“Maturity is the ability to think, speak and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity. The measure of your maturity is how spiritual you become during the midst of your frustrations”(Cowley). Coming of age and maturing is a long and confusing pathway that we all go through, it is full of stress and discoveries of ourselves. Jeremy Atticus Finch is a young boy going through this process beginning to make decisions in which his growth can be see through his younger sister, Scout's perspective. There are many quotes that give an insight into Jem's character and his personality. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem exhibits the traits of bravery,curiosity, innocence, and protectiveness helping reveal the theme of good and evils coexistence. …show more content…
Throughout the novel, Jems perspective and character is revealed in many different ways. He is a role model for Scout and does anything possible to help and protect her. When Aunt Alexandra declined Scouts suggestion of allowing Walter to visit and scolding Scout by calling her trash we are shown Jem reacting by responding “ ‘Have a chew, Scout ‘ Jem dug into his pocket and extracted a tootsie roll. It took a few minutes to work the candy into a comfortable wad inside my mouth” ( Lee 23). Jem creates a role model/supportive figure for Scout since he comforts her and acknowledges her problems; he puts himself in her shoes. This also proves that he cares enough about his little sister by cheering her up. Jem values Scouts happiness and wellbeing. Jems actions demonstrate that being there for others is one of his many principles. He has also represented a role model when he lost his pants on the Radley Fence after running out of the Radley property and getting the pants stuck on the way …show more content…
For a first time in a very long time, Maycomb County experienced a winter that had snowfall. This rare event caused the school to temporarily close leaving Jem and Scout with time on their hands. Jem and Scout later run to Miss. Maudie's house and ask for her permission to collect snow from her yard, after she says yes, they gather as much snow from her yard and haul it to theirs. Due to the lack of snow and availability of dirt, Jem uses the abundant chunks of dirt to create a base and later uses the limited amount of snow to cover it. Jem and Scout later realize the resemblance of the snowman to Mr. Avery, a very unpleasant guy neighbor who lives down the street.“Jem scooped up an armful of dirt, patted it into a mound on which he added another load, and another until he had constructed a torso. ‘Jem, I ain't never heard of a nigger snowman.’ ”(Lee 67). Since the base of the snowman was built with dirt being the color brown and was encapsulated by snow which is white, this thereby symbolizes the coexistence between the two races; equality. The snowman's meaning of equality portrays and reflects upon the theme being respect develops loyalty.The Snowman symbolizes quality between the races as shown, “Jem scooped up an armful of dirt, patted it into a mound on which he added another load, and
...heme of maturation in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, is conveyed through the characters of Scout and Jem, in conjunction with the assistance of their virtuous father Atticus Finch. Early in the novel, Atticus ascertains himself as a major facilitator in the maturation process of Scout and Jem by incessantly providing mature solutions to his children’s predicaments. Moreover, Scout, a major benefactor of the Boo Radley incident and Atticus’ wisdom, has helped her develop into a very tolerant and mature individual. Undeniably, Jem’s remarkable development into a broadminded and compassionate character can be directly attributed to Atticus’ kindness and Jem’s exposure to the Tom Robinson trial. In synopsis, it is evident that the individuals and social circumstances that surround an individual play a major role in defining the type of individual one will become.
The quote by Zora Neale Hurston, “There are years that ask questions and years that answer,” shows that coming of age is a tricky project that takes time and effort. In Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird, she writes about Scout Finch, the narrator, reflecting on her past and the challenges she went through in her hometown, Maycomb, with her brother Jem and childhood friend Dill.. Harper Lee uses the young characters in the novel to show experiences, their role models, and conflict help shape a person from child to adult.
In the beginning of the story, Jem enjoys the childish games of fantasizing about Boo Radley, taking any dare, and . Scout tells the reader that Jem becomes more and more moody as the story progresses, due to his aging. He thinks more; he shows more compassion; and he is appalled by the unfairness that rears its ugly head in his hometown. While Scout recounts the events of her childhood, the reader fails to notice that “To Kill a Mockingbird” is not a story about the narrator (Scout) maturing, it is actually about Jem maturing, and becoming an adult.
Jem’s perception of bravery has changed throughout the course of the book. His maturity is a result of Atticus’s actions around him. At the beginning of the book, Jem is dared by his neighbour Dill to touch the door of the Radley’s; the Radley house symbolizes fear in the minds of the children. Jem does so thinking the act is courageous while Scout remarks, “In all his life, Jem had never declined a dare.” This shows that like most children, Jem is often more idealistic than realistic. His reactions are instinctive and often unplanned and reckless.
To Kill A Mockingbird The Maturing of Jem Finch Society is not as innocent to a child as it may appear to be. In fact, when one really understands the society in which he lives he is no longer a child. This is much the same case as found in To Kill A Mockingbird, by Leigh Harper. Although Jem, being a child at the beginning of the novel, is immature and unaware of the society in which he lives, he matures mentally to the point where he sees the evil in society and gains a knowledge of death. Like most children, at the beginning of To Kill A Mockingbird Jem and Scout are both young, play together, and have childhood monsters or fears like other children.
He also starts to think more about whats right instead of thinking what others will think about his decision. For ex amble when Dill is hiding under Scout‘s bed he calls in Atticus much to his friends dismay. Jem again shows maturity when Scout is beating Walter Cunningham and Jem stops it because he know that the Cunninghams don‘t have money and therefore he cant help it that he doesn‘t have lunchmoney. Jem understands that instead of fighting him they should treat him with respect and he asks Walter to come have lunch at their house.
