Jem
Extended Character Analysis
Scoutâs older brother, Jeremy "Jem" Finch, is only nine years old when the novel opens. In temperament, he is more mature and thoughtful than his impulsive younger sister. Initially, Jem acts as both Scoutâs playmate and mentor, often serving as a bridge between her and the adult world. As Jem is four years older than Scout, he has a more nuanced understanding of the prejudice and racism in Maycomb and, as a result, is more emotionally affected by it. Harper Lee uses Jemâs awakening to adulthood to mirror the townspeople's realization of their intolerance. As the novel progresses, Jem begins to retreat from the childish games that he and Scout used to enjoy, becoming moodier and more withdrawn. Despite this increasing worldliness, Jemâs pure admiration for Atticus and intense faith in justice leaves him unprepared for the outcome of Tom Robinson's trial, and he is utterly devastated by the jury's decision. Though Jem feels disillusioned with Maycomb in the aftermath of the trial, he still retains his inner goodness and bravely attempts to defend his little sister against Bob Ewellâs attack. By the end of the novel, Atticus is confident that Jem will eventually be able to move on from his disappointment in the trial and âbe himself again.â
Quotes
- âYou know something, Scout? Iâve got it all figured out, now. Iâve thought about it a lot lately and Iâve got it figured out. Thereâs four kinds of folks in the world. Thereâs the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, thereâs the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes.â
- "It's like bein' a caterpillar in a cocoon, that's what it is. . . . Like somethin' asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that's what they seemed like."
- "That's what I thought, too . . . when I was your age. If there's just one kind of folks, why can't they get along with each other? If they're all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other? 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."
- "Atticus says you can choose your friends but you sho' can't choose your family, an' they're still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge 'em or not, and it makes you look right silly when you don't."
- "Jem wanted Dill to know once and for all that he wasnât scared of anything: 'Itâs just that I canât think of a way to make him come out without him gettinâ us.' Besides, Jem had his little sister to think of. When he said that, I knew he was afraid."
Expert Q&A
Why does Jem's walk change when he enters the 6th grade?
1 Educator Answer
In chapter 6, Scout describes the second grade as being "grim" and mentions that Jem assured her that school would gradually become better by the time she made it to the sixth grade. According to Jem, Scout would not learn anything valuable until she reached the sixth grade. Scout then mentions that her brother went through a brief Egyptian phase that baffled her while he was learning about foreign cultures in school. She says that Jem attempted to "walk flat" by barely bending his arms and legs like the portraits featured in the ancient hieroglyphs. Jem naively believes that the Egyptians hieroglyphs were an accurate depiction of how ancient Egyptians walked and passes his "knowledge" onto his younger sister. Fortunately, Atticus has a sense of humor and tells his daughter to "delete the adjectives" and she would have the facts.
Why does Miss Maudie bake a large cake and two small ones after the trial in To Kill a Mockingbird, and what is Jem's reaction?
2 Educator Answers
Quick answer:
Miss Maudie makes smaller cakes for Dill and Scout and a larger cake for the adults to share. She cuts Jem a slice from the large cake to signify his maturity and understanding of Tom's trial. Despite the kind gesture from Miss Maudie, Jem barely eats his cake because he is bitter about the trial's unjust end. She tries to comfort him by mentioning the people who supported Tom and Atticus throughout the trial.
Miss Maudie is recognizing Jem's movement from adolescence to adulthood with the cakes she has chosen to bake. The small cakes are for the children--they have their own, and won't need to share. Adults, however, expect to share in the communion of spirit and food. She cuts him a slice from the larger cake--the cake which is a coming of age moment for him. A slice of understanding and adult knowledge that come with growing older and wiser. Miss Maudie is paying Jem homage as a "man" in bloom.
In chapter 22 when Jem, Scout, and Dill arrive at Miss Maudie's house and there are only two small cakes, at first they believe that Miss Maudie has forgotten Dill. However, they "understand" when "she cut[s] from the big cake and g[ives] the slice to Jem."
Miss Maudie sees that Jem is old enough to grasp the meaning of what has happened at Tom Robinson's trial. She responds to this by serving him from a "grownup" cake and speaking about the trial with him in an adult manner. Jem is deeply discouraged about the outcome, and Miss Maudie explains that not everyone in Maycomb is corrupt--for example, it was "no accident" that Judge Taylor assigned Atticus to the case instead of the unexperienced public defender.
What does Jem learn after touching the Radleys' house in To Kill a Mockingbird?
2 Educator Answers
Quick answer:
After touching the Radleys' house, Jem learns that Boo Radley may be watching them. Scout notices a shutter move slightly, and Jem hears someone laughing inside, which suggests Boo is amused by their antics. This incident hints at Boo's shy, compassionate nature, foreshadowing his later interactions with the children.
At the end of chapter 1, Dill dares Jem that he won't run up to the Radley's home and knock on their door. After several days of debating, Dill makes a mild concession and dares Jem to touch the side of the Radley home instead of knocking on the door. Jem accepts Dill's dare and ends up racing towards the Radley home, slaps the side of the house, and runs back out of the yard. Once the children are safely on their porch, Scout mentions that they looked back at the Radley home and thought they saw an inside shutter move. Scout describes the shutter's movement as a tiny flick that is almost invisible. The children do not know it yet, but Boo Radley is a shy, compassionate man, who enjoys watching their antics from inside his home.
