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Change In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Maturity often goes hand in hand with change. Whether it is just growing up or learning from one’s mistakes, change brings new perspective that helps people for the better. The main characters in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird go through a series of such changes throughout the story such as losing their innocence, growing up, and coming to the realization of their town’s unfair prejudices. The transition from being innocent and oblivious to more mature and aware is extremely evident in several identities in the novel. The novel approaches the question of whether or not the people of Maycomb need some change and new perspective by dramatizing Scout, Jem, and Dill’s transition from a perspective of childhood innocence. The protagonist, …show more content…

Jem's definition of valor changes as he matures; he gains insight in the world. At the beginning of the novel, he only thinks of bravery as simply touching the Radley’s house, because "in all his life, [he] had never declined a dare”(Lee 13). Jem is quite intrigued and curious about Boo’s life throughout the novel and often finds himself risking everything just to get a better understanding of the complex character. At first, like any young boy, Jem tends to judge a book by its cover, but after months of growing into an understanding young man, he comes to the realization that Boo is not the monster everyone thinks he is. Jem comes to the conclusion that maybe Boo is just as scared of what's outside as the kids are of whats inside the Radley house; “Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time. It's because he wants to stay inside”( Lee 227). Also throughout the trial, Jem shows his interest in the Tom Robinson case. He feels sympathy for the Robinson family and grows to truly understand the extent of how wrong it was for Tom to be found guilty. He shows a lot of emotion when he cries after the verdict was revealed, "It was Jem's turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. ‘It ain't right,' he muttered… ‘It ain't right, Atticus,' said Jem. ‘No son, it's …show more content…

Even though most readers would agree that Dill is the least mature out of all the characters, He still shows small signs of growing up throughout the story. Dill is the essence of innocence in the novel and even though he does not mature as dramatically as Scout and Jem, the change in him is still evident. Dill shows his ability to cope with the trial by telling people he wishes to be a clown when he grows up because,“There ain’t one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I’m gonna join the circus and laugh my head off”(Lee 220). There is a beauty behind that; Dill believes that the only way to avoid dealing with one’s personal heartbreak is to laugh. That in itself is a sign of faint maturity. The fact that Dill goes from fooling around in the backyard of the Finches’ and messing with Boo to being emotionally involved in such a grown up case shows the advancement in his mentality. As the book states, Dill used to get caught up in frivolous white lies as most kids do. He fills Scout and Jem's head with ridiculous stories of his life. Some may even argue that Dill tells these fibs in order to escape the harsh reality that is Maycomb society. According to Scout, "Dill Harris could tell the biggest ones I ever heard. Among other things, he had been up in a mail plane seventeen times, he had been to Nova Scotia, he had seen an elephant, and his granddaddy was Brigadier General Joe

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