Ugly Reality

In to Kill a Mocking Bird, Scout, Jem and Dill sneaks in the court to watch the Tom Robinson case. Atticus didn’t want to children to be at the trial because he did not want the children see the ugly reality. Atticus had known in the very beginning that the chances of Tom Robinson winning the case would be very low. He did not want his children to get their hopes up and then get hammered down by the results. Atticus as a parent believed in telling the truth to children. He would explain with patience the questions his children have about the world. However, he does not want young people to witness the harsh reality of discrimination and race inequality. I think that it is not a great idea for young children to witness criminal trials. I think presenting them harsh realities at such a young age would shatter a lot of their dreams. On the other hand, it would also be impractical if we let children believe in a perfect world for too long. I think whether a person is appropriate enough to witness a criminal trial depends on their mental age and knowledge. Although Scout is young, she is very knowledgeable and mature for her age. For her, even though it may hurt to know the truth at an early age, I think she should be allowed to witness the trial with her choice.