CH.20-21 Why does Harper Lee keep repeating scenes showing the power of children?

Why do you think that the chapters closer to the trials scenes reflect more upon children willpower and the effect that they could have upon racism? In chapter 15- 16 a group of Cunninghams decided to become drunk and go down to the Maycomb jail to do whatever to tom Robinson inside the jail. This mob of angry "animals" were stopped in their tracks by Scout, Jem, and Dill just being kind and courteous to them. It showed that their is strong power in children that many people do not know about. As Atticus later says, 'So, it took an eight-year-old child to bring 'em to their senses, didn't it? That proves something- that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're human.' [210] Another example is when in chapter 19-20, when DIll begins to cry because of the way Mr. Gilmer had addressed Tom Robinson as "boy" and of the demeaning way he talks. This shows that Dill being the youngest had not yet experienced racism as much as Scout or Jem or anyone else, and so he was not used to it. Since DIll was not used to racism he could easily recognize it, unlike everyone else who was used to racial slurs or desegregation. She added him crying to show how even more inexperienced he was.

Mr. Dolphus Raymond then confronts Dill and Scout outside of the courthouse in chapters 19-20 and explains how he agrees with the sickness Dill feels towards racism. When Mr. Raymond tells the children his deepest secret with the way he lives his life with colored people, he then says, 'Because you're children and you can understand it' [268]. This is ironic because usually grown-ups are the ones with the answers and who can understand things better than children do. I feel Harper Lee was trying to show that at the age of Dill and Scout children understand better than adults do that there is no large difference between white and black, and that peace between every culture and race is not hard to achieve. It shows that when children grow up close to racism the begin to believe everything that applies to it.

I feel some symbols in these few chapters are: children=innocence and a wider view of life

and (most) grown-ups/adults= guilt, racism, maturity, and a closed categorized view of life.

Are there any different view upon these symbols?

p.s.- sorry i didn't get to get this in earlier than 8. i had technical difficulties with blogger.com