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To kill a mockingbird character development jem
The journey of maturation in kill a mockingbird
To kill a mockingbird character development jem
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Lessons Taught By Atticus Finch
No matter where you are or who you are, there are always lessons to be learned, whether it be about yourself or something around you. In Harper Lee’s award-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird written in 1960, the main characters, six until nine-year-old Scout Finch and ten until 13-year-old Jem Finch learned many lessons about life taught by their father Atticus Finch. These lessons help shape Scout and Jem as they age in the novel showing how they mature and grow through different situations. The most important lessons were when Atticus teaches Scout and Jem about empathy, integrity and equality which help shape them throughout the novel.
The first lesson that was mentioned was the lesson about empathy
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that Atticus taught his kids. In the novel, Atticus teaches Scout and Jem lessons that he believes are right, like, empathizing and respecting everyone no matter what they look like, how much money they make or how they act. “Every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one's mine” (Lee 101). Talking about the case Atticus was defending in court, it shows he cares about the lives of others, no matter what they look like. Especially with the Tom Robinson case, many people did not approve of Atticus defending a black man accused of rape. Scout and Jem endured a lot of awful and hateful remarks towards their father. With them receiving all of these comments, Atticus showed them that you can not let every bad comment bring you down. With the lesson on empathy that Atticus taught Scout, it helped her empathize with Boo Radley. “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.” (374). As scout stands on the Radley porch after walking him home, she imagines what Boo Radley’s perspective was over the past years. She sees the neighbourhood from a whole new angle. After witnessing how prejudice her neighbours were, she viewed Boo Radley as a mockingbird who was unfairly treated and judged by their community. The second lesson that Atticus teaches his children was integrity.
Integrity means that a person does the right thing for the right reasons. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus teaches his kids about integrity by thinking everyone is equal no matter what. Near the end of the book when Bob Ewell attacked Scout and Jem and then died, Atticus thought that Jem was the one who killed him. With the thought of his son killing a Bob Ewell, he was ready to go to a judge and plead self-defence. Although he learned that Boo Radley was the who actually killed Bob Ewell, Atticus was ready to help make sure no one knew that Boo Radley killed a man by saying Bob Ewell fell on his knife and died. Throughout the novel, Scout learns a lot of lessons from her father. A lesson that the Finch kids did not get to show their full understanding about was the lesson about integrity. That was until scout said: “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” (370), as she was referring to her father suggesting that they say Bob Ewell fell on his knife. She demonstrated that she knew the only reason Boo Radley killed Bob was to save her and Jem’s lives. Scout knew what would have happened to Boo if people had known he killed someone, therefore proving her understanding that it was the right thing to …show more content…
do. The final lesson that Atticus taught his children is equality.
Atticus is known by readers for seeing everyone as equals. He was defending a black man who was accused of rape and Atticus didn’t care what anyone else said because he thought Tom Robinson should have a fair shot at winning the trial. In the middle of the novel, Jem destroyed Mrs. Duboses’s flowers. Mrs. Dubose was a very hateful woman who would torment people “who dare walk by her house” (132). Jem was enraged by the vicious comments Mrs. Dubose was saying about Atticus which lead to him destroying her flowers. Atticus does not care if someone like him or not, he treats everyone with respect regardless of what they think of him. So, when Atticus heard about Jems doing, he forced Jem to go to Mrs. Dubose and apologize for destroying her flowers. Scout and Jem don’t learn about the importance of equality until later on in the novel. Scout really shows her understanding of this lesson when she is placed in the shoes of Boo Radley. “Boo was our neighbour. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives [...] We never put anything back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing and it made me sad” (373). Scout realized all of the things Boo Radley did for her and her brother. She realized that if a neighbour gives you something, you give them something in return. She never did that with Boo. It was the first time she understood him, and the last
time she would ever see him, and she realized that she could’ve gotten to know Boo had she treated him the same as she did her other neighbours. In conclusion, Scout and Jem have learned and experienced many different things which help shaped them into more mature people. Though these characters had to deal with a lot in the novel, the experiences they’ve had will help them in different situations in the future.
In Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" shows and teaches many lessons throughout the passage. Some characters that learn lessons in this passage are Scout, Jem, and Dill. Scout and Jems father Atticus, is taking a case that affects their lives in so many ways. They all learn new things throughout the story and it impacts their lives greatly. There are lots of things including the trial mostly that change the perspective of the world they live in. The kids are living in the Great Depression and it shows just how bad things really where. Scout, Jem, and Dill have experiences that force them to mature and gain new insight.
