Premium Essay

Scout Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

Submitted By
Words 1241
Pages 5
Every individual matures throughout his or her life, some much quicker than others. Maturity greatly relies on the environment children are raised in and the people around them, every aspect affecting their development. As children mature they typically learn about negative traits and how to develop good ones. They learn from others and create a pathway for their own individuality in order to become an adult. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, Scout begins as an innocent child protected from the evils of society, but later matures and develops to become an understanding individual. Innocence from the world’s evils is usually interpreted as a positive trait, however, the opposite occurs in To Kill a Mockingbird because …show more content…
Scout matures whether it be subconsciously or consciously along with the relationships she develops with others. When Aunt Alexandra moves in, Scout realizes “one must lie under certain circumstances and at all times when one can’t do anything about them” (Lee 177). Scout subconsciously matures because she knows what is socially appropriate but simultaneously does not completely understand exactly why. Scout also consciously demonstrates her growth with her wisdom. Scout provides advice to a grown adult, her Uncle Jack, who admits to Atticus “you daughter gave me my first lessons this afternoon” exposing her wisdom as typically an adult gives advice to a child (Lee 155). Although young, Scout proves her age does not affect her great amount of wisdom. As the novel proceeds, Scout continuously gains wisdom and develops traits such as understanding and acceptance of …show more content…
She knows how to treat others in the appropriate situation, a sign of growth. Scout displays this trait by treating Boo as an ordinary human being when she addresses him nicely and “[beings] to learn his body English” (Lee 372). Scout matures from her childlike-self of believing Boo being a monster to being able to face reality. Along with facing Boo’s true self, she reminds Atticus of an important lesson. Scout acknowledges Boo’s innocence when she compares him to a mockingbird. Scout reminds Atticus that charging Boo Radley with murder would “be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird” (Lee 370). Scout demonstrates how wise she is when she makes this comparison. Scout matures to be an understanding person along with other traits she develops throughout the

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Essay On How Scout Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

...Scout To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated by Scout Finch, the main character of this novel. She tells her experiences as a child a few years after they occur. Scout is a young girl and typically acts as a tomboy. Even at a young age, her father taught her to read, this making her smarter than the majority of the children her age. She doesn't act like the other girls her age either. This is because her father, Atticus, raises her in a certain way. Throughout the novel, Scout matures as she grows up. This is demonstrated by the different ways she acts as she ages. Jem Jem is Scout's older brother so he is raised the same way as Scout. How he matures throughout the years is also proven within the novel. He goes through puberty, this causes his...

Words: 468 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Essay On How Scout Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

...In the story by Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout matures throughout the story as she learns many morals and new values through experience and practice. To grow into the person Scout became by the end of the book, it wouldn’t have happened without Atticus Calpurnia and all their friends, family and neighbors. She observes behavior that quite often bewilders her, as she goes through a series of maturing experiences. She begins to comprehend that not all people act, or have the same beliefs as her. As she grew she started to think about other people's perspective, putting herself in their shoes. She’d learned this from her father at the start of the book. “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.” (Lee 30) Through compassion and sympathy with others she’s had a better understanding of their perspective. Scout learns compassion and sympathy through a few events;...

Words: 698 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

How Does Scout Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

...that others associate themselves with influence their personalities, views, and morals. Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is a book involving learning experiences for many characters. None more than Jean Louise Finch (Scout); Scout is influenced by many characters throughout the events of the book, making her a more mature and rational person. An examination of Scouts interactions with Miss Maudie, Mr Gilmer and Calpurnia show their major contributions to Scout’s development into a mature, intelligent and rationally thinking person. Through Scout’s experiences of during the trial and she is given a first hand experience to the evil in men....

Words: 952 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

How Does Scout Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

...One example that people have to be adults to understand the world is Scout, a young 7 year old who does not always understand everything in front of her. In one case was when Scout had dinner with Walter Cunningham. “Walter poured syrup on his vegetables and meat with a generous hand. He would probably have poured it into his milk glass had I not asked what on Sam hill he was doing” (32). Scout does not realize how rude she is being in this setting. She thinks that she is just asking a everyday question, but in reality she is offending Walter by pointing out one of his unique habits. Due to her immaturity, Scout did not understand exactly what was going on in this situation. Another time Scout has not understood is when she is with her father Atticus and her brother Jem. The three of them are together in front of a jail protecting a man in the jail from a mob trying to get him. Scout then sees a familiar face in the crowd and strikes a conversation, which Atticus questions what she is doing. In response, Scout says “Well, Atticus, I was just sayin’ to Mr.Cunningham that entailment's are bad an’ all that, but you said not to worry, it takes a long time sometimes… that you all’d ride it out together…” I was slowly drying up wondering what idiocy I had committed. Entailment seemed all right...

