Growing Pains
Growing Pains
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, there are several characters who are thrown into various different situations, which force them to grow up in multiple ways. This essay will show some of the ways some of these characters change and grow.
This novel’s main character is Jean Lousie Finch, nicknamed Scout, who is the narrator of this story. Now, Scout shows a developing maturity several times in the book, such as when she says, “Atticus had promised me he would wear me out if he ever heard of me fighting any more; I was far too old and too big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold in the better off everybody would be.” (Lee 99). This is an example of Scout beginning to understand the irrelevance of fighting, she believes she is better than that. This shows Scout has an understanding beyond her years. “It’s no reason to run off. They don’t get around to doin what they say they’re gonna do half the time….” (Lee 190), this again shows that Scout has grown, and is now attempting to show Dill her full intellect on said subject. “Somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down. Atticus so rarely asked Jem and me to do something for him. I could take being called a coward for him. I felt extremely noble having remembered, and remained noble for three weeks.” (Lee 102). This quote is a perfect example of just how much Scout understands the meaning of her actions, and the respect she now understands for other people’s requests.
Scout also has a sibling, an older brother, his name is Jeremy Atticus Finch. He also has a nickname, Jem. Jem will significantly grow from a childish, playful boy, into a calm collective young man. In the early chapters of the book Jem was immature, but he was not short at all of character this shows when Scout says “ Jem wanted Dill to know once and for that he wasn’t scared of anything. “It’s just that I can’t think of a way to make him come out without him gettin’ us.” (Lee
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, there are several characters who are thrown into various different situations, which force them to grow up in multiple ways. This essay will show some of the ways some of these characters change and grow.
This novel’s main character is Jean Lousie Finch, nicknamed Scout, who is the narrator of this story. Now, Scout shows a developing maturity several times in the book, such as when she says, “Atticus had promised me he would wear me out if he ever heard of me fighting any more; I was far too old and too big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold in the better off everybody would be.” (Lee 99). This is an example of Scout beginning to understand the irrelevance of fighting, she believes she is better than that. This shows Scout has an understanding beyond her years. “It’s no reason to run off. They don’t get around to doin what they say they’re gonna do half the time….” (Lee 190), this again shows that Scout has grown, and is now attempting to show Dill her full intellect on said subject. “Somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down. Atticus so rarely asked Jem and me to do something for him. I could take being called a coward for him. I felt extremely noble having remembered, and remained noble for three weeks.” (Lee 102). This quote is a perfect example of just how much Scout understands the meaning of her actions, and the respect she now understands for other people’s requests.
Scout also has a sibling, an older brother, his name is Jeremy Atticus Finch. He also has a nickname, Jem. Jem will significantly grow from a childish, playful boy, into a calm collective young man. In the early chapters of the book Jem was immature, but he was not short at all of character this shows when Scout says “ Jem wanted Dill to know once and for that he wasn’t scared of anything. “It’s just that I can’t think of a way to make him come out without him gettin’ us.” (Lee