--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was born good but had grown…" description: "\"I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year. Scout\" — Harper Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/harper-lee-451_born_i-was-born-good-but-had-grown-progressiv_110240.png" --- # I was born good but had grown progressively worse every… ![“I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year. Scout” quote by Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/harper-lee-451_born_i-was-born-good-but-had-grown-progressiv_110240.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/harper-lee-451_born_i-was-born-good-but-had-grown-progressiv_110240.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/707/harper-lee-451_born_i-was-born-good-but-had-grown-progressiv_110240.png) > “I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year. Scout” [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator confesses an innate goodness that has deteriorated over time, reflecting a loss of moral innocence or personal integrity. **In simple terms:** Born good, now increasingly worse. Key Takeaway Moral decline can be gradual and self‑perceived. Themes morality self‑assessment growth literature Mood regretful somber Type narrative reflective When to use this quote - a character reflecting on personal corruption - a teen feeling disillusioned - a memoir about lost innocence Key Concepts ethical erosion identity formation Practical Applications - self‑audit practices to identify moral drift - mentorship to reinforce core values Questions to Reflect On - What factors contributed to this perceived decline? - Is moral decline inevitable with age? A Different Perspective The statement may be hyperbolic; people can also improve over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Born Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-good-372354/) [Progressively Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressively-worse-1309868/) [Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse/) [Worse Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse-year-1309867/) [Year Scout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-scout-1309869/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [“Not facing the growth that we have to face always leads to further suffering—and the further suffering is usually progressively worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/not-facing-the-growth-that-we-have-to-face-always-leads-to-further/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Little value comes out of the belief that people will respond progressively better by treating them progressively worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-harvey/little-value-comes-out-of-the-belief-that-people-will-respond/) [Eric Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-harvey/) > [True goodness springs from a man's own heart. All men are born good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/true-goodness-springs-from-a-man-s-own-heart-all-men-are-born-good/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Social Security's future has gotten worse, and each year we delay reform adds to the cost we are pushing off onto our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/social-security-s-future-has-gotten-worse-and-each-year-we-delay/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [But the adjectives change,” said Jimmy. “Nothing’s worse than last year’s adjectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/but-the-adjectives-change-said-jimmy-nothing-s-worse-than-last-year-s/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [An economy in which most citizens are doing worse year after year - an economy like America's - is not likely to do well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/an-economy-in-which-most-citizens-are-doing-worse-year-after-year-an/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [The United States has been becoming worse year after year after year for decades, and it's guaranteed to continue down that path if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-swanson/the-united-states-has-been-becoming-worse-year-after-year-after-year/) [David Swanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-swanson/) > [“As an altitude researcher, I know the air turbulence is getting worse every year.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/as-an-altitude-researcher-i-know-the-air-turbulence-is-getting-worse/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [He's one of those guys whose English gets worse every year. But as long as it doesn't affect his play, we're all right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wade-belak/he-s-one-of-those-guys-whose-english-gets-worse-every-year-but-as/) [Wade Belak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-belak/) > [From 20 years of experience hiring artists out of the schools, I know-they get worse every year. They're absolutely ridiculously retarded now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/from-20-years-of-experience-hiring-artists-out-of-the-schools-i-know/) [John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/) > [The first year of the Bush administration we used up all of the surplus and ended up just with the Social Security and Medicare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-scott/the-first-year-of-the-bush-administration-we-used-up-all-of-the/) [Bobby Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-scott/) > [The soil out of which such men as he are made is good to be born on, good to live on, good to die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-soil-out-of-which-such-men-as-he-are-made-is-good-to-be-born-on/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [It's become hard for me to trust people and though I'm the type to go, 'everybody is born good,' you come to question that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nam/it-s-become-hard-for-me-to-trust-people-and-though-i-m-the-type-to-go/) [Eric Nam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nam/) > [“what is better, to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paarthurnax-skyrim/what-is-better-to-be-born-good-or-to-overcome-your-evil-nature/) [Paarthurnax skyrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paarthurnax-skyrim/) > [“We had learned on the North Face of the Eiger that men are good and the earth on which we were born is good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-harrer/we-had-learned-on-the-north-face-of-the-eiger-that-men-are-good-and/) [Heinrich Harrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-harrer/) ## More by Harper Lee > [“No jury in this part of the world's going to say, "We think you're guilty, but not very," on a charge like that. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/no-jury-in-this-part-of-the-world-s-going-to-say-we-think-you-re/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [That proves something- that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're still human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/that-proves-something-that-a-gang-of-wild-animals-can-be-stopped/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-something-about-her-i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/any-writer-worth-his-salt-writes-to-please-himself-it-s-a-self/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“folks don’t like to have somebody around knowin’ more than they do. It aggravates ’em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/folks-don-t-like-to-have-somebody-around-knowin-more-than-they-do-it/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [ “...\[Summer\] was a thousand colors in a parched landscape...” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/summer-was-a-thousand-colors-in-a-parched-landscape/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-s-never-an-insult-to-be-called-what-somebody-thinks-is-a-bad-name/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I wonder how much of the day I spend just callin' after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wonder-how-much-of-the-day-i-spend-just-callin-after-you/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Writing is something you'll never learn in any university or at any school. It's something that is within you, and if it isn't there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/writing-is-something-you-ll-never-learn-in-any-university-or-at-any/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence that the crime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/to-begin-with-this-case-should-never-have-come-to-trial-the-state-has/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Naw, Jem. I think that there is just one kind of folks. Folks." Jen turned and punched his pillow. WHen he settle back his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/naw-jem-i-think-that-there-is-just-one-kind-of-folks-folks-jen-turned/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The course of English Literature would have been decidedly different had Mr. Wordsworth owned a power mower.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-course-of-english-literature-would-have-been-decidedly-different/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I would like to be the chronicler of something that I think is going down the drain very swiftly, and that is small-town, middle-class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-would-like-to-be-the-chronicler-of-something-that-i-think-is-going/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The gum looked fresh. I sniffed it and it smelled all right. I licked it and waited for a while. When I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-gum-looked-fresh-i-sniffed-it-and-it-smelled-all-right-i-licked/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I just thought you'd like to know I can read. You got anything needs readin' I can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-just-thought-you-d-like-to-know-i-can-read-you-got-anything-needs/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) [Explore all 494 Harper Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## More Born quotes > [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Anybody looking for a quiet life has picked the wrong century to born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-looking-for-a-quiet-life-has-picked-the-wrong-century-to-born/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. 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