Atticus is a great leader of his family, teaching his children morals and life lessons. He makes them better people by showing them how to deal with the trial and people making fun of them. Atticus teaches Scout how to respect other people. First, Scout learns to respect Atticus, then to respect "Boo" Radley, and finally to respect a whole race of people, negroes. He makes it a common practice to live his life as he would like his children to live theirs, and thus displays the attributes of an honest, respectable, and kind man. Throughout the trial process, Atticus shows Jem and Scout that true courage is standing up for what you believe in and that all human beings, despite their race, deserve respect. "You never really understand a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." This quote shows that Atticus wants his children to get along with people, and so other people will respect them for whom they are.
Some people do not know right from wrong, in, To Kill a Mockingbird we know that there was a black man accused of rape, given it is the 1930s in the South U.S, nobody will support this man, except Atticus Finch, a man that stands up for what is right. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the character Atticus Finch to show that it is important for people to stand up for what is right because otherwise justice will never have a chance to prevail. Atticus shows this when he defends Tom, teaches Jem after the trial, and Atticus teaches Scout about the way she acts towards others.
One major lesson Atticus teaches Jem and Scout, is to respect others. Atticus thought them not to be rude with family members; despite what they say. Scout beat up Francis because he called Atticus a "Niger-lover!"(p.110) and Atticus gets her in trouble. When Scout got in trouble by Atticus it showed Scout that it was not right to beat him up even though he said what he said. Atticus taught the kids to mind there own business. When Atticus tells the kids to leave Boo Radley alone and not to believe it the rumors they are hearing. When Atticus told them to leave Boo Radley alone and not to believe ...
Growing up in Maycomb, Southern Alabama in the 1930s was not an easy thing. Amid a town of prejudice and racism, stood a lone house where equality and respect for all gleamed like a shining star amid an empty space. The house of Atticus Finch was that shining star. Jean Louise Finch, also known as “Scout”, is given the opportunity of being raised in this house by her father, Atticus. I stole this essay from the net. As she grows, Atticus passes down his values of equality and righteousness to Scout and her brother Jeremy Atticus Finch, also known as “Jem”. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, by Harper Lee, we see Scout learns many lessons about dealing with prejudice by observing the behavior of other characters in the story.
“ ‘Jem see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred credibility at the trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of a comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating that's something i'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and i’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there. You understand ’” (23.15) Atticus Finch had exposed the bad men in the community to his children but selflessly found room to feel sorry for Bob because of how he treats his children. The children were able to learn from Atticus by being able to understand what was being said but realize that not everyone is as fortunate as them and don't always have the moral understand like Atticus has taught them 'Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time. It's because he wants to stay inside.'" Page 227. Jem had recognized that not everyone can cope with the world they live in, being all caught up in hate, racism and distrust that it's better for people like that to stay inside, away from the horrid things of the world which is society. Adults are capable of judging and and not forgiving
In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is an ideal father, who sets a great example for his kids. A picture of Atticus is important to Scout because Atticus teaches Scout many important life lessons about life. Firstly, as Atticus talks to Scout about Miss. Stephanie, he states “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee,30). Scout realizes that one can never feel someone’s pain, happiness, or glory until she looks at their point of view of things; she learns to consider other people’s situation and feelings. She also understands that she will never know what goes in other people’s lives, and therefore she cannot judge anyone. Scout matures as she learns to apply Atticus’ wise advice to understand Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley, who are individuals that are misunderstood by the community. Furthermore, as Miss Maudie talks to Scout, she states “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” (Lee, 46). Miss Maudie knows about Atticus’ personality quite well. Miss Maudie explains to Scout Atticus is a man with moral principles, he does what he believes is right even if others are not there to praise him. Through Atticus’ exemplary role, Scout understands the importance of integrity, and strong moral values. Finally, when Scout questions her father about the possible outcome of the trial, Atticus states “simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us to try to win” (Lee, 76). Atticus teaches Scout toleration, determination and moral courage. He already knows he is going to los...
