How Does Jem Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the audience witnesses Jem’s life as he grows up. He learns the lesson that you don’t really understand a person until you really study a person’s different point of view, and to see what they’re going through in their own shoes. Through his life lessons taught by his father, Jem matures into a young adult as he learns the real world that surrounds him.

Jem starts out as an adventurous and determined kid, who just wants to get Boo Radley out of his house. He takes the risk of trying different tactics to see what’s going on in there, not scared of a thing. Even though Atticus repeatedly tells him not to do so, Jem secretly continues his passion that he cannot let go. He even keeps his secrets away from Scout, his little sister, and doesn’t tell her until Chapter 7. Scout notices these subtle and moody changes, and tells him “You’ve never told me anything about that night”, in reference to Jem’s pants that were mysteriously …show more content…
For example, when Jem kicks Mrs. Dubose’s flowers, he gets the consequence of having to read to her every day at her house. He kicks the flowers by his uncontrollable temper after Mrs. Dubose keeps ridiculing him and his family. Although he’s learning many new things about it and is getting used to Maycomb’s usual close mindedness, it’s not until his payback is finished that she dies and Jem learns what she was going through - a morphine addiction. He learns about empathy, and how he wouldn't've known what she was going through because he didn’t take things in her perspective. Atticus tells him ‘she was the bravest person I ever knew’ for battling through her addiction, which is something Jem doesn’t quite grasp so quickly. This life lesson teaches Jem the importance of considering someone else’s point of view, and develops him into a better and more mature person.

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