Jem's Transformation In To Kill A Mockingbird

When reading books it is quite enthralling to observe how essential just one character can be. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the character Jem is Scout’s (the main character's) older brother. Jem is short for Jeremy, Jeremy Atticus Finch. Jem starts the book as a 10 year old and the story concludes when he’s 12. Jem was a very likeable character who had a great influence on the story, his change/progress was interesting to witness as a reader. Jem has several remarkable experiences that would change his views for the rest of his life. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem first shows his respect and Patience for Scout, his new opinions, and then his growing maturity and composure.

The story begins with another summer in the Finch household, in Maycomb, Alabama. Following this, Jem, Scout and their friend Dill all play together. Jem and Scout are very close, they went everywhere together. The
This is especially noticeable on Halloween. Lee states, “Be quiet” he said, and I knew he wasn’t joking...Jem knew as well as I that it was difficult to walk fast without stumping a toe...and I was barefoot” (Lee 260-261) This scene demonstrates how well Jem reacted. Jem knew more was going on than Cecil Jacobs teasing, however, he kept calm and did what he thought best to protect his sister. At the same time he was careful not to hurt her. In the beginning of the book Scout later says, “I maintain the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it all started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out,” (Lee 3). When Jem’s arm is broken by the end on Halloween, there’s no account that Jem and Arthur (Boo) Radley talked at all. However, from this we can infer that Jem was well over all of the suspicion surrounding Boo and was very grateful to