Scout Finch Changes
Everybody changes. It is an almost universal fact. The protagonist in a very famous Southern literary novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird”, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, has changed very much in a span of just three years, certainly a short time to mature. The book starts out with an innocent Scout, 6 years old, and progresses through the common and controversial acts of the Great Depression to 9 year old Jean, very mature in her perception of discrimination and progressing faster than most kids. So, what made Scout become levelheaded so fast? Her interactions with Arthur “Boo” Radley, Mrs. Henrietta Dubose, and Tom Robinson, among other characters, influence Scout and bring upon her crucial maturing through acts related to discrimination and prejudice.
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This influence, however, is not always direct. One instance when it is not entirely within the vicinity of Tom is when the children get harassed by various characters in the book because their father, Atticus, is representing Tom Robinson. Another instance is referenced nicely by Darren Felty in his critique, “Ultimately, Tom Robinson’s trial and death initiate Scout’s early questioning of racist precepts and behavior. She sees the effects of racism on her teachers and neighbors, and even feels the sting of it herself” (300). Felty, inadvertently when writing this, references Scout’s loss of innocence and her mockingbird, a symbol in the book for innocence. Dill even says in the book that it was unfair the way the prosecutor was treating Tom, and was so moved he started crying. Scout’s biggest change, however, occurs after she hears that Tom died. Lee writes “I was shaking and Miss Maudie told me to stop…” (89). This reaction occurs when she hears Tom died. This shows that Scout has truly lost her mockingbird at this point in the story. She is affected mentally so much that she starts shaking. She cannot believe that the hypocrite whites of the town would go so far as to kill an innocent man ruthlessly with seventeen bullets. Tom Robinson’s death has made her mature very quickly in a short amount of time. This stage in the book is when her transformation is
This influence, however, is not always direct. One instance when it is not entirely within the vicinity of Tom is when the children get harassed by various characters in the book because their father, Atticus, is representing Tom Robinson. Another instance is referenced nicely by Darren Felty in his critique, “Ultimately, Tom Robinson’s trial and death initiate Scout’s early questioning of racist precepts and behavior. She sees the effects of racism on her teachers and neighbors, and even feels the sting of it herself” (300). Felty, inadvertently when writing this, references Scout’s loss of innocence and her mockingbird, a symbol in the book for innocence. Dill even says in the book that it was unfair the way the prosecutor was treating Tom, and was so moved he started crying. Scout’s biggest change, however, occurs after she hears that Tom died. Lee writes “I was shaking and Miss Maudie told me to stop…” (89). This reaction occurs when she hears Tom died. This shows that Scout has truly lost her mockingbird at this point in the story. She is affected mentally so much that she starts shaking. She cannot believe that the hypocrite whites of the town would go so far as to kill an innocent man ruthlessly with seventeen bullets. Tom Robinson’s death has made her mature very quickly in a short amount of time. This stage in the book is when her transformation is