Jean Louise Finch is the perfect candidate to discuss in a coming-of-age paper. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is called a bildungsroman, which means that the protagonist goes through character building experiences such as rites of passage. Scout's character development definitely grows as one life experience builds upon the other. It seems that as each chapter passes, Scout learns a new lesson on proper moral behavior, the ways of the world, and how to treat other people with respect. Hence, almost any chapter would show an experience that helps Scout to learn about becoming an adult. But there is one specific instance when Scout stops learning about how to behave or think like an adult and she proves it.

The first time Scout shows that she understands a difficult situation and acts accordingly is in chapter 24 when Aunt Alexandra is hosting a missionary tea party and Atticus comes home with news that Tom Robinson is dead. The ladies have just been listening to indirect racist comments about the trial and Atticus, so tensions are high. Scout's usual response is to vocally or physically react to people who challenge her family, but she can't do that in polite company with older adult women, of course. Both Scout and Aunt Alexandra almost can't go on as they sit in the kitchen taking a break from the women in the living room. Miss Maudie rallies them back to their senses so they can go back out to their company. Scout says the best coming-of-age comment:

"After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I" (237).

With this comment, Scout passes cookies politely and acts like a proper lady. This is significant because Atticus, Calpurnia, Uncle Jack, Jem, and Aunt Alexandra have all worked with Scout to behave more like a lady than a tomboy; and, she figures out when different times call for different behavior.

Thesis Statement Examples:

1-  Jean Louise Finch demonstrates what it means to behave like a lady when she wears a party dress, attends Aunt Alexandra's tea party, and controls her temper and emotions in the face of adversity.

2-  Jean Louise Finch shows that she has reached a pinnacle in her coming-of-age story when she attends a ladies' tea party, wears a dress, and properly behaves by controlling her temper and emotions in the face of adversity.