Paths to Adulthood

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Jeremiah Atticus “Jem” Finch, the older brother of the Scout, transitions into adolescence during the course of To Kill a Mockingbird. At the start of the novel, he is Scout’s constant playmate, and being four years her senior, he tries to protect her. As a “born hero,” Jem is always the star of the plays that the Scout and Dill, their summertime playmate, create. “Jem’s head at times was transparent: he had thought that up to make me understand he wasn’t afraid of Radleys in any shape or form, to contrast his own fearless heroism with my cowardice.” (pg. 21) Jem is also constantly searching for loopholes in Atticus’s rules, convinced that he could avoid punishment, proving that he is still very much in a child’s world. As the story progresses, Jem starts to distance himself from Scout’s games and becomes more of an authority figure, treating Dill and her as young children to establish himself as an adult. Jem does not always take the most popular route, but he always does the most moral and righteous thing. “Dill’s eyes flickered at Jem, and Jem looked at the floor. Then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood. He went out of the room and down the hall. “Atticus,” his voice was distant, “can you come here a minute, sir?'” (pg. 74) Jem’s view towards his father also changes when he risks being shot by Mr. Radley when he returns to collect his pants so that he can avoid the dishonor of having Atticus be disappointed in him. Towards the end of the novel, when Jem hears verdict of the Tom Robinson trial, the darkness of reality destroys whats left of his optimistic innocence. It dispels everything that he had previously held to be true, and Jem is unable to comprehend why people would harbor prejudices. “‘If there... ... middle of paper ... ...essons Scout learns is to stand in others shoes. She had always seen Boo Radley as a villainous monster with no capacity for feeling, but has her perspective vastly shifted when he rescued her from the destructive Mr. Ewell. After meeting him, Scout begins to view herself in a different and more adult manner, even if it does not necessarily make her happier. Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad. (pg. 148) Though Scout is still young at the end of the book, only nine, her view towards life has shifted from that of a carefree child to that of someone much older than she.

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