To Kill a Mockingbird

“To Kill a Mockingbird” Jem and Scout reside in the quiet and small county of Maycomb, Mississippi. Like any other child, the two siblings enjoy playing outdoors. Over the course of time life experiences have big influences on the maturation of Jem and Scout mentally, emotionally as well as physically too. Jem changes from a young boy to a young man. Scout enters the story as an innocent young girl only to re-emerge as a young woman. Jem rapidly progresses from a child to a young adult. Early on, he continuously professes his demand for a gun to his father, Atticus. Jem also constantly pesters his father to play sports with him, but to no avail. However, as time passes his childish pestering gradually decreased to a point where Jem does not even want to be seen in public with his sister Scout. Idolizing his father, Jem attempts to garner the attention of his father as well as appear mature, through many methods. In one such attempt, Jem happily states his lightly growing chest hair as in “He unbuttoned his shirt, grinning shyly…‘well it’s hair’” (Lee 225). Whether it may his unwillingness to be with Scout in the open, the growing chest hair or bossy moments Jem continues to mature physically and mentally, as he grows older. Scout was originally what one may define as a “hothead,” for her unruly temper. Even on the first day of school, despite lacking proper provocation Scout starts a fight. Over the course of “To kill a mockingbird,” Scout becomes involved in countless other conflicts, most being in the fighting category. As a result of her short tempered behavior, Scout has often been scolded by her maid, Calpurnia, aunt, and her father. “She asked me to tell you, you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman you are” it is in this quote which shows one of the many instances of Scout being scolded by her aunt Alexandra for not acting “ladylike” (Lee 133). While Scout somewhat remains a tomboy, her temper is smoldered as a result