Jem thinks he hears someone laughing inside the house when he is dared to touch it. There is no indication that the laughter is sadistic - in fact, whoever is laughing seems to be amused. Jem doesn't seem scared when he reports this incident to Scout and Dill. Assuming that Boo Radley laughs, it makes sense that Boo,who has been watching the kids for some time, finds them entertaining. If Boo did not like the kids, there would not have been multiple presents, and later, the saving of their lives.
What symbols could represent features of Jem Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird?
I have been assigned Jem Finch, and I need to use an object, a drawing, or almost anything to symbolize features about Jem. And Than I must write a page long paper explaining what the object/color symbolizes and what it has to do with Jem or a feature about Jem
I need some ideas on what topics or objects I can use to sybolize Jem, I have thought of some like responsibility and leadership, and that is all I have thought of as of now.
Some things that I am looking for are something like a color, item, weather, any specific things that symbolize one of Jems features.
Example:
Red - symbolizies Leadership. -_- I need some help explaining why or how he symbolizes leadership.
2 Educator Answers
Quick answer:
To symbolize Jem Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, consider objects like a sword for protection, weights for responsibility, and a tree for growth. Jem is protective of Scout, responsible as he matures, and experiences significant personal growth. Additionally, a watch symbolizes his responsibility, and the scales of justice reflect his desire for fairness. These symbols capture key aspects of Jem's character.
Here are a few more suggestions that may help you:
When I think about Jem in the story, the first thing that pops into my mind is how protective he is of Scout. There are many examples of this in the book. At the beginning, Jem's excuse for not taking a dare is that he "has to think of his little sister". While an excuse, the fact that the said this demonstrates that he does think of her and the comment isn't entirely out of character. Another example is near the end of the book when he attempts to protect her while they are walking home from the pageant. Symbols that are generally used to show "protection" are things like swords or other weapons.
Another feature of Jem is "responsibility". He grows up a lot in the book. However, right from the beginning, he is given the responsibility of telling Scout what to do and making her mind. Later, he learns more about responsibility as he begins to understand why the black people in the story aren't treated fairly and what can and cannot be done about it. He also begins to understand that the "right" thing doesn't always guarantee a happy ending. A symbol for responsibility might be weights (as in, "he has lots of responsibility on his shoulders").
Finally, another feature of Jem is that he grows. A lot. In the story, he begins as a boy and finishes as an adolescent fast becoming a man. He starts to make his own decisions, and sometimes even disobeys Atticus in doing so. Scout notices that he is "changing" and doesn't have time to act like a kid anymore. This is particularly true right after the trial. At the end of the book, Heck indicates that he would report the death as a murder if it weren't for Boo Radley, and this indicates that Jem is not thought of as a child - he is thought of as a man capable of killing someone. Symbols for growth include trees, leaves, seeds, etc.
Many objects in the story represent Jem.
The watch Atticus lets Jem carry demonstrates responsibility. It is expensive and it is only carried once in a while. A watch is also a symbol of responsibility because people who notice time and try to be punctual are typically responsible.
The pants Jem finds all sewn back together futher represents him. He is the only character who is broken both emotionally and physically in this story and then restored fully. The pants had ripped, but when Jem got them back, they were sewn, however poorly. This might represent Jem's mental anguish over his mother's death and his struggle with puberty or his relationship with a lawyer father. But, each circumstance made him stronger in the long run.
Finally, I would suggest using something that represents justice. Ironically, Jem gets upset with his lawyer father sometimes, but after the jury failed to find Tom innocent after hearing all of the testimony, Jem was bothered by the outcome for a long time. He wanted to see people treated fairly. So, maybe a good item to represent this would be the scales of justice.
Good luck!
In To Kill a Mockingbird, why does Jem doubt his aspiration to become a lawyer?
1 Educator Answer
Quick answer:
Jem yells out "I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, but I ain't so sure now!" because he is annoyed that Atticus has just used an old lawyer's ploy to trick him into admitting that he has been playing a game based on Boo Radley.
This quote is uttered by Jem at the end of Chapter Five after he and Dill have been caught redhanded by Atticus trying to deliver a note to Boo Radley through a side window. Atticus tells them both off very firmly, listing a number of reasons why they should not bother Boo Radley any more. Lastly, he tricks Jem into admitting that he was trying to contact Boo Radley to make fun of him, using questioning techniques that make Jem confess without him realising he is doing so. Note how the chapter ends:
Jem decided there was no point in quibbling, and was silent. When Atticus went inside the house to retrieve a file he had forgotten to take to work that morning, Jem finally realized that he had been done in by the oldest lawyer's trick on record. He waited a respectful distance from the front steps, watched Atticus leave the house and walk toward town. When Atticus was out of earshot Jem yelled after him: "I thought I wanted to be a lawyer but I ain't so sure now!"
It is interesting to note that Jem waits until his father is "out of earshot," not wanting his father to hear his words. Clearly what he says comes straight after he realises how he has been tricked "by the oldest lawyer's trick on record," and as such, his pride is smarting as he realises how easily he was tricked and also how excellent a lawyer his father is. He has just learnt how difficult it is to conceal the truth from his father. He yells the line you quote as a sort of retaliation against his father. By momentarily rejecting being a lawyer, Jem is momentarily rejecting his father while he acts out of anger.
What three events changed Jem in To Kill A Mockingbird?
