Examples Of Maturation In To Kill A Mockingbird

The Maturation of Jem Finch When an adult hears the word “teenager,” oftentimes many negative tropes come to mind- perhaps moodiness or rebellion or maybe just pure trouble. However, the reality of being an adolescent is much deeper than these stereotypes suggest. It is a transformative phase of self-definition and exploration, as teenagers leave behind the carefreeness of childhood and start to define who they are in the world and what values they hold. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem Finch is no exception. Throughout her novel, Lee uses the literary tools of point of view, foreshadowing, and motif to create a bildungsroman, or a story about a character’s exploration from innocence to experience, around Jem’s character. By telling

As the novel progresses, Scout’s perception of Jem begins to evolve, casting him in a much more negative light. The previously equal dynamic between the two children begins to deteriorate as he starts to distance himself from Scout and past childhood pursuits, instead choosing to critically reevaluate his own personal values. This evolution becomes strikingly apparent when Scout observes Jem's determined “imposition” of what she deems as "alien values," a rapid transformation that unfolds seemingly “overnight.” (153). By showcasing Scout’s negative feelings towards these changes in Jem, the reader is encouraged to critically analyze how Jem is starting to embrace a new set of morals, which may be foreign or uncomfortable to Scout. This change in perception tactfully encourages consideration of the subtleties of how Jem's developing moral compass and character as an emerging adolescent are starting to shift away from the values of Scout’s character, who is still very much a

Following Tom Robinson’s unjust guilty verdict, he begins to grasp how the town’s hostility and prejudices contributed to Boo Radley’s motives to remain isolated, which he previously failed to pick up on, signifying Jem’s deeper empathy and maturation in his perception of others and his growing awareness of the underlying problems with society. Harper Lee's choice of Scout's point of view as Jem’s younger sister deftly illustrates Jem's complex character development and contributes to the bildungsroman around his character, as he enters adolescence and begins to develop both a greater appreciation for society’s problems and a newfound empathy for the people victimized by judgemental and discriminatory societies. In addition, throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee skillfully employs foreshadowing to connect crucial moments in Jem's character growth to the narrative's exposition, thereby provoking readers to contemplate the profound changes his character has undergone as the novel has