What is a good thesis statement about To Kill a Mockingbird with the theme of protecting the innocent?

When students are struggling to find a thesis
statement for an argumentative or position paper, they are likely also struggling to envision
what the body paragraphs will contain. Therefore, I often instruct such students to try to craft
a thesis statement that provides the key points they plan to make in 3 body paragraphs, lending
the outline for the paper.

A possible thesis statement following the
parameters you've provided could be this:

In various plot
developments, , Tom Robinson, and Arthur "Boo" Radley show that innocence is a worthy
value and one worth protecting.

In three paragraphs that
follow, you could take each character individually and demonstrate how this is established
through each character's conflicts.

Scout innocently tried to explain the
world of Maycomb to her young and inexperienced teacher--and received a reprimand because of
it.smooths things over and promises that they can keep reading together as long as she doesn't
mention it to her teacher. At Calpurnia's church, the children are confronted about their
presence at an all-black church, and this division is something that has never crossed Scout's
mind. In fact, she begins to question Calpurnia's "double life" in working with the
Finch household and attending church and notes how she even speaks differently. At the trial,
people try to shield Scout from the details of the alleged rape.

Tom Robinson
is innocent of the rape and assault he's accused of, yet he is convicted, anyway. His physical
limitations make it impossible that he could have done the things Mayella claims, and Atticus
works tirelessly and without the support of almost everyone in town to try and protect his
innocence. Although Tom is convicted, there is evidence (such as the racist Mr. Underwood's
editorial after Tom dies) that Atticus has begun to shift the public's racist sentiments in his
town.

is a recluse who rarely emerges from his home, and this makes him the
subject of great childhood speculation for years. Atticus instructs his children to leave the
man alone as what he does inside his own house is his own business. Boo Radley is a defender of
the innocent himself, and it's clear that he keeps a watchful eye on the children as evidenced
by his knowledge that they are in danger from Bob Ewell's schemes of angry retaliation. When Bob
attempts to kill them after the play, it is Boo who rescues them and risks his own life to save
theirs. The ability of one innocent to rescue another is a powerful message within the story.

I hope this provides you with some ideas that you can work with as you craft
a thesis that really speaks to you. You might also choose any one of theseand show how it is
impossible to completely shield innocence forever as all threedo face the negative outcomes of
various conflicts. Scout emerges with a more mature understanding of the world around her. Tom
dies for crimes he never committed. Boo must face evil in order to save an innocent child. So
while it is noble to protect the innocent, maintaining complete innocence in a world that also
contains evil is an impossible feat.