Harper Lee’s award winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird is about the life and experiences of two children, Scout and Jem. Jem and Scout learn about the racism and injustice that live in Maycomb. Jem realizes the unfairness that lives around. For example, in the Tom Robinson trial’s verdict, Jem realizes how unfair they are to Tom Robinson. Even though we know he wasn’t the one who did it, the jurys were racist and declared him guity.
Another example of Jem growing in maturity was with Ms. Dubose. Through Ms. Dubose, Jem realizes the value of tolerance and courage. Another example of Jem growing in maturity was when he realized that Dill was under Scout’s bed. When seeing Dill, Jem ran to tell Atticus. Scout and Dill sees Jem now as a traitor, but Jem thinks differently. He thinks he did the right thing. He says, “Dill, I had to tell him… You can’t run three hundred miles off without your mother knowin’” This shows us that he puts adult’s views in front of a child’s view. Scout and Jem are most maturing when they are exposed to racism.
One time they were exposed to racism was when Cecil Jacobs called her father a n-lover. On page 99, Scout says, “he had announced in the schoolyard the day before the Scout’s daddy defended niggers.” This occasion, like many others, triggers Scout throughout the story on why her father chose to defend Tom Robinson. Another time Jem and Scout were introduced to racism was when they they first went to the First Purchase. They saw how the place was for the African Americans. They also saw how the place was ripped and all torn out. Overall, Jem and Scout gained maturity a lot throughout the novel.
Tyler
To Think About A Mockingbird 