An Analysis Of Coming Of Age In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

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Coming of age of is a process that involves a deep understanding and compassion of conflict from others perspective. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem provides a clear example of this after learning the truth about Mrs Dubose and her situation. Harper Lee uses the literary elements of character, symbolism and point of view to show Jems coming of age after learning the circumstances surrounding Mrs. Dubose death.

Jem’s tolerance of Mrs. Dubose character changes as he learns more about her past. Jem did not enjoy spending to time with Mrs. Dubose,but as he learns more about her addiction he is able to understand that “as she was alright to take anything, it didn't make her life easier.”(Lee, 148). Jem establishes that even though she was managing to fight her addiction of morphine it was causing her to to act out viciously. While listening more about who she was, he learns that she was not healing by verbally attacking
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Dubose is changed when he see her from Atticus’ point of view. Jem is appalled when his father explains what courage is and exalts Mrs. Dubose by calling her “the bravest person he ever knew.” (Lee,149). Jem only sees the negative side of Mrs. Dubose because of he believes he knows what kind of person she is, but Atticus explains to him how she handled life to the best of her abilities regardless of her personal views. Jem learns from Atticus that he should mold his own ideas of courageous person not assume its “a with a gun in his hand.”(Lee 149) Atticus explains to him how knowing what somebody has been through can change your judgement. Mrs. Dubose struggled her whole life but she managed to live life by her own standards instead of letting society turn her into an outsider or speculation like Boo Radley. Jem is able to to understand from his father's point of view that her views had nothing to do with what kind of life she choose to live which causes Jem to admire her and the gift she left behind for

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