How Does Lee Present A Coming Of Age Moment In To Kill A Mockingbird

Many people go through many harsh, different obstacles in life that morph them into the kind of people they are today. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the author, Harper Lee uses literary elements to showcase how a child grows into who they are and the contributing factors that may fall into their path and their learning experiences. Lee uses the scene where Jem destroys the flowers of Mrs. Dubose to portray a coming of age moment. He does this because she is racist and constantly nags at them about their father. His punishment is to read to her everyday for a month. After the end of Jem’s punishment, she passes away which leaves Jem upset because he has developed a strong relationship with her. He is then left with the feeling of loneliness

Dubose for an entire month plus another week. His punishment is very puzzling and leaves the reader to think about why on earth Mrs. Dubose would want to have Jem read to her when they both don’t like each other and she constantly makes comments about his father. Jem thinks she is vicious and not even a lady but Lee ironically shows how Mrs. Dubose really isn’t as vicious as one may think. “ Her face was the color of a dirty pillowcase, and the corners of her mouth glistened with wet, which inched like a glacier down the deep grooves enclosing her chin. Old age liver spots dotted her cheeks, were knobby, and the cuticles were grown up over her fingernails” (142). Lee describes Mrs. Dubose in full detail to show the reader how Mrs. Dubose really is: Sickly, ailing, and strict. “‘No sir,’ said Jem, ‘but she’s so nasty. She has fits or something. She spits a lot”’ (143). Jem is starting to understand the it washer withdrawals and fit that made her do the things she did. Jem still hates Mrs. Dubose throughout the time he has to read to her but he soon develops a relationship with her that changes his viewpoint on

Mrs. Dubose tells Jem “‘Thought you could kill my snow-on-the-mountain, did you? Well, Jessie says the tops’ growing back out. Next time you’ll know how to do it right, won’t you? You’ll pull it up by the roots, won’t you”’(146). She is telling Jem how to properly kill or destroy camellias as if she knows he might do it again. After Mrs. Dubose passes away she leaves a candy box for him which Atticus gives Jem later that night. “Jem opened the box. Inside, surrounded by wads of damp cotton, was a white, waxy, perfect camellia. It was a Snow-on-the-mountain” (148). He is left with a feeling of confusion and loneliness due to the development of the relationship he had with her during his punishment and now she is gone like his mother. This is Mrs. Dubose’ way of telling Jem that everything is ok and all is forgiven after the incident as well as symbolism of her freedom with her morphine addiction. She also wants him to know that not everything dies off