Atticus Maturity

He constantly makes or doesn’t make certain decisions in the hopes that his connection to others will remain as good as possible. He doesn’t perform a single action without thinking about how it makes others feel or the impression he gives about himself. The best example of this is the relationship he has with his father. Regarding the night that Jem’s curiosity drove him to sneak behind the Radley house, Scout wants to inform their father of the events that occurred. In response, Jem says, “‘I—it’s like this, Scout,’ he muttered. “Atticus ain’t ever whipped me since I can remember. I wanta keep it that way’” (Lee 75). Here, Jem shows his driving ambition to be seen as an admirable son in the eyes of his father. While this choice may also present a sense of dishonesty, it is later shown that Jem regretted disturbing the Radley home in the first place when he says, “‘I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley stayed shut up in the house all this time… it’s because he wants to stay inside’” (Lee 304). So, even though he’s concerned with the way that others think of him, the way he accomplishes this is to make changes to himself for the better. This is shown during the trial as well. When Jem supports Tom Robinson, whether it is for the approval of his father, the black community, or even himself, the motive doesn’t necessarily matter, so long as he actually

As To Kill a Mockingbird progresses, Jem takes definitive steps toward maturity with his actions in the tire and flower incidents, for example. He would later go on to repair the flowerbed he destroyed, and take greater care to protect Scout. Through his actions, we can see Jem develop a sense of morals and responsibility that would prove to be a lifesaver.

At the beginning, I believe Jem was on level 1 of the KSOMD ( Kohlberg stage of moral development). To prove this statement there was the time in the novel when Narrator/Scout talks about the time Dill dared Jem to touch the Radley’s house in chapter one. He tries to convince Dill not not make him do it, fearing that he may get in trouble, but in the end, he ends up accepting it. The reason why was “he has never denied a dare” and he didn’t want to start now.. This shows, that he tries to follow the rules, but sometimes chooses self reward over the rules (reward of being known to never deny dares), two stages in level one of KSOMD. As the story continues, he changes to level two when he tells Dill that he is going to tell Atticus that he ran away. This shows, that he wants Dill to learn his lesson. He also wants to try to take more responsibility over the

Although Jem desperately wants to follow in Atticus’ footsteps, his innocence prevents him from being aware

Atticus is a wise father and helps his children accept people no matter how they look or act. This is evident when he says “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” (Lee 33). Throughout the novel, Jem and Scout mature at different paces. Atticus guides his children as they begin to grow and mature. “It ain’t right, Atticus,” said Jem.” “No son, It’s not right.” (Lee 243). When Atticus lost the case, Jem expressed how he felt. He had tears on his face. Here was a turning point for Jem because he was old enough to understand the case. Atticus comforted him and agreed it was not right. Atticus shows affection towards his children when they saved him from trouble with “the mob”. “As they passed under a streetlight, Atticus reached out and massaged Jem’s hair, his one gesture of affection.” (Lee 176). At first, Atticus may have been frustrated with his children being at the office. Then, their innocence saved him. Atticus has many characteristics and is a loving father. Atticus displays a valuable lesson about equality and fairness for his children.

Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, shows how life was for those in the southern part of the United States, during a time when racism ran rampant throughout the land. Many injustices were committed to those of “Negro” descent, and it was up to those behind the law to protect them as well as those who lived by the law. Atticus, attorney at law, defender of the people, and father to Scout and brother Jem is safeguarding Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. As the story continues though, Mayella’s accounts of the facts aren’t quite as how they actually happened. Together, Scout (Jean Louise Finch), Jem and Atticus show courage to stand up for what is right, defend the innocent until proven guilty, and how to remain

As the novel progresses, both Jem and Scout are shown to mature, this is due to "To Kill A Mockingbird" being a bildungsroman novel. Through this coming of age process, we are actually shown Jem’s new found maturity enabling him to find empathy and acceptance regarding the Boo Radley myths, as he finally took his father’s advice to “climb into someone else’s skin and walk around in it” when he was explaining to Scout his epiphany that he “[is] beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut in his house all this time. It’s because he wants to stay inside.”

