Character analysis from Scout and Jem in PDF

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Character analysis from Scout and Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird How does both characters evolve and mature throughout the novel ? I.

Jean Louise Finch “Scout” Jean Louise Finch, called “Scout”, Her nickname could have been chosen because she is always searching for answers observing and she is also brave. Scout is one of the main characters of the novel and the narrator of it. Indeed, she is narrating the whole story as an adult, remembering what happened when she was between six and nine years old. Scout is a “tomboy” girl, very intelligent for her young age, but obviously less mature than her older brother Jeremy “Jem”, at the beginning of the story. It is important to note that the novel occurred during the Great Depression in America that started with the 1929 “Black Thursday”, an economic collapse that affected the whole world economy. At the time, black people were still not socially accepted by white people, and as the economic situation was difficult, black people were the first to suffer from the consequences of it since they represented the majority of workers in industries. They were the first to be fired to favour white people and a huge percentage of African Americans became jobless. Nevertheless, in America, and particularly in South America where the novel takes place, African Americans were still seen as former slaves who did not deserve the same rights as white people. They were still seen as inferior to white and racial discrimination was very common, which justifies the condemnation of Robinson in the novel. For Scout, who is very young, it is difficult to understand everything related to the trial of Robinson. Moreover, she is very impetuous and usually goes into fight with her older brother rather than discussing. This is why she is also described as a “tomboy”,

because she believes that a little fight can solve the problem, just as she goes after Cunningham to fight with him rather than call for help. This tendency is worrying Atticus, her father, which asked her to find another solution to resolve her problems. She really does respect her father, and obeyed him as this example of her leaving a fight without doing anything while thinking “I drew a bead on him, remembered what Atticus had said, then dropped my fists and walked away” (p.80). This is one of few examples showing Scout maturing throughout the novel and her life. Abandoning the fight to find other solutions to solve problems opened other possibilities to Scout, such as diplomacy and justice. She is innocent wants to learn she asks her father what’s rape for instance and she doesn’t like school she prefers when her father is teaching her things for example he had taught her how to read and she is asking if she is must go to school. She also expresses herself very well for example when she had fought with her cousin and be punished by her uncle. She explains her uncle that she would have liked him to listen her version of the story instead of only listening her cousin. Also, Scout is very masculine, not having a mother to teach her how a girl is supposed to behave. She has a lot of stereotypes regarding a “lady´s attitude”, for instance: “what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady!” mrs Dubose tells this to Scout. p 135 chapter 11. but when her aunt learns about Robinson´s death and is profoundly shocked, she still manages not to show others her tears and stayed strong and worthy, which showed Scout that being a lady is much more about strongness than anything else. Scout´s personality continues to evolve when she realises that Boo Radley, a boy which was at the centre of horrible stories narrated by her brother and Dill, was not the monster everyone thought he was: he saved their life. It changed her vision of the world and she realized that things are not always what they seem

to be, people are not necessarily as you think they are, what people say is not necessarily right. She had a very black-andwhite vision of the world, which was definitely challenged throughout the novel and allowed her to become much more mature and intelligent than she already was. She is also very faithful to her family she doesn’t like when someone criticise her father: for instance at chapter 15: she is “scared about Atticus. Somebody might hurt him.” p197 From a “tomboy” with a very black-and-white vision of the world, Scout managed to evolve and accept her feminine part and to become more mature. There is also an other character in the novel who seems to be very important for Scout: Dill. Dill is one friend of Jem and Scout. Scout is in love with him. And Dill had told her that he will come to marry her. This relationship is good in the novel it shows Scout’s first love. It makes it realistic. Dill is Scout’s lover but also Jem’s friend. II- Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Jeremy Atticus “Jem” is Scout’s older brother. He is 10 yearsold at the beginning of the novel and 13 at the end. Since it is Scout who is narrating the story, Jem is described from her point of view. He also really likes football. At the beginning of the story, Jem is only 10, so he is still a child, even though he is more mature than his sister and understands better the situation around the Robinson case. He is much more tempered than his sister, always trying to calm her down when she goes “wild”. As a matter of fact, when Scout attacks Cunningham and fight against him, he says “You´re bigger´n he is” which shows that he is more mature and believes that everything cannot be resolved by physical violence and that this fight is unfair, since Scout is bigger than Cunningham. Although he is spending a lot of time with his sister, as the novel progresses, so does Jem and he feels more and more the need to spend time on his own. Moreover, he is

