How Scout Develops from a Tomboy to a Young Lady in To Kill a Mockingbird

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How Scout Develops from a Tomboy to a Young Lady in To Kill a Mockingbird

Scout is an intelligent, perceptive child and her observations often contain a sensitive awareness to the situation. This might be because she is only six years old or it may be because she is a born lady. In every part of the novel one would see Scout's perspective on the world. As each situation matures and becomes more serious, Scout becomes one step closer to womanhood and maturity. As a child, Scouts appearance seems rough and because of this some people tried to change her, such has Aunt Alexandra and the Missionary Ladies but as the book quotes itself Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up peoples gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. (Lee, 90) It is also a sin to try and change a tomboy into something she is not. Scout's experiences during the course of the novel, directly contribute to her growth of a young lady.

Scout is six years old when the novel begins; she lives with her father, Atticus and brother, Jem. In her house the only woman role modal that she can look up to is Calpurnia, the Negro cook and housekeeper who has helped Atticus raise Scout and Jem. Scout grew up with fishing, playing football and many other "not so ladylike" outdoor activities. She did not grow up with the proper values as she would if her mother was alive, who died when Scout was very little. Scout's biggest influence in her life is her brother, Jem. The main reason being that is because he is a conscientious older brother and tries to protect her from the truths about the world that he thinks she is too young to deal wi...

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...ad killed himself by falling on the knife. In other words, she would have to understand that sometimes, things are better when they are left unsaid.

From the beginning to the end of the novel we see a lot of changes in Scout as she grows up. In every situation that Scout had to deal with made her understand that life isn't always about running past Mrs. Dubose's house and finding treasures in a knothole, but it is about dealing with racism, hatred and a lot of tough stuff. For Scout, growing up in the town of Maycomb made her a stronger person not only physically, but emotionally as well. She matured into a lady and as she reflects on her life, she realizes that without the people around her and without the events that happened. She wouldn't be the person, or in this case the lady that she has become today.

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To Kill A Mockingbird

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