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To Kill A Mockingbird Maturity

Decent Essays

When Sarah McLachlan said, “Change and growth is so painful but it’s so necessary for us to evolve.” She was saying that growth is bound to happen, and in order for an evolution, change has to happen. Similarly, in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Scout has proven to show growth and maturity in many situations. Miss Caroline, Atticus, and Arthur (Boo) Radley have all contributed to the growth and development of Scout’s knowledge.
Miss Caroline, the teacher of Scout Finch, is an emotional and sensitive character and loves to blame people for their doing’s. Miss Caroline deters others from doing her job for her. Scout narrates, “Miss Caroline told me to tell my father not to teach me anymore it would interfere with my reading.” She then argued …show more content…

When Atticus was defending Tom Robinson with the accusation of a rape, Atticus explained, “You never really know a man until you get in his skin and crawl around in it.” Scout gains in her knowledge by stating, “Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.” (ch. 31, p. 374) Scout has always kept this quote in her head and here she seems to have compared what Atticus had said to what she is dealing with now and Jem’s new infirmity. Once Scout had gone and walked Boo Radley home, she stood on Boo's porch and thought what Atticus had said previously in the novel. Atticus continues to help Scout increase her knowledge and grow as a character. In addition, after Scout and Jem had received air rifles for Christmas from their Uncle Jack, Atticus made sure they knew not to kill a mockingbird. Atticus stated, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” Their uncle thought it would be a good idea to learn what their father is well known for, shooting. Once Atticus had this discussion with Scout and her brother Jem, she seemed to tuck away what Atticus had said to them. But when Mr. Radley was in danger for murder because of the death of Bob Ewell she understood the allusion that Mr. Tate was making about Boo. Atticus questioned Scout, “Atticus …show more content…

However, Atticus finds this quite offensive. Scout narrates, “I Know what we are going to play,’ he announced. ‘What?’ Dill asked.” Then Jem said, “‘Boo Radley.’” Later, “Jem hissed. ‘Scout, how’s he gonna know what we’re doin’? Besides, I don’t think he’s still there. He died years ago and stuffed him up the chimney.’” Then Scout thought, “I was fairly sure Boo Radley was inside that house, but I couldn’t prove it.” (ch.4, p.51) Scout hasn’t learned yet who Boo really is. Scout knows that what she is doing is wrong but doesn’t understand why quite yet. Previously, she hasn’t been able to understand who Boo Radley really is. But later she realizes what she has done. She notices how she’s been acting and knows that what she had been doing is wrong. After she finally meets Boo Radley she realizes that he wants to do no harm. Scout thinks, “He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back in the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing and it made me sad.” (ch. 31, p.373) When Scout first met Boo she wasn’t too sure what to do. She didn’t introduce herself; however, only assuming that Boo already knew her. She has really started to show her growth when she meets Boo because of how she previously acted. Scout is just beginning to develop as a person and as a character in the

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