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To Kill A Mockingbird Coming Of Age Essay

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In the novel written by Harper Lee titled To Kill a Mockingbird, it is a story that revolves around two children named Jem and Scout and their experiences in a prejudiced town as they grow up and mature into young adults. They learn lessons regarding what the real world has to offer during a time of segregation. As they discover new ideas, they also manage to learn more about themselves. Lee utilizes imagery, direct characterization, and dialogue to express the recurring theme of coming of age, also known as Bildungsroman. In the text, imagery is used to help understand the theme of coming of age. An excerpt of imagery is shown when Jem chides Scout about killing insects. The following states, “I lay on my stomach, reached down and poked …show more content…

He rolled up. Feeling sleepy, I decided to end things. My hand was going down on him when Jem spoke. Jem was scowling. It was probably a part of the stage he was going through, and I wished he would hurry up and get through it. He was certainly never cruel to animals, but I had never known his charity to embrace the insect world (Ch. 25, Pg. 319-320).” This piece of imagery is used to reveal the theme of coming of age, since it shows Jem being more mature and considerate towards insects and animals. In fact, this compassion did not manifest until Jem started maturing into adolescence. Another example appears at the end of the novel, where Scout has matured enough to understand a very important moral. According to the text, Lee writes, “... They stopped at an oak tree, delighted, puzzled, apprehensive. Winter, and his children shivered at the front gate, silhouetted against a blazing house. Winter, and a man walked into the street, dropped his glasses, and shot a dog. Summer, and he watched his children’s heart break. Autumn again, and Boo’s children needed him. Atticus was right. One time he said …show more content…

As Jem grows up, the stages of growing development is apparent. The following states, “Jem was twelve. He was difficult to live with, inconsistent, moody. His appetite was appalling, and he told me so many times to stop pestering him I consulted Atticus: ‘Reckon he’s got a tapeworm?’ Atticus said no, Jem was growing. I must be patient with him and disturb him as little as possible (Ch. 12, Pg. 153).” This use of direct characterization suggests the theme of Bildungsroman due to the fact that it blatantly states the characteristics of a growing minor. This shows how much Jem has changed in the

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