annoyed by his sister´s behaviour and wants her to start acting like a proper lady. However, Jem´s bravery at the beginning is much more about physical strength that anything else, as Jem went to touch the Ridley´s house (which was seen by the children as a death sentence) to show he was not scared. However, his father will taught him what “real courage” is about, and that courage is not always about physical strengths: ‘’I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand” (p. 115), a lesson that Jem will remember very well. Jem, just like his sister, has a great sense of family and deeply respects and admires his father so much that he wants to become a lawyer, just like him he does is best for his father to be proud of him. He is a bit idealistic, and when Robinson is convicted guilty, Jem has a really hard time coping with the jury´s decision as he believes it is deeply unfair and the decision was driven by Robinson´s skin colour more than facts: “Doesn’t make it right,” said Jem stolidly. He beat his fist softly on his knee. “You can’t just convict a man on evidence like that – you can’t.” (p. 243) As the novel progresses, Jem tends to become more and more like his father and shows that he has understood that bravery is not only about physical strengths, but also being able to protect the ones you love. He thus will act more and more as a protector toward his sister and his father. From having a childish perspective of what bravery is, Jem will evolve to understand that bravery has not always to do with that, which he will prove by standing by his father´s side during the Lynch mob, remembering the Mrs Duboise´s lesson of his father: “It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you any and you see it through no matter what” (p. 112). He will become much more mature, determined and “adult” by the time he turns 13. III.Evolution of their relationship.

At the beginning of the novel, they seem to be very close to each other spend a lot of time together. But there is a clear break at the second part of the book until Jem’s birthday. During the first part of the novel, they are spending all their time together speak a lot but at the second part distance come out. Jem is growing up and he does not want to be followed by his sister everywhere. He is mature before Scout and for her it is difficult to understand this sudden change in her brother’s behaviour. Jem also think that Scout act more and more like a girl: “you know Scout, sometimes you act like a girl, and it mortifying”. (p.29) We can observe the distance between them for instance: “On Saturdays, armed with our nickels, when Jem permitted me to accompany him ( he was now positively allergic to my presence when in public)” Chapitre 14 pages 180. She had observed this change and it striked her at the beginning she doesn’t really understand this sudden change. She describes his new behavior chapter 14: “His maddening superiority was unbearable thèse days. He didn’t want to do anything but read and go off by himself. Still, everything he read he passed along to me, but with this difference: formerly, because he thought I’d like it; now, for my edification and instruction”. Chap 14 pages 184 Scout also really wants to defend her brother she is violent and want to protect him: Chapter 15: P204: ““Don’t you touch him!” I kicked the man swiftly”. But Jem is still generous with his sister even though he is growing up: “The day after Jem’s twelfth birthday his money was burning up his pockets, so we headed for town in the early afternoon. Jem thought he had enough to buy a miniature steam engine for himself and a twirling baton for me.” Chapter 11 p 134. But we can see that Jem is like a father figure for Scout, when Atticus is not around. They are almost inseparable and always together. And even though he acts like a father figure and look out for her, he is also her best friend.

3.

Conclusion

As a conclusion, while Scout had to accept her feminine part, let go her tendency to fight to resolve her problems and realizes that the world is much different than what she thought, Jem will discover that bravery is much more than physical strengths and that others are not always choosing for the right decision. He bitterly realizes that the world is sometimes unfair. However, they both are very respectful towards their father and take him as an example for what they want to become as adults....