Asking what maturity looks like is very hard to answer. But To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee demonstrates the answer perfectly. TKAM showcases how maturity is the effect that both the world and parent figures have on kids as they grow older. This is demonstrated by Atticus and Maycomb and how they have influenced Scout and Jem’s maturity throughout the book. As Jem matures, the changes that Atticus has on him grow more obvious to Scout, who has not yet reached that same level of maturity. Around halfway through the book Scout starts to notice new things about Jem, things that she has never seen before.“In addition to Jem’s newly developed characteristics, he has acquired a maddening air of wisdom. Oh Scout, it’s like reorganizing the tax …show more content…
Later on in the book, after all of the Bob Ewell events have taken place, Atticus and Scout are left alone for a while to deal with their thoughts and emotions. Atticus looked at the floor for a long time. Finally, he raised his head ‘Scout’ he said. ‘ Mr Ewell fell on his knife, ‘Can you possibly understand?’ Atticus looked like he needed cheering up. I ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him with all my might. ‘Yes sire, I understand.’ I reassured him “Mr. Tate was right’... "Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?’” Scout’s empathy and sense of wisdom resemble Atticus in many different ways. Atticus’s care for others and his knowledge have rubbed off on Scout. At first, Atticus does not believe that Scout would understand the depth of what had previously happened with Bob Ewell’s attack and death, which showcases a difference in maturity that he had not witnessed yet, but it shows that a factor other than him made that big maturity leap in Scout. Scout mentioning the mockingbird in the first place tells the reader something very important, it means that Scout understood Atticus’s lecture even better than when she was much younger. Her show of empathy is also very telling of Atticus’s effect, her maturity shines through her ability to read and comfort