1 Educator Answer
Quick answer:
Three events that changed Jem in To Kill a Mockingbird are discovering Boo Radley's kindness when his mended pants were left for him, witnessing the lynch mob outside Tom Robinson's cell, and seeing Tom Robinson become a victim of racial injustice. These experiences eroded his childhood innocence and deepened his understanding of courage, loyalty, and the pervasive nature of racism.
Your examples are good ones, but there are more important events that changed Jem.
First, witnessing the trial of Tom Robinson changed Jem in a fundamental way. If you recall, Jem (as well as Scout and Dill) was at the trial. Moreover, since Jem was the older of the three, he really understood what was going on. He was introduced to topics such as rape, physical abuse, and racism.
Second, also related to the trial, when Tom Robinson lost the trial and a charge of guilty was given, Jem did not take it well. It left a scar, to be sure. He knew that the world was not a perfect place and that racism and injustice existed in his hometown. Here is what the text says:
It was Jemâs turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. âIt ainât right,â he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting. Atticus was standing under the street light looking as though nothing had happened: his vest was buttoned, his collar and tie were neatly in place, his watch-chain glistened, he was his impassive self again.
âIt ainât right, Atticus,â said Jem. âNo son, itâs not right.â
We walked home.
Third, another defining experience was when Bob Ewell tried to kill him and Scout. We can say that Jem experienced "evil" first hand.
Finally, if we add another event, then I would say his friendship with Boo Radley. The person he and the other children were most afraid of wound up being a savior figure.
Why did Jem confess to Atticus about the children's activities regarding Boo Radley?
1 Educator Answer
Quick answer:
Jem confesses to Atticus about their activities regarding Boo Radley to protect Boo from getting in trouble for putting a blanket on Scout. Jem realizes Boo risked himself to help them, and the only way to explain this to Atticus and prevent returning the blanket is by being honest about their actions. This moment also signifies Jem's maturity and willingness to do the right thing despite potential punishment.
You are referring to Ch. 8 when Jem tells Atticus all about their activities related to Boo. Jem confesses all of this to Atticus to protect Boo because he does not want him to get in trouble for putting the blanket on Scout.
Atticus wants to return the blanket to the Ridleys, but Jem immediately begins to tell him everything as a result. It does seem a little strange that Jem would confess everything because up to this point he has been very secretive about their game, and even when Atticus told them not to play it, Jem found ways to keep doing so.
"Jem seemed to have lost his mind. He began pouring out our secrets right and left in total disregard for my safety, if not for his own, omitting nothing, knot hole, pants, and all" (Ch.8).
However, that night he recognizes that Boo put himself at risk by leaving the house to come and cover up Scout. He has heard stories about Nathan Radley, but he and Scout have also seen his irrational behavior first hand, and he does not want Boo to get in trouble for doing something nice for them. The only way he can explain to Atticus the threat that Nathan poses and why they cannot return the blanket is to be forthright about all of the kids' antics.
This is also a moment in the book where we see Jem maturing. He chooses to step forward and do the right thing despite the risk of punishment for himself.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, what happened to Jem at nearly thirteen?
2 Educator Answers
Quick answer:
When Jem was nearly thirteen, he broke his arm badly at the elbow. This injury resulted from Bob Ewell's attack on Jem and Scout after the Halloween festival. Ewell sought revenge on their father, Atticus Finch, for exposing him during the Tom Robinson trial. Boo Radley saved the children, but Jem's arm was permanently damaged, though it didn't affect its function.
The first sentence of To Kill a Mockingbird answers this question, but the entire novel elaborates on that answer. Scout, the narrator, begins the story by stating that her brother, Jem, "got his arm badly broken at the elbow." She goes on to explain that the break left a permanent disability, so that Jem's left arm was shorter than his right and hung abnormally at his side with the thumb perpendicular to his leg. The disability didn't affect the arm's function, and Jem was able to play football like the other boys.
As they aged, the two siblings looked back on the events that led to Jem's broken arm. Jem believed the starting point of it all was their attempt as children to draw their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley, out from his house. The reason the stories about Boo are so important in the lives of the Finch children is that, if it hadn't been for Boo, Jem wouldn't have ended up with merely a broken arm. He very likely would have died that night instead.
After the Halloween program at school, Jem and Scout walk home through the woods in the dark. Bob Ewell assaults them. He has threatened revenge on Atticus Finch for defending Tom Robinson and for revealing in court that he, Ewell, was the one who beat Mayella, not Robinson. Although Robinson was unjustly convicted of rape, after the trial the townsfolk treated Ewell with even more contempt than they had before. On the night of the Halloween program, Ewell was drunk and wielding a knife as he followed the children in the woods; he might have murdered both children if Boo Radley had not been there to protect them.
So although the book begins by referring to Jem getting his arm broken, this turns out to be an understatement. What really happened to Jem was that he was assaulted and was the victim of a murder attempt.
What happened to Jem when he was nearly thirteen in To Kill a Mockingbird?
The novel begins with Scout stating that when Jem was nearly thirteen, he "got his arm badly broken at the elbow." She goes on to say that his left arm hung slightly shorter than his right and that Jem was seldom self-conscious about his injury. Scout mentions that she and Jem sometimes look back and discuss the events that lead to Jem's injury. The remainder of the novel tells the story leading up to how Jem broke his arm. When Jem's father, Atticus, defends Tom Robinson in court, he destroys Bob Ewell's reputation. Bob Ewell, the novel's antagonist, seeks revenge on Atticus. At the end the novel, Bob Ewell attacks Jem and Scout while they are walking home from the Maycomb Halloween festival. In the midst of the struggle, Jem breaks his arm. Fortunately, the reclusive Boo Radley saves the children by stabbing Bob Ewell and carrying Jem home.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, why is the line "Jem was a born hero" ironic?
