What Is Coming Of Age In To Kill A Mockingbird, By Harper Lee

Have you ever done something you regret, and wish you could fix it? To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a coming of age story about Scout and Jem, two kids living in a town infested with racism. Although the book was published in 1960, it emphasizes the absurd reality that people experienced during the great depression in 1930. Lee uses the elements of conflict, setting, and character in chapter 11 to display maturing as being the bigger person and learning to compromise to be successful in life. To begin, Lee makes it translucent that they have conflicts with Mrs. Dubose perpetually when they encounter each other. Scout and Jem, would be minding their own business walking past her house and Mrs. Dubose would make a negative remark to

Dubose” (Lee 115). Expecting a positive response for the first time ever, but to her understanding Mrs. Dubose retorted in a pragmatic tone, “Don't you say hey to me, you ugly girl!” (Lee 115). Scout wasn't that shocked though because that's all she would ever do, make cynical comebacks to everything she would say. Not only would Mrs. Dubose criticize the children, but she would talk disrespectfully to them about their father, Atticus. She makes multiple comments about Jem and even divulges, “Not only a finch waiting on tables in the courthouse, blaming for n******” (Lee 117). Jem was furious when she heard her talking like that, and he felt words weren't enough to get his point across and really get back at her. Later that week after having that quarrel he goes back to her house, and as Scout delineates, “He did not begin to calm down until he had cut the tops off every camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned” (Lee 118). Moreover, the conflict results in a change in the setting. Mrs. Dubose realized the actions of Jem and she was furious. She felt it was right to not give him a common punishment but rather make him come over every day and read to her for two