Character Analysis Of Jem From To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

📌Category: Books, Literature, To Kill a Mockingbird
📌Words: 382
📌Pages: 2
📌Published: 12 June 2021

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the character Jem goes through the most transformation because the timeline of the novel is during his adolescence. Change in character is a theme throughout the novel and is profoundly seen in this character development. Jem is an innocent child of Atticus at the beginning, but towards the end is a mature adolescent who takes responsibility for his younger sister, Jean Louise (Scout) Finch. 

Within the first sixty pages of this story, we learn that Jem is a playful child who hasn’t yet learned much about life or developed his own sense of self. “Jem had never declined a dare. Jem thought about it for three days, I suppose he loved honor more than his head, for Dill wore him down easily” (14). This quote from chapter one shows that Jem isn’t yet able to fully stand his ground and takes pride in foolish concepts such as never declining a dare. Both of these traits provide us with an example of his immaturity. 

Throughout the novel Jem is making steps in his adolescence towards becoming a responsible adult. He starts on his path to manhood and does this by proving to himself and others that he can be his own person. “‘Go home, I said.’ Jem shook his head. 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 (154). During this scene in the novel, Jem shows the reader that the young boy who is constantly obedient to his father is changing. Most would agree that as a child grows older they begin to develop different opinions from their parents and Jem is doing just that when he faces off against Atticus’s orders. 

Towards the end of To Kill a Mockingbird, it is seen that Jem has advanced in both opinion and maturity. “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” (231). Boo (Arthur) Radley was a childhood fascination to Jem, with his goal to get him outside of his house. Now we see that Jem is looking more into the reason for his closed off personality instead of purley getting him outside. Compared to the beginning of the novel we can use this as an example of the extent of Jem’s transformation.

 

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