1 Educator Answer
The quote "Jem was a born hero" is found in chapter four when Jem, Dill, and Scout are playing out the story of Boo Radley's life. Since Jem is the oldest, he tends to take control of everything that the children play and how they play it. Therefore Jem is the one who divvies out the parts to the other kids, which Scout begrudgingly accepts.
"I was Mrs. Radley, and all I had to do was come out and sweep the porch. Dill was old Mr. Radley: he walked up and down the sidewalk and coughed when Jem spoke to him. Jem, naturally was Boo: he went under the front steps and shrieked and howled from time to time" (39).
Since Scout is the only girl, then, she has to play Mrs. Radley and ends up with little to do but sweep and scream. Dill, on the other hand, "was a villain's villain" (39) and gets to play Mr. Radley. Therefore Jem gets to play the hero in all of their games, so his assigned role is Boo.
The irony of all this is that Boo is considered the hero and not the villain. With all of the superstitious talk about Boo, and the gossip and the fear of him around town, it would seem logical that Boo is the villain of the story. Mr. Radley should be considered the victim because he gets attacked by Boo with scissors, but in the children's story, Mr. Radley is the villain because he locks Boo away from the world. As a result, Jem, being a born hero, must play the hero; so, Boo becomes the unlikely and ironic hero of the story.
Why did Jem destroy Mrs. Dubose's flower garden? Was his punishment fair?
4 Educator Answers
Quick answer:
Jem destroyed Mrs. Dubose's flower garden because he was angered by her racist insults toward his father. His punishment, reading to her daily, was fair as it taught him about real courage and compassion. By interacting with her, Jem learned to understand her struggles and humanity, reflecting a broader lesson about empathy and the complexity of human nature.
Jem destroys Mrs. Duboseâs flowers because he is angry that she called his father names and he was punished by having to read to her.
When Jem attacked Mrs. Duboseâs flowers, he was reacting to her racism and the townâs. Most people did not approve of his father defending a black man. Jem had been able to keep his head for the most part, but he just lost it with Mrs. Dubose.
Scout gets upset when Mrs. Dubose begins to yell at them. She insults them for being on the street when they should be in school, even though itâs Saturday. She also scolds Scout for wearing overalls. Finally, she turns on their father. Most of the town disapproves of his defending Tom Robinson because he is a black man accused of raping a white woman. Some of them take it out on his children.
âYes indeed, what has this world come to when a Finch goes against his raising?
Iâll tell you!â She put her hand to her mouth. When she drew it away, it trailed a long silver thread of saliva. âYour fatherâs no better than the niggers and trash he works for!â (Ch. 11)
Jem told Scout to keep her head, but this was too much for him. He took her baton and attacked Mrs. Duboseâs flowers. They are the one pretty thing about her, and their presence seems to contradict her words. Basically, he just wants something to lash out at, and the flowers are there and defenseless.
He did not begin to calm down until he had cut the tops off every camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned, until the ground was littered with green buds and leaves. He bent my baton against his knee, snapped it in two and threw it down. (Ch. 11)
Scout panics because her brother usually keeps his head. She worries about what Atticus will say or do. His solution is to send Jem and Scout over to read to Mrs. Dubose every day for a period of time. She sets an alarm and he reads to her until it goes off.
It is not until later that Jem learns why he was sent there.
I wanted you to see something about herâI wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. Itâs when you know youâre licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. (Ch. 11)
Atticus wanted them to understand that there is more to people than there may first seem to be. The punishment may seem harsh, but it was intended to help Jem get a more nuanced understanding of Mrs. Dubose and why she was acting the way she was. She was addicted to morphine, and that made her more vicious.
Atticus wanted Jem and Scout to understand that sometimes people have to fight for what they believe in, because that is what he is doing with Tom Robinson. It is not always easy, but it is necessary and worth it in the end. It is a lesson in the complexity of human nature that young Jem needs to learn.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, why did Jem destroy Mrs. Dubose's flowers? Was his punishment fair?
I definitely believe that his punishment was fair. He had viewed her as a mean and nasty old woman. The act of having to read to her, to go and interact with her, humanized her and taught Jem a lesson in compassion toward his fellow human beings that transcends the boundaries of age differences. When he sees what she suffers through, what her limitations are, he begins to understand her as a person, not a mean old lady. This is a direct parallel to our understanding of Boo. Boo is different, he is mentally challenged, but he is not a monster. So many of the monsters in our world vision are made as such because they are different from us so we view them through a lens of fear. A healthy dose of understanding and sympathy can go a long way toward making us better humans.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, why did Jem destroy Mrs. Dubose's flowers? Was his punishment fair?
On the way to town that morning, Jem and Scout had passed Mrs. Dubose's place, and she was sitting on the front porch. As they passed, she starting hurling insults at them, criticizing them and Atticus. She was pretty rude and caustic; one of the remarks centered around Atticus being a "nigger lover," for taking the case of Tom Robinson. Jem was furious. Normally, he took her comments in stride and brushed them off (she always insulted them when they walked by), but that was too much for Jem. On the way home, when she was inside, he destroyed her flowers in revenge.
