The Growth of Jem In Harper Lee's To kill a mockingbird,Jem Finch undergoes a significant transformation from a young boy to a mature adolescent. Jem’s growth is marked by the loss of innocence through various events and experiences. In this essay, I will go through how Jem changes and grows and loses his innocence. This will help everyone understand why I pick Jem Finch instead of Scout Finch In the beginning,Jem is a typical young boy who is curious about the world around him. He is fascinated by the mysterious Arthur Radley otherwise known as Boo Radley and enjoys playing with his sister Scout and their friend Dill. However, Jem’s curiosity turns into a deeper understanding of the injustices and prejudices that exist in Maycomb. …show more content…
Jem idolizes his father and views him as the embodiment of justice and morality at the beginning. However, as Jem became more aware of the world around him, he began to question Atticus' principles. For example,Jem is disappointed when Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, knowing that he will bring ridicule and scorn from the people inside of Maycomb county. However his disappointment turns into admiration when he witnesses Atticus’s to stand up for what is right in the trial. Jem’s growth is pointed out in this quote:” I think i am starting to understand why Boo Radley stays shut up in his house all this time… it’s because he wants to stay inside.” (chapter 23) Jem’s realize that the world can be a cruel and unfair place. This causes Jem to see Atticus in a new light, and he begins to appreciate his …show more content…
Jem loses his innocence as he is exposed to the harsh realities of racism and prejudice. One of the most significant events that marks Jem’s loss of innocence is the attack,and his innocence is shattered. This is evident in this quote:”It ain’t right,Atticus,” said jem Oh, no son it is not right.” (chapter 30) Jem’s innocence is lost forever, and he realizes that the world is not always a fair or just place. However,despite Jem’s loss of innocence, he also gains a deeper understanding of people around him.For example,Jem’s relationship with his neighbor,Mrs. Dubose is fraught with tension and misunderstanding. However, as Jem grows and matures, he begins to understand mrs.Dubose’s struggles and learns to appreciate her strength and perseverance. This is evident in this quote:”I wanted you to see what real courage is,instead of getting the idea that courage is a man Jem loses his innocence more than Scout because Jem becomes more older and he starts to be more mature so he can figure out more stuff than Scout so this why he is the better option Scout does have some innocence lost and has growth and changes but because she is younger she does not have the mindframe that Jem does so she knows when stuff happen but she ain't like jem being able to understand more and be able to keeping his anger