Words: 433 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

How Does Scout Finch Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

...Scout Finch is an extraordinarily smart girl, for her age. She doesn't realize that her narrative is a little offensive in other peoples opinion. Atticus, her father, tries to make her see things from different points and through other peoples eyes. She tries to be a little lady like with her sometimes whole page of narrative. She becomes much more mature later in the story because she realizes that not only her opinion matters. Heres one of Scouts narratives at the beginning of the story “She was horrible. Her face was the color of dirty pillowcase and the corners of her mouth glistened with wet, which inched like a glacier down the deep grooves enclosing her chin. Old age liver spots dotted her cheeks, and her pale eyes had black pinpoint...

Words: 381 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Examples Of Walter Cunningham In To Kill A Mockingbird

...sin to kill a mockingbird, mockingbirds sing all day and don’t cause harm to anyone, they mind their own business and just live their lives. The book, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is about Scout, the people she encounters, and her family. Jem Finch is Scout's older brother, Boo Radley is the Finch’s neighbor, Walter Cunningham is a boy in Scout’s class, and Tom Robinson is the person Scout’s dad, Atticus, is defending in court. The previously named people are all mockingbirds because they mind their own business. There are many characters in To Kill A Mockingbird that can be considered metaphorical mockingbirds, such as Tom, Boo, Jem, and Walter. Tom Robinson can be considered a metaphorical mockingbird. He was falsely put in jail for raping a young girl named Mayella Ewell, Tom did not have a fair trial while...

Words: 703 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

How Does Lee Present Scout's Childhood In To Kill A Mockingbird

...Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird highlights her childhood, showing the racism in her home and mirrors her family life. To Kill a Mockingbird shows the innocence of children and growing up. Harper Lee’s Maycomb mirrors her childhood home of Monroeville, Alabama and the white supremacy. Scout is the child of a lawyer taking on a job of defending a black man in front of the town. Characterization is how an author portrays a character in their piece. Jean Louise “Scout” Finch in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a masculine young child who is learning about the world with her curiousity. She is adventurous because she of the way she treats the mysterious Radley house. Scout Finch is more interested in playing rather being the “typical girl”. When Scout caught Walter Cunningham she rubbed his nose in dirt. This specific piece shows Scout’s aggressiveness and her “masculinity” towards everyone. She also stomped at him to scare him off after she rubbed his nose in dirt. This specific piece shows more aggression and “bravery”. “ He ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham,” Scout says this to Calpurnia the family...

Words: 685 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Examples Of Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

...Losing Innocence As children age and mature, they start to lose their innocence and purity. In her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee demonstrates how children fail to keep their pureness as they grow older. Through the eyes of Scout, the reader sees Maycomb as an angelic town where the residents can do no harm. However, throughout the course of the novel, as Jem and Scout Finch grow and lose innocence, the town of Maycomb does too. Although the loss of purity, especially in children, can break one’s heart, it is human nature and sooner or later, everyone will surrender their sinlessness. To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming-of-age story about how the main characters move from a state of innocence to a mature one after suffering from, but surviving many misadventures. Lee compares many of the characters to a mockingbird, a symbol of pure chastity. Scout and Jem, the main characters of...

Words: 630 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

How Does Jem Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

...Growing up is a major struggle for many as it is a time where one loses their innocence and starts to question their beliefs, values, and morals. Growing up is when one starts to face the harsh realities of society and starts to build an understanding of right versus wrong. In the three years covered by To Kill A Mockingbird Scout, Dill, and Jem grow from being naive, immature, and impulsive to being mature and understanding. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the destruction of innocence is used to depict the characters’ growth and development as well as their new understanding of the injustice in society surrounding race. The destruction of innocence is a major theme which illustrates growth and development within the characters of...