As children we are oblivious to the influence of those who surround us . We chose to see the greater good in humanity rather than the obvious truth. We are influenced by our environment and choose to abide to the morals presented to us. This applies directly to the novel to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which moves along with the lives of two young children ;Scout and Jem. Along with the obstacles they face and the exposure they have to the ideas of racism, gender roles, and degenerate morals. Throughout the novel it is evident that Scout and Jem go from naïveté to maturity due to their surroundings, influence of family members, and the arising controversy of the Tom Robinson case. They both develop
Atticus treats everyone with fairness. He always hears both sides of the story. He does this after Scout has gotten into a fight with Francis Hancock. After a time Atticus hears Scout’s side of the story and realises that it wasn’t totally Scout’s fault. Scout also tells Uncle Jack that when she and Jem get into fights Atticus stops to hear both sides of the argument before placing the blame, if any.
No matter where or who a person is, they are always learning something, either about themselves or about the environment around them. In Harper Lee's heartwarming novel titled To Kill A Mockingbird, the main characters Jem and Scout grow and mature throughout the story as they learn both more about themselves and the world around them. As the story progresses, they learn many life lessons including those about prejudice, people and how they have been categorized and judged, and, last but not least, gender issues.
...heme of maturation in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, is conveyed through the characters of Scout and Jem, in conjunction with the assistance of their virtuous father Atticus Finch. Early in the novel, Atticus ascertains himself as a major facilitator in the maturation process of Scout and Jem by incessantly providing mature solutions to his children’s predicaments. Moreover, Scout, a major benefactor of the Boo Radley incident and Atticus’ wisdom, has helped her develop into a very tolerant and mature individual. Undeniably, Jem’s remarkable development into a broadminded and compassionate character can be directly attributed to Atticus’ kindness and Jem’s exposure to the Tom Robinson trial. In synopsis, it is evident that the individuals and social circumstances that surround an individual play a major role in defining the type of individual one will become.
While Scout and Jem discover a sick dog, they alerted their neighbors about it. Atticus took his rifle and shot the sick dog. Staying close to Miss Maudie, Scout listens to Miss Maudie’s story about Atticus. She tells him how he had a great shot and almost never missed. Scout wondered why he didn;t go hunting anymore. Miss Maudie explains to her by saying, “Maybe he put his gun down when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things” (130). Miss Maudie means that because of the advantage he has on wild animals, he found it unacceptable to kill things that couldn’t fight back. This shows how Atticus is, that he is honest with himself and shooting for sport is not ok.Atticus showed an example of his integrity. Scout sees this and understands the lesson of being fair and sticking to your principles. Also, Atticus has a different opinion than the majority in Maycomb. Being a lawyer, he defends Tom Robinson. Scout talks to Atticus and talks how lots of people in Maycomb believe he is wrong, while Atticus believes he is right. Atticus the states, “The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person conscience” (140). Sticking to what he believes, Atticus shows his person integrity. He doesn’t follow something because everyone else believes something, it is more because he sticks with and is strong with his principals.
During our lives, we develop morals and values through life experiences. They can be influenced by our society and the people we surround ourselves with. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee demonstrates courage, social inequality and prejudice through the characters and events in the book. We experience life lessons through the protagonist Scout Finch as she develops her own values. This is displayed through a variety of life lessons and values throughout the novel.
The morals for Scout and Jem to live by come from their father, Atticus Finch. He has experienced evils in his life, like the death of his wife, but he never lost faith in the good of people. He taught Scout and Jem right from wrong when they were young, because their mother was no longer around to teach them. Atticus understands that people have good and bad inside of them, but he feels that the good side can always overcome the bad side. This is true when he backed Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping Mr. Ewell’s daughter. Even though no one else helped Atticus out, he never gave up on Tom Robinson no matter how hard things got.
Integrity means the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles As the men discourse in the courtroom they mention their animosity on Atticus. One of the men state 's, “Yeah but Atticus aims to defend him that 's what i don 't like about it.” (ch.16, pg.218) Atticus is being fair and doing his best to defend even though Tom is black. He is sticking to his own morals and not listening to others thoughts. Atticus’ integrity is showing because he stuck to his own thoughts. Most people in Maycomb believe Atticus is crazy to defend a black man but he is doing it for his own personal morals. Atticus says “The main one is, if I didn 't I couldn 't hold up my head in town, I couldn 't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn 't even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (ch.9, pg.100) As a father Atticus must set an example for his kids and this means he does not tell them to do something that he would not do himself. Atticus want his kids to be racially accepting just like himself. This is showing integrity because atticus sticks to his own thought in himself and how he lives his life. Atticus sticking to his principal on integrity demonstrates that making a stand on the defending of Tom Robinson makes