ipl-logo

The Effects Of Growing Up In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

1120 Words5 Pages

Growing up can be deeply impacted by the experiences that you face as a child and these events can increase the likelihood of facing mental health problems in the future.

When we were first introduced to Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, they had a very set idea of what is good and what is bad. Jem seems to believe that good will always win no matter what. However, as the story progresses, they come to a more realistic conclusion about the world and how people don’t always do what’s best.

In particular, Scout was able to narrate the story allowing the reader to see how her innocence was changed throughout the novel. As Scout faces the harsh realities of the world, the reader realizes that these effects may affect her and Jem deeply …show more content…

According to the article, “Beliefs about themselves, others, and the world diminish their sense of competency. Their negative expectations interfere with positive problem-solving and foreclose on opportunities to make a difference in their own lives”(“The National Child Traumatic Stress Network”). A child who has been through a traumatic event may believe that he is powerless or damaged and may feel like their world is meaningless and positive action is futile. Jem may have felt that the world was hopeless, too, after Tom Robinson was proven guilty and he was forced to grow up and see the world's prejudice.
(https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/complex-trauma/effects#:~:text=They%20may%20struggle%20with%20sustaining,support%20in%20the%20academic%20environment. …show more content…

Jem always struggled to understand how Tom could have possibly been found guilty when the evidence was so clear. Jem has more understanding than Scout about how the events of the case unfolded, which makes it even harder for him to deal with. This could affect his previously positive outlook on life from a young age and it can make it harder to deal with when he grows up.

The novel shows the children growing up in various ways through the events they were forced to face as children. Although the novel doesn’t resolve Jem’s inability to wrap his head around what happened, it does offer hope that they can keep the morals Atticus taught them, despite all the horrible things that happened, as they cross into adulthood. Scout’s major growing-up moment happens as she stands on the Radley porch and "climbs into Boo Radley's skin.” She’s able to understand, through this, that Boo may be very different from her in a variety of ways, but he’s still a caring and self-sacrificial neighbor who is worthy of kindness. This complete change in understanding suggests that Scout will be able to grow and keep her morals as she continues to grow up. However, the children still may face issues in the future and feel powerless in certain

Show More
Related
946 Words | 4 Pages

Saul; Residential Schools and Hockey Why is it so important that we learn more about aboriginal history and Canada’s past with residential schools? The novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese is an excellent example of how one can use a sport to escape the horrible things going on in their life. The novel goes into detail about what happens in residential schools and it brings to light how terrible these schools were. The story goes into depth about a man’s past at residential school and his relationship with hockey. It makes the reader think about how awful residential schools were and how a sport can help someone through horrible times.

Read More
830 Words | 4 Pages

This all contributes to one theme of book that Lee is trying to teach us about, experiencing the different kinds of treatments people get can help us better understand the truth about someone. In the beginning of the book, Scout and Jem are still very young and don 't realize the different treatments of people in their

Read More
586 Words | 3 Pages

Unfortunately, difficult childhood experiences still define adulthood even today. Harper Lee illustrates how childhoods are being shown as innocent, as well as how they can shape a person's future. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, she describes how difficult childhood experiences shape the future of kids; in America today, progress has not been made. Childhood is described as a time when children are young, innocent, and filled with a lack of knowledge when they are being put into these situations. In this novel, Jem and Scout, Jem’s sister, go through many troubles finding the truth about their surrounding racial community to being more mature and grown up after watching a trial about an African American being accused of raping a white woman.

Read More
503 Words | 3 Pages

After Tom Robinson’s verdict was guilty, Jem started to throw a fit because he knew that everyone knew Tom was innocent but didn’t understand that white men basically always won in court. He realized with his age that everyone says people are equal but that’s false. Through Jem’s life lesson, he loses his innocence by him seeing the world for how it truly is and not a perfect as he thought it was when he was a kid. This loss of innocence shows coming of age as Jem is now aware of the world around.

