Growing up Young
Mackenzie Morton
As people grow in life, they mature and change and leave childhood behind. The main character matures as the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee continues. In Lee's novel it is evident that maturity and leaving ones childhood behind comes from one’s experiences and not from one’s age. The author shatters the perception of innocence as a lifelong treasure and praises the establishment of maturity within the community. Set in the deep south of America during the era of the Great Depression, the novel portrays Jem and Scout Finch as children who experience profound maturity and ‘loss of childhood’ in response to the behavior of Maycomb’s residents , gaining responsibility , and the prejudice and injustice in Maycomb County,
Clearly Scout may or may not be a lover, but she’s definitely a fighter and at the beginning of the novel, Scout is presented with challenges to her moral strength. At the beginning of the novel, fighting is her solution to everything; she goes after Walter Cunningham after she gets in trouble on his behalf , she beats up Dill , and she kicks a member of the lynch mob when he grabs Jem. While Scout doesn’t she a problem with her fighting ways , Atticus sees otherwise, And the time Cecil Jacobs impudently confronts her about Atticus defending "niggers" Scout alternatively uses her head instead of her fists ;one of Atticus’ lessons about the futility of brute strength. She thinks, "I was far too old and too big for such childish things..." (Lee, Pg. 82). These experiences leave Scout's first sign of maturity floating to the surface as she tolerates the horrid behaviors of some of the Maycomb Residents.
One can see growing up means taking on more responsibility and having the ability to distinguish right from wrong. Dill runs away from home and was found hiding under Scout's bed, Jem repeatedly suggests notifying someone immediately under the circumstances. While Jem retrieves Atticus,...