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How Jem Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Maturity is not achieved until one has the ability to empathize with others around them. To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming of age novel, written by Harper Lee, that depicts the maturation of the characters over the course of the novel. Jem Finch, the older brother of Jean Louise Finch,(who prefers to go by Scout) shows a change of respect for certain people in his community in Maycomb, Alabama in the early 1930s. Guided by the help of his father Atticus Finch and their housekeeper Calpurnia, they instill the ability to see the good in everyone and walk in someone's shoes before they judge them. Jems transformation from the beginning of the novel until the end shows that he has learned compassion, therefore he has matured. By watching Jem …show more content…

He is the one who engraved the ability to show feeling and sympathy for others in Jem. When Atticus takes on a client, Tom Robinson who is a black man is a accused of a crime he did not commit, he was accused of rape. Scout narrates “It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. ‘ It ain't right,’ he muttered” (284). Jem crying when Tom has to go to jail reveals his empathy for others. This situation of a member of his community being accused of a crime makes Jem second guess his town. Jem states“ I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that’s what they seemed like” (288). Jem is realizing how to mean the people in Maycomb are for discriminating a man just because of his color. This highlights Jem’s maturity growing and his ability to see what really happens in Maycomb. After Jem realized everything about Maycomb he thinks about Boo Radley his neighbor. “ I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time . . . it’s because he wants to stay inside.” ( 304) These words really characterized Jem and who he has become. He has noticed how ugly his community can be and came to a realization that Boo has stayed in his house this whole time because he couldn't handle how twisted Maycomb really

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Reese Balaski Due Date: Tuesday 6th Journal 2 I am reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and I am currently on page 42. This book is about a girl named Scout and her family living in Maycomb, Alabama. In this journal, I will proceed to predict and evaluate the plot points of the book so far. One of the major topics in the story so far is Scout and her brother Jem being able to see their neighbor Boo Radley.

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In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Jem grows from a little boy to an intelligent young man. Throughout the book, he discerns many things that shape his personality. As Jem grows, he learns how bad society is and that not everyone is perfect. Fortunately for Jem, this ends up helping him and he finds out that Atticus is a hero and that he should look up to Atticus. Through Atticus and the trial, Jem loses his innocence by learning about prejudice, bravery, and that the justice system is crippled.

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Jem demonstrates the characteristics of braveness, imaginative and curiosity throughout the novel. Jem shows curiosity when Dill, Scout and him try to make Boo Radley come

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As the novel progresses, Jem becomes less defiant and more understanding of adults. Jem witnesses the physical and moral courage of his father before and during the trial of

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“It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. “It ain't right,” he muttered…” (Lee 242) This shows that Jem is finally of the age where he can make good judgments and even his own decisions.

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Before Jem knew the degree of how much everyone discriminated black people, he thought that Atticus was going to win the case. He even says, “Don’t fret, Reverend, we’ve won it,” (Lee, 1960, p. 212). After Tom Robinson is ruled guilty on the case, a crying Jem asks, “How could they do it, how could they?” (Lee, 1960, p. 216). The first quote shows that Jem thinks that Atticus clearly has more compelling evidence and doesn’t take into account that Tom Robinson is black and because of that, he’s going to lose the court case.

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Jem grows up sheltered from the evil in the world. Once the trial comes around, however, he learns out imperfect the world is through the racism and prejudice, and he struggles to come to terms with this realization. After the trial he tells Miss Maudie, who is their neighbor, how it feels like “bein’ a caterpillar in a cocoon… Like somethin’ asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world least that’s what they seemed like” (Lee 288). Miss Maudie then tries to comfort Jem, but it still shows that Jem has been changed because his childhood view of Maycomb being perfect has been shattered.

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Through these examples, one could see Jem's character grow not only as a man but as a person, embodying the essence of the

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(259). Harper Lee illustrates the beginning of Jem’s maturity and how he sees his community differently, in a darker, but clearer light. He can now understand why Boo Radley would rather stay in his house for years than live in a community filled with discrimination and

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Jem, a young and smart boy develops and matures through many unique situations in the novel. Jem is exposed to the harsh belief, judgement and circumstances of the court at a very young age. Following his father, Jem involves himself in the trial between Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell yet takes Tom’s side due to his father's involvement. Jem slowly loses faith in the justice system and is faced with a loss of innocence as explained by Scout“It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.

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She presents the idea of maturity when Jem goes back for his pants, when both children understand the reasonings behind “One-Shot Finch” and Dolphus Raymond, and finally when Scout stands on the Radley porch. The author proves that both Jem and Scout learned valuable life lessons after experiencing significant events. If the children had not faced such adversities, they would not have had to mature so young. Getting shot at by Nathan Radley, watching Atticus shoot Tim Johnson, witnessing a prejudiced trial, and being attacked by Bob Ewell forced the Finch children to grow

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Eventually, Dill becomes intrigued, using his creative imagination to add more details for enhancement. However, as the three children grow up, they begin to think differently about this monster, considering the fact that he may not be one after all. Instead, he is just an ordinary man, maybe even a hero. Boo Radley transforms from appearing as a mysterious and reserved monster to being recognized as a real hero because of the events concerning his uncertain past and the slow, yet sure build up of trust to where he finds the confidence, and capability to save Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell’s attack. Rumors spread quickly throughout Maycomb, and one of the most mysterious and alluring is the one of the monster, Boo Radley.

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An example of Jem’s progression to adulthood, is when he wants to make Boo Radley come out of his house. In the book it says, “He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out…” (3). This evidence shows that when Dill proposed the idea of making Boo Radley come out, Jem was still ignorant to the Maycomb county’s problems. The evidence also proves that Jem wasn’t aware of what could happen when they planned to make Boo come out. Jem wasn’t really aware to why Boo might actually want to stay inside away from the problems of Maycomb.

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Growing up is an inevitable process in life. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a story that takes place in Maycomb County, Alabama during the Great Depression and follows the journey of Scout Finch, a young girl who is coming of age in a world where racial prejudice and social inequality are prevalent. The book explores the theme of growing up and the development of understanding and awareness through the Finch children, Jem and Scout, who face many obstacles. The best events that display this are when Miss Maudie gives Jem a slice of cake after the trial, Scout walking Boo Radly home, and the Finch children taking care of Miss Dubose. After the trial, Miss Maudie bakes a cake and gives Jem a slice, conveying the message that she believes Jem has grown into a young man.

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Only until Jem finally realized that there is more to people than displayed by their image, sometimes the most peculiar birds have the sweetest, most unique song but only the willing will be able to hear it as Jem did when he realized his own fear and learned to not overcome them but control it within himself and allow the truth to disperse of the lies and encourage bravery. While Jem had not been present in the physical appearance of Arthur Radley in his own home, he was able to witness the strengthening of one's inner self to resist and defy against what was common belief among other and stir up change in the stubborn town of Maycomb, revealing what was unknown to not only his eyes but his sister,

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