Jem
Written by Cameron, Morgan, Steffen, Victor
Have you ever heard of someone being accused of a crime, have evidence that it was not him, and still be convicted? Well, this actually happens in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Jem is a dynamic character whose motivations change throughout the story and who fights the ways of his community. The following paragraphs will explain Jem throughout the book.
Jem is a dynamic character in To Kill A Mockingbird because he changes throughout the book. For example, at the beginning of the book, Scout and Jem are best of friends. In the first summer that Dill came they played together every day. Later, in the middle of the book, Jem starts to mature and stray from Scout. Scout describes the way he acted towards her, “Jem was twelve. He was difficult to live with, inconsistent, moody,” (Lee 115). She goes on to say she cannot understand why he has changed so much. He starts to impose rules on her and tells her to be more of a woman. Scout thought about how just a month ago they were having fun and wrestling like two boys. Later Jem changes again, but this time he starts to become best friends with Scout again. For instance, Scout gets laughed at when she messes up the play, but Jem comforts her and tells her it is okay (227). For these reasons, Jem is a dynamic character.
Jem’s motivations change throughout the story. From this it is possible to infer that he goes with what he feels in his gut. For example, in the beginning of the book, Jem becomes friends with Dill, the new kid in the neighborhood. Although Dill only visits in the summer they were best friends during that time (7). Second, in the middle of the book Jem does what is right, follows the case evidence, and supports Tom Robinson in the case, even though all of his peers support Mayella Ewell. At the end of the book, Jem fought for his sister’s life, until he was knocked out (262). So you can see, Jem goes with his gut throughout the book. This can lead to him making different types of decisions for different conflicts throughout the book.
Jem is always fighting against the thoughts of his community. At the beginning of the book, Jem fights the community’s description of Boo Radley. Even though everyone says he has probably gone crazy by now, he feels sorry for Boo and is determined to see him (46). Next, the kids accept the gifts in a tree from a stranger, which they later find out was Boo (33). Somebody else in the town fills the hole in the tree with cement, suspiciously to kill the tree. This could be because they did not want Jem to have relations with Boo. Near this time they also try to contact Boo, by putting a note on his windowsill, and Atticus tells them to stop (48). Finally, near the end of the book Boo actually saves Jem and Scout from Mr. Ewell, proving to the kids he was a good person after all, even when the community disgraced Boo (271). Jem was curious and willing to go against the community to get his personal perspective on Boo. This shows that Jem gives people a chance and doesn’t judge them for what they have done, or allegedly done.
In the end, you can see that Jem is a dynamic character because he changes so much as he grows up. Second, you can see that his motivations change throughout the story as he faces different conflicts throughout the book. Last, he is always fighting the ways of his community. Should he go with the flow, or have his own position and stand up for himself? What do you think of Jem Finch, a boy growing up in the south during the 1930's?
Jem is a dynamic character in To Kill A Mockingbird because he changes throughout the book. For example, at the beginning of the book, Scout and Jem are best of friends. In the first summer that Dill came they played together every day. Later, in the middle of the book, Jem starts to mature and stray from Scout. Scout describes the way he acted towards her, “Jem was twelve. He was difficult to live with, inconsistent, moody,” (Lee 115). She goes on to say she cannot understand why he has changed so much. He starts to impose rules on her and tells her to be more of a woman. Scout thought about how just a month ago they were having fun and wrestling like two boys. Later Jem changes again, but this time he starts to become best friends with Scout again. For instance, Scout gets laughed at when she messes up the play, but Jem comforts her and tells her it is okay (227). For these reasons, Jem is a dynamic character.
Jem’s motivations change throughout the story. From this it is possible to infer that he goes with what he feels in his gut. For example, in the beginning of the book, Jem becomes friends with Dill, the new kid in the neighborhood. Although Dill only visits in the summer they were best friends during that time (7). Second, in the middle of the book Jem does what is right, follows the case evidence, and supports Tom Robinson in the case, even though all of his peers support Mayella Ewell. At the end of the book, Jem fought for his sister’s life, until he was knocked out (262). So you can see, Jem goes with his gut throughout the book. This can lead to him making different types of decisions for different conflicts throughout the book.
Jem is always fighting against the thoughts of his community. At the beginning of the book, Jem fights the community’s description of Boo Radley. Even though everyone says he has probably gone crazy by now, he feels sorry for Boo and is determined to see him (46). Next, the kids accept the gifts in a tree from a stranger, which they later find out was Boo (33). Somebody else in the town fills the hole in the tree with cement, suspiciously to kill the tree. This could be because they did not want Jem to have relations with Boo. Near this time they also try to contact Boo, by putting a note on his windowsill, and Atticus tells them to stop (48). Finally, near the end of the book Boo actually saves Jem and Scout from Mr. Ewell, proving to the kids he was a good person after all, even when the community disgraced Boo (271). Jem was curious and willing to go against the community to get his personal perspective on Boo. This shows that Jem gives people a chance and doesn’t judge them for what they have done, or allegedly done.
In the end, you can see that Jem is a dynamic character because he changes so much as he grows up. Second, you can see that his motivations change throughout the story as he faces different conflicts throughout the book. Last, he is always fighting the ways of his community. Should he go with the flow, or have his own position and stand up for himself? What do you think of Jem Finch, a boy growing up in the south during the 1930's?