How Is Jem Broken Down In To Kill A Mockingbird

  1. IPL>
  2. How Is Jem Broken Down In To Kill A Mockingbird
right-arrowbulb-icon
Wait a second!

More handpicked essays just for you.

close-icon

Symbolism in the things they carried literary criticism

Read ESSAY 1

The use of symbolism in the novel

Read ESSAY 2

Inquiry essay on symbolism

Read ESSAY 3shield-img

Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.

Start your $7 for 7 days trial now!search-imgsearch-imgFIND MY ESSAYHow Is Jem Broken Down In To Kill A Mockingbird464 Words2 Pages

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird we learn about how Jem’s innocence is broken down from the beginning to the end of the story. These examples are shown throughout the course of the trial and Jem and Scout’s adventures in the book. One example of his innocence being broken down is when we learn Tom Robinson is convicted of rape even though all the evidence showed that Mr. Ewell had abused Mayella and convicted Tom for revenge. In chapter 21 Scout even points out how Jem was offended by how the trial ended, “Judge Taylor was polling the jury: "Guilty... guilty... guilty... guilty..." I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each "guilty" was a separate stab between them.” This example …show more content…

At this moment Jem realized not all things worked out perfectly and that there was so much bad in the world to ruin the lives of others. Another example of Jem’s innocence being broken down is when Nathan Radley closed up the hole in the tree. When Jem and Scout had discovered that Nathan Radley was closing the hole in the tree because “it was sick” they were conflicted on whether he had told the truth. When Jem had asked Atticus if you close the hole on a tree when it’s sick and he replied with a no, Jem was struck with the realization that Nathan Radley had lied to them so they wouldn’t receive any “gifts” from the tree. It even states in chapter 7 how Jem reacted, “He stood there until nightfall, and I waited for him. When we went in the house, I saw he had been crying; his face was dirty in the right places, but I thought it odd that I had not heard him.” Jem was physically broken from the truth and was confused with why Nathan Radley had done that. As a child Jem thought only the truth was told by everyone, so when this happened he was hurt that someone would do such a

Show MoreRelated

Gem Courage Quotes

658 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the story, Jem (taken from the word gem meaning a cherished and prized person) is used by Harper Lee as a representation of courage. In the beginning, Jem’s first act of courage occurs when Jem accepts Dill’s provocation to go and touch the Radley house. In the story, Scout says, “In all his life, Jem has never declined a dare” (Lee 16). This quote shows how Jem would never demur any sort of challenge, even if it involved stupid or childish acts like going to a forbidden place. Scout also shows how Jem even accepted a dare from her to jump off the roof of the house as a kid.

Read More

How Does Maudie Show Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

1238 Words | 5 Pages

In chapter 23, Jem is talking to Scout and Atticus about what is going to happen to Tom. Atticus explains to them that Tom could possibly “go to the chair,” if he loses his appeal (219). Atticus goes on to explain how he agrees with the laws on rape, but a jury should not give the death penalty for “circumstantial evidence” (219). Later in the conversation, Jem states that he believes that they should “do away with juries” (220). This shows that he wants to understand the system and what his father does, but he can not wrap his head around the idea that a jury convicted an innocent

Read More

How Does Jem Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

811 Words | 4 Pages

After Atticus loses his trial, Jem notices that the Maycomb County justice system is broken and it needs help, “Then it all goes back to the jury, then. We oughta do away with juries. ”(294) This shows that Jem now understands that people are racist in everything and racism needs to be fought. On top of realizing that the justice system is in shambles, Jem realized that Tom Robinson’s case was very good at showing that.

Read More

How Does Lee Use Foreshadowing Symbolize In To Kill A Mockingbird

1373 Words | 6 Pages

Jem's realization that the outcome of the trial

Read More

Scout Finch Coming Of Age Analysis

503 Words | 3 Pages

After Tom Robinson’s verdict was guilty, Jem started to throw a fit because he knew that everyone knew Tom was innocent but didn’t understand that white men basically always won in court. He realized with his age that everyone says people are equal but that’s false. Through Jem’s life lesson, he loses his innocence by him seeing the world for how it truly is and not a perfect as he thought it was when he was a kid. This loss of innocence shows coming of age as Jem is now aware of the world around.

Read More

Jem's Changes In To Kill A Mockingbird

733 Words | 3 Pages

The best teacher is always experience. Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem, one of the main characters, undergoes many significant personality changes. Jem’s character changes through several experiences, the most prevalent of those being when Jem turns twelve, when he destroys Mrs.Dubose’s flower bed, and when he learns of the town’s racial bias. Jem’s personality underwent significant changes when he turned twelve years old. His new behavior was noticed by Scout, who described him as,”...