Words: 254 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

To Kill a Mockingbird ( Adaptation Perspective)

...K Mrs. G ENG2D1 6 January 2015 To Kill a Mockingbird: A Excellent Adaptation To Kill a Mockingbird, according to many people is one of the finest books written in modern American Literature, which spreads the honorable message of racial injustice in the 1930’s in an informative and creative way. By showing a family known as “the Finches” experience and face the trials of living in a small Alabaman Town called Maycomb. The book itself was written by Harper Lee, a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist. When the novel was turned to a movie, there were many challenges that the director had to face while turning this classic novel into life. The director Robert Mulligan had to make sure the movie itself is an excellent adaptation of the book within the restrictions of creating a movie such as time limit, audience restrictions, money, and making sure to not replicate the entire book. This is why a book is better in an aspect as there are not as many restrictions to when creating a book compared to a movie. The film and the novel itself has many similarities and differences, however it is upon whether or not the film is a successful adaptation and portrays the theme of racial injustice. This film is a reasonable adaptation as it demonstrates the message of the film using the same context as the book and brings the characters to life in a creative way. There is great screenplay and dialogue amongst the characters which allows the audience to understand the movie thoroughly. However...

Words: 1905 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

How Does Boo Radley Develop And Mature

...Many characters in the novel develop and mature in a unique ways through the novel. Boo Radley who never communicated with other people, Aunt Alexandra who is prejudice to other race and social class, and scout who is young and is not aware of life challenge. As the novel progress the character view of the world changes. Through this essay many question will be answered and many quotes will be presented to support my essay. The primary questions will be “what caused them to grow and mature” and “building block of growth and maturity in to kill a mockingbird”. The essay will explain the journey of the characters in to kill a mockingbird and how they grew and matured. I Everyone in society grows up and develop into a better persons or worse it’s...

Words: 627 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Jem Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

...As a kid, we all want to grow up, so that we can get all the perks that adults do. In order to do so, one must not only mature physically, as in growing taller, but must also mature mentally, in order to be ready for the real world around them. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the protagonist Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout Finch, is described as maturing greatly throughout the novel, physically and mentally. With the help of three essential people, she learns to release the bonds of childhood, and to think of the world around her in a different way, to fight with her head and not her fists, and to meet the demands of society and become a true lady as she grows up and matures, instead of her current tom-boy self. There are many...

Words: 1758 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

How Does Jem Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

..."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. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what"- Atticus Finch. Also courage is a part of growing up but it's the type of courage that determine whether a person matures or evolved from once they once were. In addition, to this in novel To Kill a Mockingbird there are two children Scout and Jem, that experience things a child should never go through. However, by going through a time of Great Depression and dealing with a prejudice town they have evolved from the naive kids they used to be. Except, in this essay it's about who has evolved the most throughout the novel. Therefore, Jem has changed the more than Scout in "To Kill a Mockingbird" because he has proved more mature than Scout. Towards the middle of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem evolves by following Atticus as a role model.For example Jem shows maturing by stating 'I reckon if he'd wanted us to know it, he'da told...

Words: 856 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

To Kill A Mockingbird Theme Analysis

..."To kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence". In Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout narrates the story in first person point of view. The novel shows how growing up in times of depression, racism, and poverty can change an individual or even a society. The story takes places in Maycomb County. The time is set in the early 1930s where poverty and racism plays a major roll in the United States. The tone of the story is very serious and shows the reader a piece of reality. The mood is very sympathetic but the reader may also feel humor from Dill, Scout, and Jim, three of the main characters. The setting plays a major roll in the plot because the racism during that time contributes to the conflicting opinions of...

Words: 902 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Glass Castle And Lord Of The Flies, By William Golding

...Introduction Think back to your childhood, perhaps you remember playing games with siblings or maybe going on a walk with your parents or something fun and happy. And then as you go through life, maybe you realize that playing isn’t as fun and maybe the colors of the earth around you aren’t as vibrant or beautiful as they used to be. That’s growing up, realizing that everything isn’t sunshine and rainbows and not everything works out. In the books The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and the Lord of the Flies by William Golding, kids are forced to mature or grow up because society is unethical. Glass Castle In The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, Jeanette starts as a child who thinks everything is all fun and games and that there is no bad in the world, she thought everything was a fun adventure. One example of Jeanette’s innocence is in the first chapter when she gets set on fire. Instead of freaking out, she jokes around about it and when Rex took her and ran out of the hospital, she thought it was a game. In chapter 2, Jeannette says, “in my mind, Dad was perfect”, even though the reader can clearly tell that Rex is far from perfect....

Words: 677 - Pages: 3