In the beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem's priorities seem to consist of following through on dares and sharing tales about Boo Radley. However, we see gradual growth in Jem as the novel progresses. For example, in chapter 2, Jem begins to distance himself from Scout during school. He explains, "We’ll do like we always do at home, but you’ll see—school’s different."
Another sign of Jem maturing is evident in chapter 8 after the destruction of Miss Maudie's house. After discovering that Boo Radley somehow placed a blanket around Scout's shoulders while she stood in the cold, Jem begins sharing some of their secrets with Atticus. Regarding Boo Radley, Jem says, "He ain’t ever hurt us, he coulda cut my throat from ear to ear that night, but he tried to mend my pants instead." His words show growth in his views on Boo.
Chapter 12 involves Calpurnia referring to Jem as "Mister Jem," which does not impress Scout. Scout feels that "in addition to Jem’s newly developed characteristics, he had acquired a maddening air of wisdom." This thinking is in response to Jem's explanation of why Atticus is featured in a cartoon in the newspaper. Jem explains that the cartoon is actually a compliment of Atticus because it shows that "he spends his time doin‘ things that wouldn’t get done if nobody did ’em."
After Tom's trial, Miss Maudie invites the children in for cake. There are two small cakes for Scout and Dill. She cuts a slice from the big cake, however, for Jem. Miss Maudie's actions send a message that she is treating Jem like a young man. Jem asks, "Who in this town did one thing to help Tom Robinson, just who?" His question provides evidence that he is mature enough to see and question the problems in a racist society.
At the beginning of the novel, Jem is an immature, naive child, who fears their reclusive neighbor Boo Radley. In chapter 1, Jem gives his animated description of their "malevolent" neighbor. Scout says,
"Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time" (Lee, 13).
In chapter 2, Jem again displays his childhood innocence by attempting to explain Miss Caroline's new way of teaching to Scout. However, Jem's explanation is completely wrong; he tells Scout:
"I’m just trying to tell you the new way they’re teachin‘ the first grade, stubborn. It’s the Dewey Decimal System" (Lee, 15).
As the novel progresses, Jem begins to mature and develop into an understanding, sympathetic boy. In chapter 14, he attempts to ease the tension between Scout and Aunt Alexandra by saying,
"Scout, try not to antagonize Aunty, hear" (Lee, 139). He elaborates on his reasoning by telling Scout, "Naw, it’s—he’s [Atticus] got a lot on his mind now, without us worrying him" (Lee, 139).
In the next chapter, Jem once again displays his maturity by loyally refusing to leave Atticus when the Old Sarum bunch surrounds him. When Atticus tells Jem to go home, Jem refuses to leave the scene. Scout says,
"We were accustomed to prompt, if not always cheerful acquiescence to Atticus’s instructions, but from the way he stood Jem was not thinking of budging" (Lee, 154).
Following the Tom Robinson trial, Jem loses his childhood innocence and becomes jaded with Maycomb's racism. However, he gains sympathy for innocent, defenseless creatures. In chapter 25, when Scout is about to squash a harmless bug, Jem stops his sister. When Scout asks why she is not allowed to squash him, Jem says,
"Because they don’t bother you" (Lee, 242).
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