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird How Has Jem Changed

844 Words | 4 Pages

There were many personally impactful events happening in the town, like the rape trial, a neighbor’s house burning down, and new opinions coming to light. Jem could have learned a great deal from this because he was such a big part of society considering his dad was the lawyer for a black man, and he also could have been accused for killing Bob Ewell. As Atticus says in the novel, “‘Heck, ...‘If this things hushed up it’ll be a simple denial to Jem of the way I’ve tried to raise him” (Lee 314). Atticus was watching out for Jem because he didn 't want for him to be treated differently, he knew he was changing and was starting to understand what happened to Boo Radley. Boo was seen as a reckless child, so that 's how he got his reputation, and Atticus doesn’t want them to be seen in a bad way.

Read More

How Does Jem Change In To Kill A Mockingbird

520 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Scout 's perception of courage drastically changes their behavior as they mature. They learn a lot about courage throughout the novel from their father Atticus and what they learn from him influences their choices and opinions. Although Jem is older than Scout, they both experience change in their behavior. At the beginning of the novel, Jem is still a young boy. He is defiant towards Atticus, he plays all the usual childhood games with Scout and Dill, and he engages in the younger children’s obsession with Boo Radley.

Read More

Theme Of Maturing In To Kill A Mockingbird

1240 Words | 5 Pages

Jems opinion on life changes a lot through the Tom Robinson case. He learns that people aren't treated equally just by the color of their skin. From this quote it shows just how much Jem cares about people's equality and how he's maturing. After the case and Tom Robinson's death Jem doesn't do anything to anybody or anything that doesn't deserve it. Like this incident in the story, A rolly polly has crawled in the house by Scouts bed she was going to smash it

Read More

How Do People Shape Children In To Kill A Mockingbird

743 Words | 3 Pages

Children are very impressionable people. Almost everything around them changes them in some way. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the main characters, Scout and Jem, start out as little kids who spend their days making up stories and playing sill games. Then their dad, who is a lawyer, takes on a case defending a black man who has been charged with rape. Since they live in Alabama, The whole family has to absorb some pretty ugly things, which forces Scout and Jem to grow up quickly, and it gives them a different and more mature view of the world.

Read More

Ignorance In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

3173 Words | 13 Pages

During Jem’s initial characterization, his arrogance in the terms of social, political, and racial morals are shown. The main reason for this naiveness was he had not witnessed any true prejudice actions yet. This changed when Jem first witnessed the true discrimination of the Tom Robinson trial. In the beginning of the trial, “Jem smiled. ‘He’s not supposed to lean, Reverend, but don’t fret, we’ve won it,’ he said wisely.

Read More

Theme Of Coming Of Age In To Kill A Mockingbird

1138 Words | 5 Pages

This is when he went out of control and lost all of the maturity he had. He could no longer take Mrs.Dubose’s insulting comments. This was a terrible decision yet others would have been tempted to do the same thing. As a punishment, Jem is forced to read to

Read More

How Is Boo Radley Portrayed In To Kill A Mockingbird

822 Words | 4 Pages

Jem, a young and smart boy develops and matures through many unique situations in the novel. Jem is exposed to the harsh belief, judgement and circumstances of the court at a very young age. Following his father, Jem involves himself in the trial between Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell yet takes Tom’s side due to his father's involvement. Jem slowly loses faith in the justice system and is faced with a loss of innocence as explained by Scout“It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Theme Essay

715 Words | 3 Pages

To Kill a Mockingbird is a book mainly about the coexistence of good and evil. The book stresses and emphasizes on the exploration of moral nature in humans. There are many themes in this novel including courage, innocence, racism, femininity, etc. However the most prevalent theme in the book is innocence. Not just innocence in itself but the danger and harm evil poses to the innocent.

Read More

Theme Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

747 Words | 3 Pages

In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem Finch goes through change and his innocence of the world is lost as the book progresses. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem loses his innocence when he stops playing games with Scout and Dill. As Dill and Scout would play in their tree house, Jem would not want to come play with them. Jem didn’t think they were cool.

Read More

More about How Is Jem Broken Down In To Kill A Mockingbird

  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Harper Lee
  • Atticus Finch
  • Truman Capote
  • White people
  • Black people
Open Document

Tag » How Is Jem A Mockingbird