had so enjoyed. Jem believes Scout should start "bein' a girl and actin' right," and Scout is forced to spend more time by herself and with Calpurnia. Jem's approach into the adult world infuriates Scout, as does his "alien set of values" that he was "trying to impose." But he shows his courage and resolve when he refuses to leaveAtticus alone at the jail with the lynch mob, and Jem becomes far more involved in the trial. His emotional display following the guilty verdict far outweighs Scout's more detached narration, and he seems to be permanently affected by the jury's unfair decision. It prompts Jem considering following in Atticus's footsteps as a lawyer, believing that "We oughta do away with juries." Jem develops his own belief in the social structure of Maycomb, believing that there are four different groups of people, while Scout thinks that "there's just one kind of folks. Folks."

While Scout takes small steps into becoming a lady, biting her tongue while surrounded by the backbiting and hypocrisy from the "ladies" of the Missionary Circle, Jem proudly shows off his newly-grown body hair and makes plans to try out for the football team. At the end of the novel, Jem heroically defends Scout against the murderous clutches of Bob Ewell. Scout, meanwhile, sees both Jem and the neighborhood in a new light: Her fantasy comes true when she finally meets Boo Radley face-to-face, and she escorts him home arm-in-arm after he saves the lives of the Finch children. It is a defining moment for Scout, who finally understands what Atticus meant when

... he said you never really knew a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.  (Chapter 31)

Jem is four years older than Scout, and he displays characteristics which are often typical of oldest children. He doesn't really want his younger sister hanging around him at school, which demonstrates that he wants to maintain a certain distance from Scout publicly and in front of his older friends.

At home, however, Jem and Scout are quite close. Neither has a significant friendship (besides Dill, who visits in the summers) with anyone else their ages. They conspire together, invent games together, and try to solve neighborhood mysteries together. They also look out for each other, trying to make sure that Atticus doesn't catch wind of their schemes. Jem is proud of Scout, which is evident when they meet Dill. Jem brags that "Scout yonder's been readin' ever since she was born." Scout is a tomboy who follows her older brother's guidance, and when he hurts, she feels that pain. After the Tom Robinson trial, Jem withdraws from Scout as he tries to process the injustices he has witnessed. Scout reflects that his odd behavior is "probably part of the stage he [is] going through, and I [wish] he would hurry up and get through it." She misses the intimacy she shares with Jem and wants some normalcy restored to their relationship.

At the end of the novel, Jem protects Scout from Bob Ewell as he stalks them in the woods. As her older brother, he is her loyal protector. Regardless of the evil he must face on that dark night, he tries his best to save Scout from harm.

Jem and Scout exemplify the complex nature of healthy sibling relationships. They are incredibly close, sharing secrets and mischief, and are fiercely loyal to each other. Despite the occasional quarrel, Jem and Scout share a deep affection for each other.

Miss Maudie Atkinson and Scout Finch are neighbors.  Over time, they become friends.  Scout likes Miss Maudie because she talks to her like she is an equal instead of as a child.  Miss Maudie offers Scout mature insights into the problems she faces.

Dill and Jem begin to exclude Scout from their activities.  Jem mocks her for being a girl.  Feeling rejected, Scout starts spending time with Miss Maudie.  Until that time, "she was only another lady in the neighborhood, but a relatively benign presence" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 5).  Previously, Miss Maudie had been friendly to the children and let them roam around on her property.  Scout notes that "Jem and Dill drove [her] closer to [Miss Maudie] with their behavior."  

Scout enjoys sitting on Miss Maudie's front porch.  Together, they talk and observe nature.  Scout feels that she can confide in Miss Maudie.  Scout asks Miss Maudie about Boo Radley, and the older lady answers her questions with honesty.  Scout knows that she can trust what Miss Maudie tells her.  She admires Miss Maudie, and calls her "the best lady [she] know[s]."  Scout also notes other reasons why she trusts Miss Maudie as a friend:

Jem and I had considerable faith in Miss Maudie.  She had never told on us, had never played cat-and-mouse with us, she was not at all interested in our private lives.  She was our friend.

The main difference between Scout and Jem is their ages and respective maturity levels.  Jem is older and generally more aware of what is going on.  However, both children are equally compassionate and intelligent.  They are aware of the world around them and reflective of it.

Since Jem is older he often bosses Scout around. Even though she does not like it, she usually listens to him.

Dill blushed and Jem told me to hush, a sure sign that Dill had been studied and found acceptable. (ch 5)

Jem often scolds Scout for acting like a girl (even though she is one) because he considers her more of an equal when she is acting like a tomboy.  Jem also protects Scout (and she is protective of him too), such as in the courtroom when the discussion of rape made the reverend tell them to leave.

Jem scowled furiously at me, then said to Reverend Sykes, "I think it's okay, Reverend, she doesn't understand it."

