How Does Jem Change In To Kill A Mockingbird

Forging in the Midst of Order, Creating Chaos, and Revealing Changes

“I think there are just one type of folks. Folks” ( Lee 231) says Scout, an eight-year-old girl filled with curiosity, innocence, and an open mind in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee portrays her views through Scout, who has not experienced the world and believes that each person, regardless of their character, race, or class, has the right to be treated equally amongst all. This does not occur in Maycomb, the small Alabama town in which Scout resides, and although she thinks that everyone is equal, Scout’s journey in life makes her realize that this is not true. Without trying to, Scout, with her brother Jem and close friend Dill, changes how other people think.
Harper Lee displays the tension between the people of Maycomb because of their thoughts. Affected by discrimination, Maycomb’s society faces controversies after turmoil arises. As a result of their relationship with the townspeople, Jem, Scout, and Dill, change the way the people of Maycomb see each other.
The way the people of Maycomb see Boo Radley improves throughout the novel. Jem describes Boo Radley as a monster who “dined on raw squirrels and cats...his hands were blood-stained...what teeth he has were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped” (16). Although most of the community views Boo as a killer and a “malevolent phantom” living inside a closed, eerie house, he is revealed as a generous character over the course of To Kill a Mockingbird (10). When the three children explore to seek Boo, they are almost caught so, they run away from the Radley Place, leaving Jem’s ripped pants behind. Boo kindly mends and sews Jem's pants revealing his acts of generosity. In addition, Boo is the person who saves Scout’s life and helps Jem when Mr. Ewell tries to murder the two children. Risking his life, he goes out in the dark to help the kids, forever changing how they and others see him. Heck Tate, the police officer in Maycomb, is awed with Boo’s courage, demonstrated by that rescue. Tate defends him, respecting his reserved personality when he says, “the one man who has done you [Atticus] and this town a great service an’ draggin him with his shy ways into the limelight - to me, that’s a sin” (369-370). Furthermore, Atticus has deep appreciation and high regard towards Boo Radley because of his life-saving acts: “Thank you for my children, Arthur” (370). The children, Heck Tate, and Atticus greatly value Boo Radley’s benevolence towards the society.
Jem, Dill, and Scout change other members of the town of Maycomb when they challenge the mob.
The children check on Atticus to see if he is safe while trying to protect Tom Robinson from the mob. Atticus pleads for Jem to take Scout and Dill home, but Jem refuses, as a result, the mob gets angry and one of the men “grabbed Jem roughly by his collar… nearly off his feet” (203). Scout stands up and exclaims, “‘Don’t you [a man from the mob] touch him [Jem]!’” she then “kicked the man swiftly” (204). Surprisingly, Scout starts to converse with Mr. Cunningham about his son, Walter. She makes him realize that she and her father are good people like Mr. Cunningham. As an effect of this change in thought, Mr. Cunningham leads the mob to leave, leaving Tom Robinson unharmed. Scout causes a change in the perspective of Walter Cunningham, who leads the mob to leave without causing violence. Her innocence and open heart made Cunningham realize what he was going to do, harm another innocent, Tom Robinson. “So it took an eight-year-old child to bring ‘em [the mob’s] senses” to understand not to harm one who is not guilty, and this is exactly what Atticus believes as well (210). As stated previously, Jem, Dill, and Scout save their father, Atticus, and Tom Robinson from the harmful mob. Occurrences of chaos caused by the children change the behaviors, actions, and thoughts of the
community.
Scout and Dill inspire Dolphus Raymond, another member of Maycomb’s community, to change and reveal his secret. Mr. Raymond was considered “an evil man” to Scout and the society of Maycomb despised him as well (267). Proving this assumption incorrect, Dolphus Raymond is a generous man, who offers help to Dill when he feels sick. He understands the children when he talks to Dill and Scout for the first time: “I know what you mean, boy” (266). Dill feels comfortable with someone with similar thoughts and so he urges Scout to come with him, starting a conversation with the man. Raymond reveals himself saying truthfully that, “I’m not much of a drinker, but you [Dill and Scout] see they [Maycomb’s people] could never, never understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to live” (268). A question that Scout poses is: “Why had he [Mr. Raymond] entrusted us [the children] with his deepest secret?” (268). Showing deep understanding he responded, “Because you’re children and you can understand it” (268). From a “sinful man” (268) to the description of “he was fascinating,” the kids’ perception of Dolphus Raymond changes because he makes himself vulnerable by revealing his secrets, trusting the children with his reasoning. Because Mr. Raymond “had mixed children and didn’t care who knew it,” he portrayed himself as an immoral being (268). Even though he was against society's views, he wanted to live his life with freedom, and this is what he teaches the children. Dolphus Raymond understands the way children think and how they feel, so he gives important advice to Dill and Scout, not to take in everything that others say so bitterly and how to live a free life.
Dill, Jem, and Scout create chaos which is followed by change in Maycomb’s orderly society's morals and ideals. Characters realize and are different as a result of the actions of the children. Filled with curiosity, the three kids bring unexpected chaos to the table, initiating development in society towards equal rights for all. Boo Radley overcomes the obstacle of being viewed as a monster because he uses the opportunities to help Jem, Scout, and Dill, displaying him as a generous man. The mob leaves because of the children changing Mr. Cunningham’s perspective and thought on Scout and Atticus, making him realize that others are good too. Dolphus Raymond reveals his deepest secret to the children because he understands others. Folks are folks and anyone, child or adult, can change the way people think and act.

Work Cited
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird, Grand Central Publishing, 1960.