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To Kill A Mockingbird Coming Of Age Analysis

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During the coming of age process, one must learn to see things from the point of view of others. In “To Kill A Mockingbird”, a Southern Gothic novel by Harper Lee, Scout and Jem, children that are growing up in the racism-filled American South, mature as they experience the social prejudices around them. In chapters 12-14, Scout and Jem experience events, such as visiting a black church, while slowly beginning to understand the racism behind their father’s Tom Robinson case. In the chapters 12-14 of “To Kill A Mockingbird”, through the experiences of Scout and Jem, the characters and events reveal the message that coming of age involve recognizing different perspectives and learning from them. Scout and Jem’s experience when visiting the Black …show more content…

They’re seen as hostile and inferior to White people. However, this idea is questioned when Zeebo welcomes them to the church with: “Mister Jem… we’re mighty glad to have you all here” (119). This warm welcome helps the children realize that black people aren’t necessarily the same as how society portrays them. The visit to the Black church as a whole helped them understand the side of African Americans that can’t be understood through normal interactions. Scout and Jem mature from this event, as they have learned to consider different perspectives and learn from them. Scout and Jem’s visit to the Black church also helps the children understand the togetherness of the Black community. Due to how White people describe Black people as, the children are surprised by how close the Black community is. Towards the end of their visit, Reverend Sykes asks the congregation for donations, “You all know what it’s for - Helen can’t leave those children to work while Tom is in jail” (122). The White people of Maycomb have described Tom Robinson as a monster who raped Bob Ewell’s daughter, and Scout and Jem have been misled by this

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