To Kill a Mocking Bird - jem

To Kill a Mockingbird left a lasting impression on me. At the time it was written, it must have been looked down upon as a piece of literature since there was so much hatred towards Negroes in the 1950's that no one could probably realize the unjustified prejudice against them. It especially deals with how the main character, Atticus Finch, deals with the controversy surrounding his actions and how he tries to shelter his family from it. But my essay shall focus in to one of the younger main characters, Jem Finch, and how the problems throughout the novel change him.

Jem Finch is one of the most important and complex characters in the novel. Over the course of the story his behaviour and his relationship with his sister, Scout, changes dramatically. In the story To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee, a trial tears apart a town and the Finches are caught right in the middle of it. This event and other small occurrences that take place in this novel, forever change Jem. He is suddenly introduced into the adult world and it changes the way he and Scout act towards each other. Jem and Scout's relationship changes as Jem becomes too wise for her, also he becomes more mature, and begins to resemble his father, Atticus.

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This quality made them very close siblings. Scout remarks to herself,

"As Atticus's fists went to his hips, so did Jem's, and as they faced each other I could see little resemblance between them.

The are two major characteristics that have changed in Jem during this story, his knowledge and his maturity, can be directly attributed to the influence of Atticus. However, this quality would not last for long. When Scout says,

"Reckon he's got a tapeworm"

To Atticus about Jem's odd behaviour, it is the turning point intellectually between Jem and Scout. At times he denies these similarities, but Scout makes it known several times how alike the two are becoming. He begins to act differently, as well as think and speak differently. Unlike a young child, where he would have probably cried or ran away, Jem stands up for what he knows is right, and courageously defends his sister. The maturity level of Scout is what draws the two siblings farther and farther apart over the course of the story. At the beginning of the story, several instances show that Jem thought and acted like a child. " Scout sees how similar the two have become and it is evident that they are getting very close to each other. Going against the strict orders of Jem, Scout foolishly runs through a group of angry men to her father. ’It's different with grown folks, we-' His maddening superiority was unbearable these days.

Approximate Word count = 992
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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