How Does Lee Present The Difficulties Of Growing Up In To Kill A Mockingbird

Growing up can be a wonderful, yet arduous stage in one’s life. In the fictional novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, siblings Scout and Jem Finch, grew up in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. Conflict arises when Tom Robinson, a black man, is wrongly accused of the raping of Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Atticus Finch, Scout and Jem’s father, agrees to pursue the case in a formal setting in court, which begins to develop controversy amongst the citizens of Maycomb. Harper Lee uses the maturing of Jem Finch to illustrate the difficulties of growing up in a problematic world. Lee uses the characterization of the physical maturing of Jem Finch to illustrate the difficulties of growing up in

In the past few months, Jem has been playing the role of water boy for the school’s football team due to his lack of football player stature. Jem’s need for the proper body type to secure a position on the school’s football team demonstrates that Jem is growing physically. Additionally, when Jem is rearranging the objects on his dresser, Scout notices that “His eyebrows were becoming heavier, and I noticed a new slimness about his body. He was growing taller” (Lee 257). Scout observes Jem’s natural transition from a boy to a man by describing his new physical features. Scout has come to the realization that Jem isn’t the childish boy she played games with when they were younger, but has begun his journey into adulthood. Jem growing up physically symbolizes him maturing as he faces challenges. Jem Finch grows up socially in a problematic world as seen by Harper Lee using the literary device of characterization. For example, when Jem and Scout are discussing the dynamics of the citizens of Maycomb, Jem comes to the realization that he, “’.beginning to understand

SCOUT. Why couldn’t I mash him? JEM. Because they don’t bother you. Lee, 272, 273. Jem protecting the roly-poly symbolizes the theme of innocence in the novel. Jem learning not to hurt something and/or someone that has never bothered anyone proves that he is growing up morally. The Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell controversy has taught Jem what is morally wrong and what is morally right in society. It is brought to his attention that racial injustice and prejudice to the innocent is fallacious, which demonstrates that Jem is growing up morally. In summary, through the literary device of characterization, Harper Lee uses the maturing of Jem Finch to bring to light the difficulties of growing up in a problematic world. Throughout the novel, Jem Finch has grown physically, socially, and morally. Throughout the course of the novel, Jem ages from ten years old to thirteen years old, which symbolizes the general idea of him growing up physically as he is facing difficult challenges. The true colors of the citizens of Maycomb were revealed through the controversy surrounding the Tom Robinson trial. Seeing the flaws in Maycomb has brought Jem to be socially aware that the world is not a perfect