Atticus made him go to her house and read to her every afternoon until she died. It was an interesting punishment, to be sure. It might seem a bit drastic, but Atticus was trying to help Jem to see what a strong, "brave lady" she was as she fought against her addiction. Atticus was all about seeing beyond people's exteriors, and looking at them for who they were on the inside, and that is the lesson that he wanted to teach Jem.
I hope that helped; good luck!
What does Jem do to Mrs. Dubose's flowers, and what is his punishment?
In chapter eleven of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem and Scout have an encounter with an old woman who will change Jem's perspective on life. Atticus has agreed to defend Tom Robinson, and opinions in town about that decision are mixed. It is actually a compliment to Atticus that people are upset, because it means they know his character and therefore know he intends to truly defend a Negro rather than just go through the motions as so often happens in these types of cases.
Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose is a cantankerous old woman who sits on her porch and makes a sport out of insulting Jem and Scout every time they walk by her house. She says terrible things about them and their father, Atticus, insulting their heredity and personal hygiene, as well as their father's choice to defend Robinson. For example, she says:
âYes indeed, what has this world come to when a Finch goes against his raising? Iâll tell you!â She put her hand to her mouth. When she drew it away, it trailed a long silver thread of saliva. âYour fatherâs no better than the niggers and trash he works for!â
Horrible as this is, it is a day when she says nothing--is not even on the porch-- when Jem erupts. He has been learning how to be a gentleman and practicing that skill quite diligently, but being insulted by an adult is just too much for him to take, and Scout thinks the only "explanation for what he did was that for a few minutes he simply went mad."
He and Scout had just been downtown, and Scout has a baton she is twirling on the way home. When they pass Mrs. Dubose's house, Jem grabs the batons and thrashes the woman's camellias "until the ground [is] littered with green buds and leaves." Scout is screaming and he screams back at her and finally kicks her in his anger. He snaps the baton in half and storms home. It is an outrageous display of anger, something which Atticus later says he expected from Scout rather than Jem.
Of course Mrs. Dubose knows who committed this act, and she is quick to let Atticus know what happened. Jem's punishment is to go read to Mrs. Dubose for two hours after school every day and on Saturday.
Though Jem does not want to do it, he does, and Scout goes with him. It is an unpleasant experience, but it gets a bit better over time. What they discover later is that Mrs. Dubose was addicted to morphine (for pain) and was courageous enough to want to die without being addicted to anything. Atticus wants his children to see that true courage is not just wielding a gun or performing some great feat of valor. Mrs. Dubose demonstrates courage by defeating her body's cry for the drug to which she is addicted.
Why won't Jem allow Scout to brag about Atticus at school?
1 Educator Answer
In Chapter 10, Jem and Scout are astonished to discover that their seemingly boring father is an expert marksman after he shoots and kills a rabid dog in one shot. After Atticus shoots the dog, Jem is at a loss for words and Miss Maudie tells the children that Atticus earned the nickname Ol' One-Shot as a boy for his marksmanship abilities. Jem then wonders why Atticus never mentioned that he was the best shot in Maycomb, and Maudie essentially tells Jem that his father is too civilized and humble to brag about his God-given talent. Maudie also tells Jem,
"People in their right minds never take pride in their talents" (Lee, 102).
Later that day, Scout tells Jem that she cannot wait to brag to her friends about Atticus's marksmanship abilities, and Jem responds by telling her, "Donât say anything about it, Scout" (Lee, 102). The reason Jem won't allow Scout to brag about Atticus's talent is because he wants to be a gentleman like his father and understands that having the ability to shoot beings is not something to take pride in. After listening to Maudie's explanation, Jem realizes that it is not decorous or honorable to brag about one's talents, and he realizes that Atticus does not take pleasure in killing living beings.
Which quotes show Jem as a protective brother in To Kill a Mockingbird?
3 Educator Answers
Quick answer:
Jem shows that he is a protective brother in To Kill a Mockingbird by saying, "Come on, Scout ... Don't pay any attention to [Mrs. Dubose], just hold your head high and be a gentleman." Jem also supports and comforts Scout when Aunt Alexandria upsets her.
Jem is a protective, compassionate older brother who follows in his father's footsteps by looking out for Scout. Jem proves that he is a protective older brother in chapter 11 when Mrs. Dubose makes several derogatory comments directed at Scout in an attempt to get under her skin. Mrs. Dubose insults Scout's attire and says she will be waiting on tables at the O.K. CafĂŠ if she doesn't change her ways. Jem tries to comfort Scout by saying,
Come on, Scout ... Don't pay any attention to her, just hold your head high and be a gentleman.
Jem knows that Mrs. Dubose makes Scout feel uncomfortable and offers her words of encouragement to calm her nerves.
Jem also proves he is a protective brother by supporting Scout when Aunt Alexandria upsets her. Aunt Alexandra tells Scout that she cannot play with Walter Cunningham Jr. because he is trash. Scout takes offense at her aunt's comments and prepares to argue with her. Before Scout loses her temper, Jem intervenes and calms her down. Scout recalls the situation by saying,
I don't know what I would have done, but Jem stopped me. He caught me by the shoulders, put his arm around me, and led me sobbing in fury to his bedroom.
Once Jem walks Scout to his room, he offers her a Tootsie Roll and has a discussion with her about what makes people different.