Jem says “Scout I think I'm beginning to understand something..” (pg 231) this shows that jem is understanding more about boo and isn't judging as much. Scout and Jem thought that Atticus couldn't do anything because he was to old and boring, but after Atticus shot the dog they learnt that he actually could do stuff and shouldn't judge until they really knew him. “Naw scout, it's something you wouldn't understand. Atticus is real old, but I wouldn't care if he couldn't do anything. I wouldn't care if he couldn't do a blessed thing. This proves that jem is understanding not to judge

During the time span from the exposition until now, Jem has grown and has lost his innocence as a result of becoming a young adult. Although Jem is becoming more like an adult, Scout has remained her innocent self. As Jem has grown, his methods have changed with him. For an example, Jem always read and passed his literature onto Scout, first for the amusement of his younger sister but now his method is to enhance her intelligence. “Still everything he read he passed along to me, but with this difference: formely, because he thought I’d like it; now, for my edification and instruction.”(Lee 184). Jem has exhibited his manner towards the education of Scout, yet Scout still remains her love consumed innocent self. “Dill was off again. Beautiful things floated around in his dreamy head.”(Lee 192) During chapter 16 as the mob is coming in on Atticus, Scout has just revealed Dill, Jem, and her own presence in the situation. Atticus repeatedly advised Jem to take Scout and Dill home but Jem refused. Before Jem’s transformation into a young adult, he would follow the commands of Atticus but now Jem has learned to think and act himself. Jem saw a situation where his father needed his help, so Jem remained with his father as he instructed Him to leave. ‘“Go home, Jem,” he said.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee, a young and hardworking African American is accused of raping a white women. To Kill a Mockingbird is about two young children going through their journey to adulthood, Jem and Scout. Jem and Scout’s dad, a lawyer, is appointed to defend Tom Robinson in a court case that cannot be won because of the prejudice of those in the jury. Mayella Ewell, the women he is accused of raping, is a young woman who has had hardly any interactions with others and has a good heart despite her being part of the Ewell household. Mayella Ewell is worthy of compassion but not at the cost of Tom Robinson’s life despite her economic, social, and familial difficulties.

The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, a very loyal and experienced lawyer, Atticus has two children, Jem and Scout. Atticus decides to defend an African American man that was convicted of rape of the name Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is said to have “raped” Bob Ewell’s, the towns dirtiest and least liked white family’s daughter Mayella Ewell. Tom has been directed to Atticus by the judge to support him in the case as he knows that Atticus will try his hardest to prove Tom innocent. There were many events in between Atticus choosing to support Tom and the trial between Tom and Mayella. Atticus and Tom ended up losing the trial and Tom was sent to prison. There is a lot a controversy on if Atticus should have supported Tom in

It is later when the trial is going on that Jem really comes out of his shell and essentially grows up. He has an epiphany and realizes that the world really isn’t fair and things aren’t as they seem. He says to Scout “Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time. It's because he wants to stay inside." (277) At this point Jem realizes that Boo would rather stay inside then be out here and I feel as if he is understanding of that because he knows how cruel the world can really be. It is here that you start to see that Atticus's parenting techniques are paying

Moreover, Jem moral development is gradually growing from preconventional level: stage one to stage two. Jem in this novel is maturing at an early age and now can view what’s right and fair. In the novel, when Tom Robinson was put to Maycomb jail after the court; Atticus went to the jail to stand by with Tom because he heard that a group of men will stop by the jail. Jem, Scout, and Dill went to see what’s going to happen at the jail; when Jem say a group of men going through the jail and say that they were going to attack their father. Jem take the others with him and Atticus said to Jem “ Sons, I said go home” (Lee,152). At this point, Jem is refusing Atticus orders because he realizing the right thing to do because if Jem, Scout, and Dill go home then the group of men will attack Atticus. So by staying with Atticus; Jem felt that he leaves he will disappoint his father so his mind understands that Jem knows what right and fair he should stand up. Jem is getting an understanding of his maturity at this stage because the more mature he's got, the more he’s realizing what’s the importance of rights and fair.

In addition, Jem abandons all of his childish morals: “Jem looked 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?’” (p.187-188). Dill, Jem and Scout’s best friend, ran away from his home and came to the Finch’s house. Jem has broken “the remaining code of our childhood” by telling Atticus about Dill, rather than keeping it a secret. He has matured past his childhood years, and realizes that sometimes it is best to involve adults.

In the novel,To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee, the author, brought us into the lives of Jean Louise, seven, Jem, thirteen and Atticus Finch. Living in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s was undeniably difficult for the Finches. Jean Louise, often called Scout, and her brother Jem saw their entire world change when their father, Atticus, was appointed to be Tom Robinson’s lawyer. Tom Robinson was a black man accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell. Despite all that occurred in and out of Maycomb, Atticus proved to be a great role model for his kids.