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Significance Of Scout's Growth In To Kill A Mockingbird

591 Words3 Pages

Rylee Gipson
Mrs. Cottrill
English 11
14 June 2023
Scout’s Growth and Development
“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is a realistic fiction book that follows Scout Finch, a young girl with a tomboy persona, with an initially innocent and naive worldview, who is growing up in the racially divided town of Maycomb, Alabama. Throughout the novel, Scout’s character undergoes significant personal growth as she gains a deeper understanding of empathy, prejudice, tolerance, and the complexities of the world she’s living in. This essay will show Scout’s development from the beginning to the end of the novel.
In the beginning, Scout is portrayed as a curious and innocent child, unbothered by societal biases. As Scout describes her brother Jem’s injury caused by a neighbor of theirs, Scout’s narration of this shows her innocence. “When Jem was nearly thirteen, he broke his arm badly at the elbow… I must admit that our activities halted when Atticus discovered it” (Lee, 5). This quote shows Scout’s carefree nature and her …show more content…

After school, Scout begins to question her father, Atticus, about some hateful remarks some of her classmates had made. Atticus explains, “If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view” (Lee, 30). This quote signifies a crucial moment of growth for Scout as she begins to learn how important empathy and understanding others are. Additionally, Scout's growing empathy is demonstrated during Calpernia’s church visit, “Calpernia was something else again. She was all angles and bones; she was nearsighted; she squinted'' (Lee, 139). Scout’s observation showcases her increasing ability to see beyond racial and social differences, acknowledging Calpurnia’s

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