I was mortally offended. "I most certainly do, I c'n understand anything you can." (ch 17, p. 123)

Jem is being mature, protecting his sister.  However, he also wants to stay to see the trial.  He seems to understand more of the trial than Scout, although she understands quite a bit for a nine year old.

Since Atticus is a single parent and hard-working, his relationship with his children is a bit unusual.  He clearly does care about them, and is concerned with their moral upbringing, but is mostly a hands-off parent.

Scout, the narrator, introduces him like this.

Jem and I found our father satisfactory: he played with us, read to us, and treated us with courteous detachment. (ch 1)

There are several examples of this “courteous detachment” and Atticus’s rather hands-off child-rearing tactics.  The children decide that he is old, and does not do anything exciting.

Atticus was never too tired to play keep-away, but when Jem wanted to tackle him Atticus would say, "I'm too old for that, son." (ch 10)

When Atticus is able to shoot the rabid dog, the children realize there is a whole side to their father they have never seen.  They are quite interested, but Atticus shrugs it off.

Although Atticus forces his children to mind Calpurnia, the cook and housekeeper, and gives them moral lectures, he admits to his brother that he only threatens to punish them and never actually does.

So far I've been able to get by with threats. Jack, she minds me as well as she can. Doesn't come up to scratch half the time, but she tries. (ch 9)

Atticus believes that all people, even children, should be treated with respect.  He does not talk down to his children and does not lie to them.  He is always honest and straightforward, and listens to both sides, and they respect him for that.

Atticus makes sure his children are growing up to be good people.  He is always willing to talk.

Despite the absence of a mother, Jem and Scout have been raised to regard women as equals. (enotes themes)

Times were different back then.  For a single father to raise a boy and a girl would have been difficult.  Considering Atticus’s responsibilities and the moral fiber of his children, he did a good job raising them.

The relationship between the children and their father is a close one. Atticus genuinely loves and cares for them and attempts to instil his own values into them. However, he doesn't preach to them, in fact he never talks down to them at all.  Sometimes the children don't really understand him, and even feel ashamed of him for being old (from their point of view),  and for not doing the kind of things that other children's fathers do, like playing sports. However, their respect for him increases mightily when they realise that he is a deadly shot with a gun, as revealed in the incident of the mad dog. The most important point, however, is that they come to respect him for his  moral courage and integrity, as demonstrated most notably during Tom Robinson's trial.

The narrator of Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is Jean Louise Finch--better known by her nickname, Scout. She is the brother of Jeremy (Jem) Finch, and both are the children of Atticus Finch, Maycomb's most well known attorney. Scout narrates the story from a past perspective, told many years later when she is grown. Scout is based upon the author herself. Like Scout, Miss Lee is an Alabama native whose father was also an attorney, and she was reportedly quite a tomboy when she was younger. Dill, Scout's best friend and "fiance," was based on Lee's childhood friend, writer Truman Capote.

Atticus is a single father, whose wife died of a heart attack when Scout was very young. He has brought them up with more independence than most parents would allow, but his own high standards and moral character serve as an excellent example to Jem and Scout, who recognize Atticus's stature in the community. 

Both Scout and Jem have an excellent relationship with their father throughout the novel. Atticus offers them important life lessons, leads by example, comforts them in difficult times, and is an overall positive role model to his children. Jem and Scout value their father's opinions and attempt to follow his advice on several occasions. Atticus's children also feel comfortable asking their father questions and trust that he will be honest with them. Towards the beginning of the novel, Atticus encourages Scout to control her temper and not physically retaliate when she is provoked. In chapter 9, Scout follows her father's advice and does not fight Cecil Jacobs. Scout says,

"Somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down. Atticus so rarely asked Jem and me to do something for him, I could take being called a coward for him" (Lee, 79).

Jem also demonstrates his love and respect for Atticus by returning to the Radley yard to retrieve his pants. After Scout begs Jem not to return to the Radley yard, Jem says,

"Atticus ain’t ever whipped me since I can remember. I wanta keep it that way" (Lee, 57).

Atticus also teaches his children important lessons on perspective, real courage, mob mentality, and racial prejudice. Leading up to and following the Tom Robinson trial, Atticus candidly speaks to his children about the case and the atmosphere of Maycomb's community. Jem and Scout also feel comfortable asking their father difficult, controversial questions, which emphasizes their positive relationship with him. Atticus's explanations and knowledge provide his children with valuable insight into their community and human nature, which helps them develop into morally upright individuals.

In comparison to many other brothers and sisters, Scout and Jem, in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, are very close though they have their moments of distance as the novel progresses.

Scout and Jem's closeness is first captured in the amount of time they spend playing together in the summer. The fact that they are each other's constant play companions is especially captured in the scene in which they meet Dill. Scout narrates that, "early one morning," they were starting to play in the backyard when they heard a noise that drew them to Miss Rachel Haverford's yard where they see Dill for the first time. The fact that they were beginning to play early one summer morning shows us just how much of a habit it is for Scout and Jem to play together, which captures their closeness.