Read More
571 Words | 3 Pages

In the early onset of the story, Jem has a child-like expectation for what people act like and should act like. Jem, just like Scout, experienced an immense loss as he failed to grapple with the inescapable truth of Tom Robinson’s fate (“his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail”) (Lee

Read More
680 Words | 3 Pages

Lopez 1 Ashley Lopez Pre AP English 2 Mrs. Wilbanks 22 January 2018 "I thought Jem and I would get grown but there wasn't much else for us to learn"(Lee 162). Jem, Dill, and Scout went through events and experienced things that changed who they were and in doing so, they lost a piece of themselves. When people are exposed to real world problems, they may become more aware of the true nature of the world and at the same time lose a part of them, their innocence. By the end of the book, Jem Finch knows that the world isn't what he thought it was when he was younger.

Read More
1168 Words | 5 Pages

As soon as our childhood starts, we start to discover the dark secrets that the world is hiding. Discovering and learning these buried understandings shape people into who they are based off of how they find out. From cheating in a game to racism and prejudice, they are all disarming happenings that occur daily. In To Kill a Mockingbird, characters and events that take place throughout the story aid in the loss of innocence with Jem and Scout, and mold them into the people they become. The general lesson Jem and scout learn by the end of the book is that: the world is in no way perfect, but is actually quite distraught.

Read More
839 Words | 4 Pages

In Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, two characters change because of experiences they witness first hand. These characters, Scout and Jem, morally developed throughout the story by watching what happens with Tom Robinson’s trial, and by watching their father face the discrimination and hate because of the trial. Jem is a kind, young boy. He sees the world as a little kid would. Jem was bewildered when his dad, Atticus, shot and killed a dog in one shot.

Read More
468 Words | 2 Pages

You have now learned that there are various forms of Managed Care Organizations. As a purchaser of health insurance, which form is more appealing to you? Discuss the pros and cons of your choice. Please provide specific, referenced examples in your discussion.

Read More
520 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Scout 's perception of courage drastically changes their behavior as they mature. They learn a lot about courage throughout the novel from their father Atticus and what they learn from him influences their choices and opinions. Although Jem is older than Scout, they both experience change in their behavior. At the beginning of the novel, Jem is still a young boy. He is defiant towards Atticus, he plays all the usual childhood games with Scout and Dill, and he engages in the younger children’s obsession with Boo Radley.

Read More
1240 Words | 5 Pages

Jems opinion on life changes a lot through the Tom Robinson case. He learns that people aren't treated equally just by the color of their skin. From this quote it shows just how much Jem cares about people's equality and how he's maturing. After the case and Tom Robinson's death Jem doesn't do anything to anybody or anything that doesn't deserve it. Like this incident in the story, A rolly polly has crawled in the house by Scouts bed she was going to smash it

Read More
1045 Words | 5 Pages

Jem and Scout learn many valuable life lessons throughout the novel and although they “grow up” at a much faster rate than other children in Maycomb, they will become people that have lots of wisdom and have been exposed to the real world. The experiences that the children have throughout their childhood help them solve problems, think wisely, and shape their

Read More
809 Words | 4 Pages

The childhood and innocence of Scout and Jem die during the trial. Whether it’s people yelling racial slurs at Scout or even their own family members looking down upon Atticus, the kids are affected a lot by the trial. The book begins with Scout and Jem playing together in the yard and as the trial goes on, they grow up and start to realize the crudeness and ignorance of the real world. After the conclusion of the trial, Jem leaves the courtroom in tears due to his realization of the unjust, racist, final decision. Throughout the book, Jem stops playing outside with Scout and begins to have his own responsibilities.

Read More
592 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem learns to become mature in terms of behavior and attitude due to the influence of the people around him. “Jem, having survived Boo Radley, a mad dog and other terrors, had concluded that it was cowardly to stop at Miss Rachel’s front steps and wait…” (Lee 100). Jem has gone through lots of dangerous things like trying to get a letter over to Boo Radley, meeting Mrs. Dubose, the trail with Tom Robinson and others.

Read More
822 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More

More about The Effects Of Growing Up In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

Related Topics

Open Document