The most memorable moment of Jem protecting Scout takes place during Bob Ewell's attack. On their walk home from the Halloween festival, Jem senses that someone is following them and stops several times to listen closely to their surroundings. Once Jem hears the sound of Bob Ewell moving quickly towards them, he yells, "Run, Scout! Run! Run!" Jem not only instructs Scout to flee but defends her from Bob Ewell's attack. Luckily, Boo Radley has been looking after the children and intervenes by coming to their defense.
In Chapter 4, Scout is passing the Radley yard when she notices something shiny coming from the knothole in one of the trees. Scout ends up finding a stick of Wrigley's Double-Mint gum and begins chewing on it. When Jem comes home and asks Scout where she got the gum, Scout tells her brother that she found it in one of the Radley trees. Jem demonstrates his protective nature by saying,
"Spit it out right now!" (Lee 22).
Jem proceeds to yell at Scout for her "dangerous" stunt and tells her that she could have died. Another scene that displays Jem's protective nature and concern for Scout's well-being takes place in Chapter 14. Immediately after Scout and Jem get into a fight, Scout knocks on Jem's door to ask him if he can take a look underneath her bed. Jem does not hesitate to come to Scout's aid, and he goes to the kitchen to grab a broom. Lee writes,
"Jem made a tentative swipe underneath the bed. I looked over the foot to see if a snake would come out. None did. Jem made a deeper swipe" (Lee 86).
Fortunately, there is no snake underneath the bed and Dill Harris surprisingly comes out from his hiding spot.
In *To Kill a Mockingbird*, what quote shows Jem is protective?
At the beginning of Chapter 4, Scout runs past the Radley's yard, and something catches her eye. Something about one of the two live oak trees at the edge of the Radley's yard attracts her attention. Scout finds some tinfoil sticking out of the knot-hole in one of the trees and reaches in to find two pieces of chewing gum. Scout immediately wants to put the sticks of gum into her mouth but remembers that she is in the Radley's yard. When Scout arrives home, she sniffs and licks the gum then crams it into her mouth. Jem returns home from school and asks Scout where she got the gum. Scout tells Jem that it was sticking out from the tree coming home from school and Jem yells at her to spit it out. Jem stamps his foot and says,
"Don't you know you're not supposed to even touch the trees over there? You'll get killed if you!" (Lee 45).
Jem portrays his overprotective nature by telling Scout to spit the "poisonous" gum out and gargle immediately. Jem is still naive and believes that the Radley trees are dangerous, and he was simply looking out for his younger sister.
How does Jem's "Three Eyes" allusion to a fairy tale relate to the theme of To Kill a Mockingbird?
1 Educator Answer
Quick answer:
Jem's "Three Eyes" allusion in To Kill a Mockingbird relates to the theme by paralleling the fairy tale's treatment of the ordinary sister with Maycomb's treatment of black citizens. Just as the middle sister is deemed less important for having two eyes, Tom Robinson and other black citizens are seen as inferior due to their race, highlighting the town's prejudice and inequality.
In chapter 6 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout is having difficulty sleeping because every sound she hears is attributed to Boo Radley. Jem asks her, "Sleep, Little Three-Eyes?" This is an allusion to a Grimm fairly tale about three sisters. In the fairy tale, the oldest sister has one eye, the middle sister has two eyes, and the youngest has three eyes. The oldest and youngest are unkind to the middle sister because she is ordinary with just two eyes. It is the sister with three eyes that pretends to be asleep while she is actually using her third eye to watch the middle sister. Jem calls Scout "Little Three-Eyes" because he knows she's awake when she should be sleeping. He informs her that he'll be going to the Radley place to retrieve his pants, and he doesn't want her to tell Atticus.
It is possible to see a connection between the theme of the fairy tale and one of the themes of To Kill a Mockingbird. In the fairy tale, two of the sisters are mean to the other sister because she is seen as less important. In their minds, she is only worthy of eating their leftovers at mealtime. Consider how the citizens of Maycomb County view Tom Robinson and the other black citizens. They are seen as inferior because of the color of their skin in much the same way that the middle sister is seen as inferior because she only has two eyes.
Jem's definition of the four kinds of folks in To Kill a Mockingbird
4 Educator Answers
Summary:
Jem defines the four kinds of folks in To Kill a Mockingbird as the ordinary kind like themselves and their neighbors, the Cunninghams from Old Sarum, the Ewells who live by the dump, and the African American community. He believes these distinctions are based on social class and race, which create divisions in their society.
What are the four kinds of people in Maycomb according to Scout?
The previous answer is correct. The one who classifies the people of Maycomb is Jem. Here is the quote:
âYou know something, Scout? Iâve got it all figured out, now. Iâve thought about it a lot lately and Iâve got it figured out. Thereâs four kinds of folks in the world. Thereâs the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, thereâs the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes.â
Scout, in the only way she could, asks an innocent follow up question:
âWhat about the Chinese, and the Cajuns down yonder in Baldwin County?â
The point of this discussion is Jem and Scout are beginning to see the social hierarchy of the town. Let me setup the context. When Scout finds out that one of the Cunninghamâs probably wanted to acquit Tom, she wants to invite Walter Cunningham to dinner. Aunt Alexandra expressly forbids this to happen. She looks down on people like the Cunninghams. There is a chain reaction. People like the Cunninghams look down on people like the Ewells, and people like the Ewells look down on Blacks. Such is the way Maycomb works.
Jem and Scout are in the process of growing.
What are the four kinds of people in Maycomb according to Scout?