However, they also begin to grow more distant the more time Jem begins to spend with Dill. Upon Dill's influence, Jem invents a game to mock the Radleys that Scout disapproves of and feels uncomfortable playing. Though she tries to get Jem to stop playing it, reminding Jem their father had forbidden the game, Jem and Dill refuse to stop playing. Therefore, Scout begins to spend less time with the boys. She is only invited into their circle when they "needed a third party," and she intentionally keeps out of "their more foolhardy schemes" (Ch. 4). Instead, she spends a lot of time during the summer with Miss Maudie Atkinson. As Jem gets older, he stops playing games and begins spending more time on his own reading, which greatly annoys Scout.

Regardless of their spending less time together, as the novel progresses, their closeness is still frequently revealed, especially in Jem's protectiveness of Scout. Jem's protectiveness of Scout is revealed multiple times, especially towards the end of the novel when he is with Scout the moment they are attacked by Bob Ewell; Jem is with Scout because he escorted her both to and from school for the Halloween pageant. 

Scout, the novel's narrator, is a little girl just starting school when the novel opens.  She and her older brother Jem live with their father, Atticus Finch, in what she calls "a tired old town" called Maycomb, in Alabama.  The children's mother died when Scout was two.  Although she does not remember her mother, Jem does.  Atticus was quite a bit older than his wife, it is revealed throughout the novel, and the children are watched over and the household more or less kept in order by the family's cook, Calpurnia, a black woman who is more or less part of the family. 

Atticus does his best with his children, and he is unarguably at his best when he is teaching about right and wrong, about justice, about conscience, and about trying to understand another person's point of view.  He is also, being older, unable and/or unwilling to play football with the other dads, a sin Scout and Jem find nearly unforgiveable until the day they realize their father is a maybe the best marksman in Maycomb County--something he had never spoken of, and surely wouldn't have displayed until forced to shoot a rabid dog. 

The three enjoy a good relationship overall, although Atticus is not one to put up with any nonsense.  He makes Jem spend a great deal of time with the cranky neighborhood lady, Mrs. Dubose, after Jem tears up her camellia bushes, for example.  When Scout acts out in a conflict with her cousin at Aunt Alexandra's at Christmastime, Atticus has no objection when his brother Jack is very stern with Scout, and on another occasion, Scout speaks disrespectfully to her Aunt Alexandra, Atticus is on his feet immediately demanding an apology. 

Jem is a typical, Southern-bred young man whose father is both his anchor and his subject of admiration. Yet, he learns a whole much more about the depth of character of his father, which brings him closer to Atticus, and makes him want to emulate him more.

Atticus is a great parent to his children: Even at the absence of a mother in the family, he has taken upon himself that the children have a motherly figure in their aunt, and in the servant, Calpurnia. Also, Atticus has taught Jem about the value of humanity, about the importance of humility, and the truly valuable things in life.

In turn, Jem's character (as he grew up in the story) became more and more like his father: Courageous, and strong. Jem was sure to extend Atticus's legacy and be like his father when he becomes an adult.

The two children of Atticus Finch, Scout and Jem both dearly love their father, Calpurnia and Miss Maudie; however, they also have other strong feelings. They fear the "haint" in the Radley house across the street, and they will not allow anyone to speak badly of or bring harm to their family.  For instance, Scout fights her cousin Francis for calling her father names, while Jem cuts off the tops of Mrs. Dubose's camellias. 

But, for all her pluck and hoyden ways, Scout is yet a girl, and still a naive child. She does not understand how the men can come as a mob and harm her father as he guards the jailhouse door, but with her fierce, instinctive loyalty, Scout follows her father's advice and talks to Mr. Cunningham about "what interests him." When she does, he becomes embarrassed about what he is doing to Atticus, who has always treated him kindly; so, he orders the others to leave, and the men depart. 

Because of her young age and ingenuousness, Scout's brother must explain to her the contradictions of life, while she tries to fight her way out. For instance, he tells her about mixed children such as those of Mr. Dolphus Raymond; he demonstrates that Dill must be responsible and respectful to his mother. But, he needs his father to explain to him how Tom Robinson could be found guilty of harming Mayella. Yet, Jem is better able to reason than Scout. In Chapter 6, for example, Jem wants to go back to the Radley's for his pants that have caught on the fence, after Mr. Radley comes out with the shotgun, but Scout thinks it is a foolish idea.

I was desperate: "Look, it ain't worth it, Jem. A lickin' hurts but it doesn't last. You'll get your head shot off, Jem. Please..."

He blew out his breath patiently. "I—it's like this, Scout," he muttered. "Atticus ain't ever whipped me since I can remember. I wanta keep it that way. […] We shouldn'a done that tonight, Scout."

Jem is ashamed and does not want his father to know what he has done; he also reasons well, and instructs his sister that their actions were foolish and wrong.