E
Jericho
High
School
Name _________________________________________
Date _____________
Ms. Fischer
Literature
To Kill a Mockingbird
Growing Up
Part I of To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on establishing the long history of the Finch family and Maycomb
County. The tales focuses on Scout and Jem's childhood, effectively establishing the small town intimacy of
Maycomb and the innocence of the children. Part II of the novel is about growing up and understanding the
injustices of the world.
Chapter 12 begins: "Jem was twelve. He was difficult to live with, inconsistent, moody" (153). Jem is transition
from childhood into adolescence, a difficult time for anyone, and a time that Scout, at 8, cannot understand.
Scout recounts: "This change in Jem had come about in a matter of weeks. Mrs. Dubose was not cold in her
grave-- Jem had seemed grateful enough for my company when he went to read to her. Overnight, it seemed,
Jem has acquired an alien set of values and was trying to impose them on me: several times he went so far as
to tell me what to do. After one altercation when Jem hollered, 'It's time you started bein' a girl and acting
right!' I burst into tears and fled to Calpurnia" (153).
Scout, still a tomboy in overalls and willing to beat up any foe, does not fall into the rigid gender stereotypes
that often seem so important when one reaches adolescense. Jem, at the tender age of twelve, is suddenly
aware of this pereceived inadequecy.
Then, to make matters worse (as far as Scout is concerned), the adults also recognize that Jem is maturing.
When Scout turns to Atticus at this moment of crisis, Calpurnia says: "'Don't you fret too much over Mister
Jem--'" (153) thereby elevating Jem's status with the honorific "mister." When Scout asks about this, Calpurnia
replies: "'Yeah, he's just about Mister Jem now[...]. I just can't help it if Mister Jem's growin' up. He's gonna
want to be off to himself a lot now, doin' whatever boys do, so you just come right on in the kitchen when you
feel lonesome. We'll find lots of things to do in here'" (153-154).
Jem, who starts to keep himself apprised of political events and reads the newspaper, is growing further and
further from Scout. "In addition to Jem's newly developed characteristics, he had acquired a maddening air of
wisdom" (154-155).
In Chapter 13, Jem continues on his path toward becoming a gentleman of whom Atticus can be proud. When
Aunt Alexandra arrives with a heavy suitcase, Jem gallantly volunteers to carry it in lieu of Calpurnia:
"Calpurnia picked up Aunty's heavy suitcase and opened the door. 'I'll take it,' said Jem, and took it. I heard the
suitcase hit the bedroom floor with a thump" (149).
Still, his gallantry will only go so far. Many tweleve year olds are "positively allergic to [the] presence [of
younger siblings] when in public" (180) and Scout was only permitted to tag along with Jem occassionally
(chapter 14). As Scout says: "His maddening superiority was unbearable these days. He didn't want to do
anything but read and go off by himself. Still, everything he read he passed along to m,e but with this
difference: formerly beause he thought I'd like it; now, for my edification and instruction" (183).
Jem's transformation from childhood to adolescene is slow but steady. He reacts to Dill's sudden arrival (first
misidentified as a snake under Scout's bed) maturely but also in a manner that "broke the remaining code of
our childhood" (187). After greeting their friend, Jem voices an adult concern: "'You [Dill] oughta let your
mother know where you are [...]" (187). Scout would have kept Dill's secret, at least as long as she was able,
but Jem immediately strides to the hallway and calls for Atticus. Jem recognizes that running away from home
is a serious matter and the adults must be notified.
