they could have

true opinions to share with others which could truly change their perspective of the

world. From her immature ways, the protagonist in this engaging novel, Jean Luis Finch

commonly known as Scout displays great progression in her understanding of society by

 Iwagaki 2

using her first hand experiences which shows that no matter how young or innocent, a

child deserves the truth.

Every young child like Scout is curious and immature, but their curiosity may

lead to their first realization which will create a continuous learning experience. One day

while Scout was walking to school, she was stopped by one of her classmates Cecil

Jacobs. He said to her, “You’re dad defends Negro’s”. Being the innocent child, she

unknowingly denied his comment because Cecil said it in a negative way. But still, Scout

was confused so it seemed like she did not even know what Negro’s were. From this

encounter, she confronted her father Atticus why Cecil would say such a thing. He replied

saying, “Scout, you aren’t old enough to understand some things yet, but there’s been

some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do much about defending this

man” (86). Because she has not yet been corrupted with the injustice opinions of many

whites in her town, Scout sees differently than the others. She sees no difference between

whites and blacks, and believes that all are equal. She then wondered why he is even

doing the case and questions her idea that all men are equal and the same. Even though

Atticus thinks she is too young to understand, which in a way is true, she still tries to

understand and do the right thing. Her curiosity will later affect how she will look into it

and have more mature reasoning.

Just as Scout, young children are not expected to understand some things, so they

are not even given the chance to be informed. What is a shame is that adults are

sometimes blind to what young clean minds can see. Being young, Scout is greatly

influenced by her older brother Jem. So when Jem tries to look into the trial, Scout is then

more curious about the case as well. The fact that no one is giving them any information
 Iwagaki 3

to them only makes their determination to understand greater. So great that they sneak

into the courtroom and sit in the balcony to watch the case. Scout’s first observation was

how Mr. Gilmore, the defending attorney was cross examining Tom Robinson, the

accused. She noticed that he was talking to him very disrespectfully and harsh. Even the

way Mr. Gilmore addressed Tom was shameful, calling him “boy” and such. She knew

that the attorneys’ job were to make the accused nervous and confused, but thought that

he could have done it in a nicer way. Later in the trial, Calpurnia, the Finch’s maid came

to take the children home. On the way she disciplined, “Mister Jem, don’t you know

better’n to take your little sister to that trial?...Ain’t fittin’ for children to hear…” (236).

Even though Scout had so much information to take in that she might not have

understood it all, Cal couldn’t see that experience made Scout more mature. Still, all have

such little expectations for young kids even when they have so much potential to grow.

From the different lessons a young child like Scout learns, they begin to make

their own opinions and take their own action to discover an answer to what they question.

After the trial ended, after hearing the juries determine Tom Robinson guilty, Scout

wonders why they didn’t win. She was confused because throughout the trial, not only

was Jem confident in their victory, but the evidence clearly showed that Tom was

innocent. She needed something to clear her mind of the questions she had. Then did she

pull out Mr. Underwood’s editorial of the case. “How could this be so, I wondered, as I

read Mr. Underwood’s editorial. Senseless killing…Then Mr. Underwood’s meaning

became clear: Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson,

but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no case” (275). This gave her the

realization that no matter the case, a black man could never win especially against a white
 Iwagaki 4

man. Scout is more and more interested in the unfamiliar behavior that takes place in

Maycomb such as the injustice that happens everyday regarding black men and women.

She recognizes that they are treated differently for an undefined reason she cannot

explain.

When young kids are told what is right and wrong, they may remember, but most

likely will not grow with it. But when young kids learn important life lessons with their

own experiences, they will not only clearly remember but also build on that idea. By

allowing children to be given ideas and true facts of the real world at a young age, it will

not be such a surprise to them later. Also, by learning at a young age, they may grow to

have mature opinions to share with others. If they are not informed, they will become

ignorant, stubborn adults from collecting bad habits when they were children just as Mr.

Gilmore was. If every effort is given to ensure that children will grow to be strong,

mature adults by learning with their own experiences, they may greatly influence not only

the surrounding opinions of others, but the next generation to come.