“One sign of maturity is the ability to be comfortable with other people who are not like us” (Kraft). This is a major issues that Harper Lee discusses in her classic coming of age novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel’s main focus is on racism and prejudice as it mostly centers on the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man who is accused of raping a white women. Every character in the novel grows in some way including Jean Louise (Scout) Finch. Scout becomes less naïve, along with growing emotionally and socially. Overall, Scout matures in many ways. Scout is less ignorant as she matures throughout the book. First of all, Scout is ignorant; she is not trying to be disrespectful, she just does not know any better. Scout grows up in a place
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In her first year at school, Scout is very quick to get into fights. While she is talking with Francis, her cousin, she admits to not knowing what nigger means, yet when Cecil calls her dad a man who defends niggers “[she denies] it” (99). She does not know what it means, but from the way Cecil says it she figures that it is not a good thing. The only reason she does fight Cecil is because she thinks she is defending Atticus. Her emotional attachment to Atticus is the reason she fights Cecil, making her emotionally immature. After she has a talk with Atticus where he tells her not to get in fights because of him, the next time Cecil calls her a coward, for the first time Scout “[walks] away from a fight” (102). She does not get into a fight this time, because Atticus tells her not to. She matures emotionally because she may want to fight Cecil, but she stops herself even though she is mad at him for calling her a coward. She is listening to her dad and she would rather be called a coward, then let her dad down, thus showing emotional maturity. Lastly, as she returns to school after the trail, she keeps she from getting into fights. Scout, being a tomboy, means that she likes wearing overalls not dresses. She likes to get fight not sitting at home and cooking. Scout hates the idea of being a girl. However, she learns to “hold [her head] high and…be a lady” (326). This is a huge step for Scout since she originally hates the idea of being a lady, …show more content…
At home, Scout is very disrespectful and ungrateful towards her nanny, Calpurnia. She only sees Calpurnia as someone who bosses her around and likes to get her into trouble. She thinks Calpurnia does not like her since she always compares Scout to Jem asking “why [Scout could not] behave like Jem” (7). She has a closed off mind right now, so she does not understand the situation from Calpurnia’s perspective, making her socially immature. However, when Calpurnia takes her to the black church Scout starts thinking differently about her nanny. Scout realizes how hard Cal’s life was as a kid and how hard Cal had to work to get to where she is now. She realizes that Cal does like her, since she spends more time with the Finches then she does with her own family. She even asks Calpurnia if she “can…come see [her] sometimes” (137). Scout no longer sees her nanny as a bossy lady who does not like her. She now respects Calpurnia and even wants to go see how Cal lives when she is not with the Finches. She is now more socially mature, in the sense that she knows how to treat Calpurnia. Later at Aunt Alexandra’s club meeting, Scout goes over to help Calpurnia, since“[she admires] the ease and grace with which [Cal] handles heavy loads” (305).This is something she has never done before, but something she may do more in the future, since she is now socially mature. Scout is no longer disrespectful or ungrateful to Calpurnia in fact she now admires Cal, for all
In her first year at school, Scout is very quick to get into fights. While she is talking with Francis, her cousin, she admits to not knowing what nigger means, yet when Cecil calls her dad a man who defends niggers “[she denies] it” (99). She does not know what it means, but from the way Cecil says it she figures that it is not a good thing. The only reason she does fight Cecil is because she thinks she is defending Atticus. Her emotional attachment to Atticus is the reason she fights Cecil, making her emotionally immature. After she has a talk with Atticus where he tells her not to get in fights because of him, the next time Cecil calls her a coward, for the first time Scout “[walks] away from a fight” (102). She does not get into a fight this time, because Atticus tells her not to. She matures emotionally because she may want to fight Cecil, but she stops herself even though she is mad at him for calling her a coward. She is listening to her dad and she would rather be called a coward, then let her dad down, thus showing emotional maturity. Lastly, as she returns to school after the trail, she keeps she from getting into fights. Scout, being a tomboy, means that she likes wearing overalls not dresses. She likes to get fight not sitting at home and cooking. Scout hates the idea of being a girl. However, she learns to “hold [her head] high and…be a lady” (326). This is a huge step for Scout since she originally hates the idea of being a lady, …show more content…
At home, Scout is very disrespectful and ungrateful towards her nanny, Calpurnia. She only sees Calpurnia as someone who bosses her around and likes to get her into trouble. She thinks Calpurnia does not like her since she always compares Scout to Jem asking “why [Scout could not] behave like Jem” (7). She has a closed off mind right now, so she does not understand the situation from Calpurnia’s perspective, making her socially immature. However, when Calpurnia takes her to the black church Scout starts thinking differently about her nanny. Scout realizes how hard Cal’s life was as a kid and how hard Cal had to work to get to where she is now. She realizes that Cal does like her, since she spends more time with the Finches then she does with her own family. She even asks Calpurnia if she “can…come see [her] sometimes” (137). Scout no longer sees her nanny as a bossy lady who does not like her. She now respects Calpurnia and even wants to go see how Cal lives when she is not with the Finches. She is now more socially mature, in the sense that she knows how to treat Calpurnia. Later at Aunt Alexandra’s club meeting, Scout goes over to help Calpurnia, since“[she admires] the ease and grace with which [Cal] handles heavy loads” (305).This is something she has never done before, but something she may do more in the future, since she is now socially mature. Scout is no longer disrespectful or ungrateful to Calpurnia in fact she now admires Cal, for all