It is actually Jem who tells Scout about the four different types of people in the world of Maycomb and To Kill a Mockingbird. In Chapter 23, Atticus explains to Jem that it was one of the Cunninghams on the jury who held out for as long as he did before finally giving in and voting Tom Robinson guilty. Jem is amazed to find that this man, who apparently was one of the mob trying to lynch Tom Robinson at the jail, could suddenly turn around and decide to set him free. Atticus explained that you had "to know 'em" first. It was from this talk with Atticus that Jem gained his foresight about different types of people.
"You know something, Scout? I've got it all figured out, now... There's four kinds of folks in the world. There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes."
What are the four kinds of folks in To Kill a Mockingbird, according to Jem?
Jem says there are ordinary folks, people like the Cunninghams and Ewells and Negroes.
Part of growing up is learning how the world works. After the trial, Jem decides that he was worked out the class system in Maycomb that defines the level of power each person has.
Thereâs four kinds of folks in the world. Thereâs the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, thereâs the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes.â (Ch. 23)
By âordinaryâ he means people of the middle and upper class of Maycomb who have enough money to live comfortably and avoid the contempt of the rest of society. The Finches are part of this group, an old family. The Cunninghams are also white, but they are poor yet respectable farmers. This leaves the Ewells on the lowest ladder of the white people.
They were people, but they lived like animals. âThey can go to school any time they want to, when they show the faintest symptom of wanting an education,â said Atticus. âThere are ways of keeping them in school by force, but itâs silly to force people like the Ewells into a new environment-â (Ch. 3)
The Ewells are the cause of the problem with the trial. They consider themselves superior to African Americans like Tom Robinson, even though they are the lowest rung on Maycombâs ladder. Just being white makes them superior to even the most dignified African American.
Scout comments that the Cunninghams are superior to the Ewells, because Walter is "not trash." This is an understanding of the difference between working for a living like the farmer Cunninghams and living off of welfare and hunting like the Ewells. The Cunninghams make an attempt to be a part of society, but the Ewells don't.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Jem define the four different kinds of folks?
This is in Chapter 23. The conversation comes about because Aunt Alexandra has just told Scout that she cannot ever invite Walter Cunningham over because "he--is--trash" (256). Scout is about to explode, but Jem stops her, catching her by the shoulders, putting his arm around her, and guiding her to his bedroom. She is furious. She tells him, "That boy's not trash, Jem. He ain't like the Ewells" (257). This is what leads to Jem's insights about the "four kinds of folks in the world."
He says, "There's the ordinary kind like us and the neighbors, there's the kind like the Cunninghams out in the woods, the kind like the Ewells down at the dump, and the Negroes" (258). Scout forces him to clarify what he means by the four types of people in Maycomb County. They discuss it a while longer, and Jem finally says, "Background doesn't mean Old Family. I think it's how long your family's been readin' and writin'" (258).
The mending of Jem's pants in To Kill a Mockingbird
2 Educator Answers
Summary:
The mending of Jem's pants in To Kill a Mockingbird symbolizes Boo Radley's quiet protection and kindness. After Jem rips his pants on the Radley fence, he later finds them mended and folded, suggesting that Boo is watching over the children and contradicting the town's fearful perception of him.
Who mended Jem's pants in To Kill a Mockingbird?
Boo Radley mended Jemâs pants. There are several reasons we know this. First, we know that Boo Radley was aware of the childrenâs presence. As Boo was always peeking through the window at the children, we can assume he watched them run away. As they run away, Jem loses his pants âDill and I rolled through and were halfway to the shelter of the schoolyardâs solitary oak when we sensed that Jem was not with us. We ran back and found him struggling in the fence, kicking his pants off to get loose. He ran to the oak tree in his shortsâ (Chapter 6). Jem later returns for his pants, and he later tells Scout, ââWhen I went back for my breechesâthey were all in a tangle when I was gettinâ out of âem, I couldnât get âem loose. When I went backââ Jem took a deep breath. âWhen I went back, they were folded across the fence⌠like they were expectinâ meâ (Chapter 7). Jemâs pants were torn and tangled, but when he returns for them, they are folded neatly over the fence, and they are mended. The reader knows who mended them because Jem says, âTheyâd been sewed up. Not like a lady sewed âem, like somethinâ Iâd try to do. All crookedâ (Chapter 7). No one other than Scout, Dill, and Jem knew about the pants. Mr. Radley did not know, or the children would have been in trouble. The only other person there was Boo Radley. Given his interest in the children and the presents he left for them, the crooked stitches and the neatly folded pants reveal to Jem and Scout that Boo mended the pants.
Who mended Jem's pants in To Kill A Mockingbird and why?
In an apparent act of kindness, Boo Radley has mended Jem's pants, which caught on the fencing on the Radley's property.
Because of the Dill's curiosity and penchant for the dramatic, he dares to go onto the Radleys' porch and peep through a loose shutter into the window of their house. Once in the Radleys' yard, Jem and Scout make a saddle of their hands and arms and lift Dill up so he can hold onto the window sill and peer inside. Dill sees little more than a dim light, so the children go around to the back of the house. Jem then sneaks onto the back porch and peers into a window. Suddenly, Scout sees the shadow of a man with a hat that moves toward Jem, but it passes back and goes around the house.
Jem leaps in fear from the porch, holds the gate for Dill and Scout, and then the children run through a collard greens patch. When they hear the blast of a shotgun, the terrified children head toward the fence by the schoolyard that is made of strands of barbed wire. Jem holds the bottom wire up for Scout and Dem to slip through, but when he tries to slip under this wire on his own, his pants become caught in one of the barbs. Unable to free his pants from the clutches of the wire, Jem frantically climbs out of them and runs, leaving his pants behind.
