Children and adults view the world in very different ways. When faced with situations that involve strangers for instance, adults react more defensively than children do because of their knowledge of dangerous people. Children on the other hand, know little of the darker parts of human character and tend to trust everyone. In the 20th century southern gothic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee develops the dual perspectives of a younger Scout and her older counterpart to show how the innocence of children can hinder their ability to protect themselves against the dangers of the world.
Innocence can create filters that protect children’s minds from a full understanding of the threatening aspects of life. Scout, as a child, is introduced