Although she struggles at first, Scout develops a higher level of maturity which allows her to control her temper and simply defend her father with her words, without being rude. Jem is also faced with these type of situations and struggles with his anger, for instance when he attacks Mrs. Dubose’s flowers. Atticus goes to great lengths to teach his children that in life, they must learn to stay calm and be kind to everyone, despite how cruel those people may be. Scout and Jem face several situations in which their control is tested, which leads them to “come of age” and develop skills necessary for adulthood. They learn to defend Atticus and themselves by using words and developing self-control.
Everyone goes through different changes as they grow up. Maturing, coming of age, and doing the right thing are important themes in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. This theme is most often seen in the character Jeremy “Jem” Finch. He portrays this theme when he begins to enter puberty and becomes a young man. Jeremy starts to become more independent, wiser and more able to comprehend adult situations; Jem begins to get a better grasp on things. Other characters that demonstrate this theme are Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, and Arthur “Boo” Radley. Harper Lee shows how Scout comes of age in similar ways to Jem. Scout begins to grow up and become more tolerant of others by “putting herself in another person’s skin”. Boo displays his “coming of age” in a somewhat different way than Jem and Scout. There’s a scene in To Kill A Mockingbird where Boo has the chance to do the right thing by putting himself in harm’s way in order to save lives, and he takes the chance. To Kill A Mockingbird is a book that is overflowing with the theme “coming of age” (whether it is shown through the main character or others). This theme is important to the story because these characters are a small example of the changes that Maycomb needs to undergo. Jeremy Finch is the character in which this theme is most represented in.
Besides the main and infamous symbols of the novel such as the Mockingbird, symbolism is shown through other parts of the narrative. For example, the snowman that Jem and Scout build has various symbolic meanings. Because of the lack of snow available to them, they must build the foundation of the snowman with mud, and then they cover it with white snow in order to make it actually look like a snowman. They see the resemblance between their creation and their neighbour. ’Mr. Avery’s sort of shaped like a snowman, ain’t he?’. Mr Avery is a cruel character to the children. The snowman can be seen as symbolic of people, like Mr Avery, who have white skin, but inside, their heart is black. The burning of the snowman foreshadows how Atticus ‘destroyed his (Mr Ewell’s) last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with’, and how his true intentions were revealed. Another symbolism of the snowman is that it is made of black mud and white snow, they complete each other to make a full snowman. It symbolises how black and white people should coexist and work together harmoniously. Jem questions the racial prejudice, saying ‘If there’s just one kind of folks, why can’t they get along with each other? If they’re all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other?’ In addition, the snowman can be seen as symbolic of the foundations of a white society being based on
For the first time since 1885, it snowed in Maycomb county and school was cancelled so Scout and Jem decided to build a snowman. Since there was not very much snow, they built a base layer out of dark mud to get the shape and they covered it up with a thin layer of white snow. “‘Jem, I ain’t ever heard of a nigger snowman’ I said. ‘He won't be black long,’ he grunted.” (page 89) On the outside the town appears like a perfect, innocent and beautiful place. The reality of the town on the inside however, has a dark side, that side is ugly, dark and filled with racism and
Here, Jem is not allowing Scout to hurt something that does not hurt her. He believes that if something makes the world better, then why would you harm it. Again this is portraying his growing emotionally and mentally.
“Maturity is the ability to think, speak and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity. The measure of your maturity is how spiritual you become during the midst of your frustrations.” is a quote from Samuel Ullman. This describes the struggles that Jem went through by taking part in the community and trial and by also taking the risk of losing some of his friends and family in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird. Through Jem’s interaction with the racism of Maycomb, he became aware of the things around him. We all learn that it takes a strong person to overcome the barriers of society.
When children grow up, they face difficult problems, and. they learn to cope and take responsibility. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a flashback about two kids that spans over a few years. Jem ages from ten to thirteen over the course of the novel, and undergoes much change, as his sister describes him. Over the years, he is exposed to issues adults face, and eventually shows an understanding of racism and innocence. As Jem grows up, his view on courage also changes. Jem follows his father's footsteps, and gets much of his knowledge from him.
One of the more effective allegories in the novel is the building of a snowman by Jem and Scout. There was not enough snow to make a snowman entirely out of snow, so Jem made a foundation out of dirt and then covered it with what snow they had. If the snowman was made completely out of snow, Jem's action would not be so significant. Scout is very surprised when she sees the brown snowman and she exclaims: "Jem, I ain't never heard of a nigger snowman." (72), and to this Jem replies: "He won't be black long." (72). Scout's words indicate the strange nature of the snowman which is half-black, half-white. Jem, however did not find it peculiar and he "scooped up some snow and began plastering it on". Gradually Mr. Avery turned white? (73). The symbol of the snowman, like every other symbol in literature, may have various interpretations depending on the reading of the individual. In the specific case the snowman can be seen in two ways.
Jem is Scout's brother. He is a little older than Scout. He also becomes familiar with the prejudice of Maycomb County through the story. In addition, he grows up like most teenagers “He was difficult to live with, inconsistent, moody” “said Scout” (pg. #). That statement is made when Jem starts to grow up. He doesn’t want to play with Scout like a little kid anymore. He wants to be a man.