Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, many characters develop and mature in unique ways. Boo, who fears talking to others, Aunt Alexandra, who is against people of other races or social classes, and Scout, who is young and is not aware of life’s challenges, constantly suppress their emotions and personality. Their life choices and decisions that they make throughout the book, lead them to be more accepting of others and less prejudice. As the book progresses, Boo, Aunt Alexandra, and Scout learn life lessons and develop into mature adults.

As people get older they go through experiences in their life that can change them in bad ways or most of the time change them in good ways.This good change occurs usually by the experiences teaching them important lessons they should know in life.These changes are very important in ones life because it matures them into an adult. This transformation happens to certain characters in every novel and it is called coming of age. In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, both Jem and Scout go through this coming of age and learn what it means to be courageous, the unfairness of the world, and to look at other people's perspective before judging them.

Maturity is not a quality you see everyday from children. Most of the time children are running around playing with friends and family, asking silly questions, and even fulfilling their imaginations. This is the case for Scout and Jem too, initially at least. Scout is the son of Atticus Finch, a lawyer in Maycomb, Alabama. Scout’s brother is Jem and they have a fairly close relationship. In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee Scout and Jem endure and encounter many life-changing events that cause them to mature, from experiencing racism and almost being killed to witnessing their father defend a black man accused of rape in the South during the early to mid 1900s. The theme of maturation significantly applies to the novel as Scout

Childhood years are a very impressionable time. This is no different for the fictional characters Scout and Jem Finch. Growing up in southern Alabama, they learned many lessons from the people around them and the circumstances they faced. Some of these important lessons learned are courage, empathy, and prejudice.

When many people are children, their parents, grandparents, or anyone who poses as a parental figure tell them that they will become more mature with age. However, psychological maturity is mainly learned rather than simply accompanying a person’s ascent into adulthood. Inevitably people grow, but this statement proves the experiences a person has in their life, whether good or bad, will change the path he or she takes while growing up or even continuing his or her adult life. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jean-Louise “Scout” and Jem Finch are six and ten in the beginning of the book, respectively. Although they gain only three years by the end of the novel, the children develop even more mature mindsets than many of the physically grown-up people in the town. Three events that prompt this early maturation are a conversation that takes place between Atticus and Scout, Tom Robinson’s death, and the ordeal with Mrs. Dubose.

Everyday, people of all ages lose their innocence and develop morally through their daily experiences. Children deal with mishaps on the playground, conflicts with friends and family, and trouble in school. Similarly, Adults deal with conflicts within their own families, problems at work, and the loss of a loved one. In each situation, the person is learning important lessons that impact the way a person thinks, acts, approaches situations, and treats others. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Jem loses his innocence and grows morally through his daily experiences in three stages of understanding in Maycomb, Alabama.

In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the main characters Scout and Jem, embark upon a three year journey of moral development in which they gain wisdom and understanding, allowing them to mature. In the book, they are taught by their father, Atticus, to be good, moral people. Atticus does this because he does not want his children to be instilled with the racist beliefs of Maycomb. Scout and Jem deal with the townspeople’s backlash against their father, who defends an african-american, Tom Robinson, in court, and they confront Mr. Arthur ”Boo” Radley, who they believe to be a monster. Even though Scout and Jem experience many of the same pivotal moments, the ways they deal with, cope, and understand their maturation differs greatly.

In books, many characters go through moral development. The book To Kill A Mockingbird shows many examples of characters that go through this development and characters that help others develop. While there are many different characters in the book, the focus is on the development of Jem and Scout Finch with the help of Atticus and Calpurnia. The kids are introduced when they are young and over the span of the book, the adults teach and help them, making them have a different understanding of the world only two years later. With the guidance of Atticus and Cal, Jem and Scout go through a big moral change.

First of all, Lee’s critical tone of prejudice is demonstrated by Scout’s innocent curiosity and perception of her surrounding society. Specifically, Lee’s critical tone is illustrated by Scout’s curiosity and the numerous questions she asks her family members throughout the duration of the novel. For example, when Scout raises questions to her Aunt Alexandra concerning her prejudice towards the Cunningham family, her innocence is exhibited by her desire to understand the world, but also to question it. A specific example of Scout’s curiosity is when Aunt Alexandra informs Scout not to invite Walter over for dinner, which leads Scout to ask “Why not, Aunty? They’re good folks” (223). Aunt Alexandra responds with: “The thing is, you can scrub Walter Cunningham till he shines, you can put him in shoes and a new suit, but he’ll never be like Jem” (224). Aunt Alexandra’s response exemplifies her prejudice towards the structure of the social classes in Maycomb County. However, Scout’s innocent nature enables her to remain uncorrupted by prejudice and to question the unquestionable. Lee’s use of a child as a narrator allows her to ask the tough questions regarding Maycomb County’s way of life and question why it is prejudiced towards a certain individual or group of individuals. Moreover, Harper Lee’s choice of narration

Have you went a long time without seeing a family member? It is amazing how much they change from one time to another. They grow tremendously throughout their lives. That same thing happened to Jem and Scout in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird. Jem and Scout have changed in many ways throughout the novel.

In the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Jem’s personality changed drastically throughout the story. Jem is forced to grow up by what he experiences. He starts to develop by the end of the book, and learns many lessons from his father, as well as how to stand up for what you believe in. As he grows, Jem’s sense of mortality develops with him.

There are many things in life that cause people to grow up; whether it be a death of a family member, the loss of a friendship or love. These experiences help us understand the world around us and all the people that are in it. Everybody’s coming of age and transition into adulthood is different. Although many authors tell stories of kids coming of age, no story can compare to Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” that leads you through many characters travels from childhood to adulthood. The events in the novel cause Jem and Scout to grow up and mature because they realize that the people in their town are prejudice.

By experiencing the trial of Tom Robinson’s case and the many adult references used in the courtroom, Scout gained exposure to new content and as a whole matured. From Scout’s exposure to the strong language used, Scout became more aware of the world around her. Scout began to understand new terms and everyday reasoning began to make sense to her. From what she learned, Scout was able to understand why the trial of Tom Robinson resulted in the fashion it did. Similarly, Jem also matured in his own way.

Jem knows that it is not fair for Tom to be put in situations like this and get convicted for something that he did not do. Jem is growing by showing us that he understands what is happening here. “When it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life.” “Doesn’t make it right,” said Jem stolidly.

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird these two children, Scout and Jem are influenced by the citizens and their expectations. However their view point isn't the same when Atticus their father decides to take a black man’s case, even if it seems hard to prove the Tom Robinson did not rape Mayella Ewell. Jem and Scout realize who Boo Radley truly is, instead of being a monster. Scout also realizes the difference between a lady and being stereotyped lady. Since the children are growing up without a mother, everyone believes that Jem and Scout aren't growing up right. Throughout the story, it is proven that Jem and Scout both mature through experiences that make them look at their society and world in a different light.