Character Analysis: Jem Finch

Character Analysis: Jem Finch

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was written in 1960. The book takes place in a small Alabama town called Maycomb. Jem Finch is a young boy who matures throughout the story. He is submerged into a world of inequality and unfairness. Jem matures throughout the novel because of the experiences he went through; Tom Robinson’s case taught him inequality and how nothing is fair, Boo Radley taught Jem what is right and wrong, and he learned that Maycomb and the world around him is not fair or safe. Jem compares his life in Maycomb to a caterpillar inside of a cocoon. “It’s like bein’ a caterpillar in a cocoon, that’s what it is,” he said. “Like somethin’ asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that’s what they seemed like.” (288). In the beginning of the novel, Jem is nine years old. As we read, we see Jem mature and grow to be thirteen. Jem’s left arm is shorter than hir rightHe becomes more and more like his father, Atticus, as the story progresses. At the start of the novel, Jem’s favorite thing to do is play children’s games with his younger sister, Scout, and his cousin, Dill. Jem is quieter and more reserved than Scout, and has very high standards and expectations for people. When these expectations are not met, he has a difficult time resolving his feelings. He has a tough time understanding what it’s like in someone else’s perspective. Atticus shared some advice to Scout that I think applies to Jem also. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee 39). Jem plays a key role in To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the entire novel, you see Jem come of age and mature. He plays the role of Scout’s playmate and protector when they were younger. As he matured he started to take on the responsibility of teaching her how to do things as she gets older, such as teaching her to respect her elders and what to do in school. Jem represents the theme of innocence, along with the other children of the story, as well as showing the discrimination that is dominant in adults through child’s eyes who is beginning to understand the world around him. He also represents the theme of teaching morals, and how Atticus taught him to seek justice. He starts to understand how people think and how their actions reflect their thoughts. "If there's just one kind of folks, why can't they get along with each other? If they're all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other? Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time. It's because he wants to stay inside." (Lee 240).