Jem Finch Dialectical Journal

As a little boy dealing with the death of an old ill-tempered neighbor to the unsettling conclusion of an unfair trial of an African American man, Jem Finch had grown significantly. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the main protagonist’s older brother, Jem Finch faces many challenges that makes him grow. Jem also faces the injustice of Tom Robinson an African American who had been accused of raping a white woman that his father Atticus is defending. During those events Jem’s coming of age develops with conflict, characterization, and mood.

This quote takes place after Atticus has shot a rabid dog that was threatening his children and the neighborhood. Miss Maudie tells Jem and Scout that Atticus was “the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time,” and was called “Ol’ One-Shot.” Jem and Scout are very surprised. The theme raised by this section is modesty. Just because you have a special ability does not mean that you should use it unnecessarily. By not using his unfair advantage, Miss Maudie figures Atticus is “civilized in his heart.”

Scout (Jean Louise)- Jean Louise (more commonly known as Scout) is introduced to us as a young six year old girl who is innocent, but intrigued in the world. “‘If you shouldn’t be defendin‘ him, then why are you doin’ it?’ ‘For a number of reasons,' said Atticus. 'The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.’ ‘You mean if you didn’t defend that man, Jem and me wouldn’t have to mind you any more?’ ‘That’s about right.’ ‘Why?’” (Lee 78). This shows that Scout is determined to learn as much as possible about the world.

Jean Louise Finch ‘Scout’ is a headstrong young girl who narrates the novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, set in the fictitious County Maycomb over the span of three years. She is often found sporting dirty overalls or breeches and possesses a rather tomboyish personality, much to her aunt’s dismay. It says, “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire... When I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants.”(Page 90)

¨It was times like these when I thought my father hated guns and had never been to any wars , was the bravest man ever lived¨ Children grow up, they face difficult problems and they are learning how to grow up and be mature and responsible for their actions in the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee it shows how 2 kids that are the main character grew up in the past couple of years. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee She shows how Jem Finch has changed in the last 3 years. In the beginning of the book Jem finch is a childish kid who is very immature and does really care about anything but himself.

1.We never understand a person until we climb into his skin and walk around in it.

Modesty is one of the most important values emphasized in the novel. The first character who is exceptionally modest is Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is fifty years old and feeble, according to the narrator Jean Louise Finch (Scout). They believe that all he is good for is reading and doing boring office work. On one normal day during the summertime, Atticus had to show off some of his skills, which took the children aback; he shot a dog in one try. Jem was speechless; after several attempts to work up the courage to ask his dad what had just happened, Heck Tate started to ask, “‘Didn’t you know your Daddy’s-’” “‘Hush, Heck’” Atticus had politely stopped Heck from finishing his sentence (Lee 128). This shows Atticus values modesty because he cut off Heck before he could go on talking about his unfair advantage over nature, his shooting skills. In fact, Atticus is so modest, he did not even want somebody else gloating over his skills, even to his own children. Another character who values modesty is Miss Maudie Atkinson, their neighbor across the street. After Atticus had shot the dog, Jem was all butthurt that he did not know anything about it. While they were at Maudie’s, Jem and Scout were going on and on about how he could not believe that Atticus could actually do something like that. With this, Miss Maudie simply replies with, “‘People in their right minds never take pride in their talents’” (Lee 130). With this, readers can see that Miss Maudie values modesty because

"I try to give 'em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason... in the clutches of whiskey - that's why he won't change his ways. He can't help himself, that's why he lives the way he does... they could never understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to live" (Lee 268).

One of the most prominent character traits that Atticus tries to teach Scout and Jem is honesty. During the Robinson case, Atticus

The book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and the book Mississippi Trial, 1955 by Chris Crowe are two different books surround by the same ideas. To Kill a Mockingbird is a book about a girl named Scout, whose dad, Atticus, is a lawyer, who tries to win a case defending an innocent black man. Atticus does not win the case and Scout starts to learn about injustice and what went on at that time in the South. Mississippi Trial, 1955 is about a boy named Hiram, who lives in the South with his grandpa because his parents are too busy working. His grandpa represents the South in the book and Hiram’s dad represents the North, and Hiram has a stronger relationship with his grandpa and did not really like his dad then. After the trial involving a

1. A young girl named Scout lives in Maycomb, Alabama with her older brother Jem, and her father Atticus. Atticus, a lawyer, takes on a rape case concerning a Negro named Tom Robinson and a white woman named Mayella Ewell, as Tom’s defense. Many of Maycomb’s residents didn’t appreciate Atticus representing a Negro and Atticus was, as their cousin Francis put it “Nothin’ but a nigger-lover!” (Lee 83). In court Atticus disgraces Bob Ewell, by proving him a liar. Tom was found guilty and was shot trying to escape. Bob launches a personal vendetta onto anyone connected to the case. He attacks the children, injuring Jem, and inadvertently killing himself.

There are a very few people who cover up their accomplishments, but Atticus is one of these people. When Atticus was young, he was the deadest shot in all of Maycomb county. To most other people this would be something to brag about for a long time, but Scout and Jem don't even find out about it until Atticus has to shoot a mad dog. When Atticus and Mr. Heck Tate were debating who should take the shot at the dog, Mr. Tate said, “...look where he is! Miss and you'll go straight into the Radley house! I can't shoot that well and you know it!” (96). Atticus has a great talent, but he chooses to not use it till he has to. Atticus does not take pride in this talent, because it is something he did not accomplish himself, it was given to him.

Numerous people prove their points through other things such as books, songs, etc., so they could be heard by others. “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a great example, considering the story’s plot and the many characters that represent it. Harper Lee wrote about was racism and how it affected people, using symbolism to help readers know what racism was like in the country back then so it wouldn’t happen again in the future.

My brother Jem got his arm badly broken when he was thirteen. Luckily, his no-good arm doesn't interfere with his mad football skills, so he didn't care that much.

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the reader follows Scout Finch through her childhood for several years. In this time, we see her grow, change and mature. There are also many examples of other characters who are immature and childlike, and those who are grownup. These characters are grownup in how they try to be understanding of people, don’t take part in gossip, and take responsibility for their actions instead of blaming others.