Of course, the neighborhood responds to the shotgun blast. After stepping out of their houses, they stand around trying to determine what happened. Atticus soon notices that Jem is not wearing pants. Quickly, the imaginative Dill fabricates an explanation; however, Dill's story that they were playing strip-poker is a dangerous one. Miss Rachel scolds Dill,
Do-o-o Jee-sus, Dill Harris! Gamblin' by my fishpool? I'll strip-poker you, sir!
Jem amends Dill's declaration, saying that they were only playing with matches, not cards. Still, he has not resolved the problem of the whereabouts of his pants, so Jem sneaks back to the Radleys' late in the night. He finds his pants folded neatly on the fence, mended with erratic and crude stitches, and he retrieves them.
One afternoon, Jem reveals to Scout that his pants were sewn in a crooked manner and folded on the fence as though someone knew he would return.
This is a disturbing thought for Jem. Shortly after this incident, the children discover some twine left in the knot hole of a large tree, so Jem wonders about Boo Radley's apparent surveillance of him and his sister.
Jem's expressions of empathy in "To Kill a Mockingbird."
3 Educator Answers
Summary:
Jem expresses empathy in "To Kill a Mockingbird" through various actions and attitudes. He understands and shares Scout's feelings, comforts her, and grows increasingly aware of the racial injustices in Maycomb. Jem's empathy is also evident when he protects Scout from Bob Ewell and is deeply affected by Tom Robinson's trial and conviction.
How does Jem display empathy in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?
Following the trial, Jem is clearly upset. As he begins to process the injustice that he has witnessed, his sense of empathy extends to the natural world around him. Scout finds a roly poly inside and is about to squish it when Jem stops her, telling his younger sister to go put him outside instead of killing him:
My hand was going down on him when Jem spoke.
Jem was scowling. It was probably a part of the stage he was going through, and I wished he would hurry up and get through it. He was certainly never cruel to animals, but I had never known his charity to embrace the insect world.
âWhy couldnât I mash him?â I asked.
âBecause they donât bother you,â Jem answered in the darkness.
Jem is relating the innocence of this bug to the innocence of Tom. He doesn't want to witness the death of another creature who doesn't deserve to perish. Scout is bewildered, asking him if he is now against killing flies and mosquitoes as well, but Jem stands firm, his stronger sense of empathy now deeply influencing the way he sees the world.
Jem also begins to realize the widespread racism in his town. In chapter 26, Scout asks Jem if he likes Mrs. Gates, and he replies that he has always liked her. Scout is confused about the idea of hating people. She asks Jem why a "nice" lady would have made these comments at the conclusion of Tom's trial:
I heard her say itâs time somebody taught âem a lesson, they were gettinâ way above themselves, anâ the next thing they think they can do is marry us.
Jem's empathy for Tom's situation sends him into a fury, and he tells Scout that he never wants to hear her talk about the courthouse again. Jem realizes that Tom's situation extends to an entire race of people, and particularly in the town he's always loved. His empathy for the injustices blacks suffer, even at the discretion of people he's always considered "nice," is a source of great inner turmoil for a young boy trying to make sense of a deeply conflicting world.
Can you provide examples of Jem showing empathy in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?
Atticus has always taught his children the value and importance of empathyâthe practice of being able to stand in someone else's shoes. Jem comes to learn this lesson well at several points in the story. A good example of this comes in relation to Mrs. Dubose. Jem really does not like the old lady. This is not all that surprising when you consider that she is always screaming foul abuse at Jem and Scout whenever they walk past her house. When she starts insulting Atticus, Jem becomes angry. He actually gets so mad that he hacks off the heads of her flowers.
However, thanks to Atticus's unceasing wisdom and benevolence, Jem comes to understand that there is more to Mrs. Dubose than meets the eye. After being forced to read to her each day as punishment for destroying her flowers, he gains an appreciation for her desperate, heroic struggle against pain and morphine addiction. Beneath the cantankerous, ornery exterior beats the heart of a truly courageous woman.
Can you provide examples of Jem showing empathy in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?
Empathy is the ability to feel and/or share another person's emotions and thoughts. Atticus stresses this notion to Scout and Jem throughout the novel. He encourages them to consider other people's perspectives on things.
At the beginning of Chapter 3, Scout gets into a fight with Walter Cunningham Jr. because she feels he got her in trouble in school. Jem breaks them up and invites Walter to have dinner with them. Some children might not associate with Walter because he is so poor, but Jem understands how this must make Walter feel, so Jem makes it a point to be friendly towards him. To Scout's surprise, Atticus also treats Walter Jr. like an equal.
At the beginning of Chapter 22, Jem is distraught that Tom has been convicted. Jem is upset that Atticus lost. He'd also become emotionally invested in the trial, so his sadness is partially the result of his anger at the injustice and partially the result of the empathy he'd developed for Tom Robinson:
It was Jemâs turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. âIt ainât right,â he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting.
At the end of Chapter 23, Scout and Jem are discussing why certain folks and certain (economic) classes are separated and don't get along. Then, Jem has a revelation. He considers Boo Radley's feelings:
Scout, I think Iâm beginning to understand something. I think Iâm beginning to understand why Boo Radleyâs stayed shut up in the house all this time⌠itâs because he wants to stay inside.
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