Growing up and the changes of Jem and ScoutThe theme of maturity and formation of personality is one of most important one in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by American author Harper Lee. This is the story about the people of Maycomb city, Alabama which is narrated by six-year-old girl Jean Finch, or Scout as she is usually called in the book.Through Scout's eyes, we enter in the world of 1930s America where Afro-Americans have limited rights and the issue of racism is so wide spread in that times. Her father, Atticus is a local attorney desperately strives to prove the innocence of a black man, Tom Robinson, unjustly accused in the rape. Through all of the obstacles Scout undergoes with her brother ten-year-old Jem Finch and also with their friend Dill. Together they examine the problems of racism, civil rights and prejudice. This series of events shape their character and tell them the truth about human nature.In the beginning of the novel we see Scout and Jem as the children who live without care about adults' problems and have the childish view on life. They create games for instance, to make Boo Radley, their shut-in neighbor, come out from his spooky house. They show their immaturity through thinking that their father should do something that other fathers do, we understand this from the Scout's words, 'Our father didn't do anything. He worked in an office not in a drug store. He was not sheriff or anything that would possibly arouse the admiration of anyone.'In spite of it as Scout and Jem face with different situation they begin to change their minds, they start analyse the events and behavior of surrounding people. In the novel Jem finds the true meaning of courage in the situation with Mrs. Dubose when he cuts her flowers with the thought that it is bravery. Atticus makes him read to her as a punishment and when she dies, Jem's father explains that the real courage is "when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew."Another important lesson was for Scout when she finds out that people are different and Atticus explains it to her, "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." Mostly Scout understands this lesson with the help of Boo Radley because she discovers his pure heart and kindness.This book clearly shows us the development of the characters of Scout and Jem through the important lessons that they learns. To my mind, Atticus is the main person who helps them to understand the people and the world better. With the help of their father they find out the real meaning of courage, perception and maturity. It is unbelievable how Harper Lee shows us the adult world through the eyes of a little girl and how children grow morally and spiritually.
