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Theme Of Character Development In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Character Development In Jem And Scout Finch The novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” takes place in the 1930’s where the black people are the lowest in Maycomb’s hierarchy. Jem and Scout transform into whole new people by the end of the novel. Jem was a curious kid who was really immature. Scout was a naive girl who had no understanding of the outside world. Their father Atticus was a lawyer who had taken on the Tom Robinson case. Tom Robinson was a black man accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell. Both the kids undergo significant character development during the trial by learning how to empathize with others and form their own opinions on the world around them. As I had stated, Jem was very immature at the beginning of the book. He …show more content…

They understand their father’s lesson and this allows them to grow as people. In the beginning of the book the Jem and Scout were embarrassed by Atticus. They saw him as a boring, old man . They didn’t like that he was a lawyer because they didn’t understand his job. When Atticus took on the Tom Robinson case the kids had mixed feelings about it. The whole town disapproved of Atticus taking on the case and they had taken part of it out on Jem and Scout. Slowly with the help of their dad, they began to understand the courage and integrity their dad had to be a lawyer and put himself in this position. In chapter fifteen, Jem, Scout and Dill followed Atticus to the courthouse where they witnessed Atticus not allowing the mob to take out Tom. After the kids had witnessed that, they were very impressed and proud of their father for standing up for what he believed was right. In chapter 25 Scout had said, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” (Lee 276). This is when Scout had the realization that her father was never going to win. After witnessing all this bravery of Atticus, Jem and Scout were proud of him. In terms of maturing, the kids grew to understand the power

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They attempt to get him out of his house by leaving notes around his house. Atticus Finch, Scout and Jem’s father who is a widower after his wife died. Atticus is a lawyer and defending a black man named Tom Robinson who is accused of raping a 19-year-old girl named Mayella. Atticus tried to convince the jury that Bob Ewell (Mayella’s father) beat her because Mayella’s

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828 Words | 4 Pages

Scout, Jem and Dill wanted to attend Mr. Robinson’s trial, and they expected for the truth to come out, and they thought the real culprit of beating up Mayella would come out. Although, this experience shattered Scout’s idealistic worldview. Even though Atticus presented enough evidence that proves Tom’s innocence, the racist all-white jury still convicted Tom Robinson. Scout, and Jem, witnessed the injustice of the trial and experienced the harshness of reality. Furthermore, Scout’s aunt Alexandra’s words after the verdict deepened Scout’s disillusionment: “I told you that you should have come to me when Walter got into trouble,”.

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725 Words | 3 Pages

When Scout questioned Atticus on why he took the trial, Atticus mentioned, “...If I didn’t I couldn’t hold my head up in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (Lee, page 100) Atticus took the trial because he believed it was the right thing to do. Since Scout had been going to school with the other kids from Maycomb Country, she heard many negative things about her father and obviously tries to stand up for him, making everyone believe that Atticus is a bad father because he didn’t view “niggers” as less important. As the kids witnessed the actual trial, they were able to realize that Tom Robinson was not guilty and they started to see more from Atticus’s perspective.

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1304 Words | 6 Pages

An angry mob formed outside the jail to kill both Atticus and Tom Robinson. Atticus told Jem to take Scout and go home, but Jem understood the situation and for the first time, he proved his courage by defying his father (Lee 203). When Jem would not budge, a man came and grabbed Jem and started to drag him outside when Scout showed courage by defending her brother and attacked the big man. “... He yanked Jem nearly off his feet.

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844 Words | 4 Pages

In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout, a six year old girl, grows up in the racially divided town of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930’s. Scout is a curious and intelligent child who is confronted with a harsh reality of discrimination and injustice in her small town. Atticus Finch, Scout's father, is a well respected lawyer in Maycomb. Atticus took on the case of defending Tom Robinson, a Black man who was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a young White woman. Atticus is aware that there is a lot of racial tension and prejudice in the town, and he knows that his decision to defend Tom Robinson will not be well received by many members of the community.

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1633 Words | 7 Pages

Dill, Scout, and Jem are all very opinionated children. Scout and Jem were taught to speak their minds and to be strong and independent. Atticus demonstrated that they could be their own people as long as they learn to think for themselves and have strong opinions, “It was Jem's turn to cry, his face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheery crowd, It ain’t right he murmured” (Lee 215.) Jem crying shows how much he cares about the case. He was on the right side and was so defeated when the case was over and the outcome was not what

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1637 Words | 7 Pages

Throughout the story, begins to notice the truth about Maycomb and the rest of the world. As the story progresses, Scout is able to depict how discrimination, racism, and segregation are present within the society that she lives in. This arises when her father, Atticus Finch, is representing an African American man, Tom Robinson, who has been falsely accused of raping a white woman. Robinson is put on trial and found guilty, thus showing Scout and her brother, Jem, that their town is not as innocent as it seems, consequently making them more knowledgeable about

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1094 Words | 5 Pages

Jem and Scout are two young children, Scout is yelled at for being literate before school had even started. Jem is trying to be a good role-model to Scout as much as possible. Both characters show a clear coming of age throughout the book. During the court case, Jem and Scout were sitting “in a far corner of the square, [where] the negroes sat quietly” (182). Jem and Scout were rooting for Atticus and the black man because they think racism is very wrong and black people don’t deserve any of it.

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830 Words | 4 Pages

She realizes how dangerous the world truly is. In a less serious manner Scout and Jem lose their innocence to. This is done by the case of Tom Robison, a local black man. Tom was tried for the rape of Mayla Ewell, a local white women. Atticus, Scout and Jem’s father, was Tom’s lawyer.

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844 Words | 4 Pages

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is about two kids, Jem and Scout, and their childhood in their small town Maycomb, Alabama. In the beginning of the novel, Jem and Scout were two innocent kids playing in the summer sun, until school came along. Jem was about twelve throughout the novel and Scout was eight, and considering that Jem was twelve in the novel, he was changing. During the middle of the novel a rape trial occurred, which included a black man being accused by a white woman of first-degree rape. Atticus, the kid’s father was defending the african american man; Tom Robinson.

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1240 Words | 5 Pages

Jem starts to mature the most after the case. His [Jem’s] face was streaked with angry tears as we make our way through the cheerful crowd. “It ain't’ right," he muttered all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting… “It ain’t right, Atticus,” said Jem. No son, it’s not right.” We walked home.

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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.

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1511 Words | 7 Pages

He invited Walter to their home for a meal, as an act of kindness towards Walter and his situation. Scout does not yet understand this act, which further shows Jem’s earlier grasp on the idea of empathy. Before the trial of Tom Robinson, the children are all warned of the hate and difficulty they will soon be going through. Atticus wants his kids to be informed on the situation rather than being naive and ignorant. During the trial, Jem truly understands the actions and consequences that are presented to the defendant.

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1138 Words | 5 Pages

This is when he went out of control and lost all of the maturity he had. He could no longer take Mrs.Dubose’s insulting comments. This was a terrible decision yet others would have been tempted to do the same thing. As a punishment, Jem is forced to read to

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1411 Words | 6 Pages

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