Jem And Boo Radley Relationship Essay

In Harper Lee’s Bildungsroman novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the underlying themes of maturing, acceptance, and relationships are shown articulately through Scout and Jem’s character. The relationship between the Finch children and Arthur “Boo” Radley undergoes a significant change between the beginning and conclusion of the novel. From the mysterious nightmare next door, to someone who can be called a “friend”, the childrens’ perception of “Boo” went through drastic changes. Through the comparison of two siblings (varying in age), and by showing the true evils of the outside world, Lee exemplifies the process of change and development brilliantly in, To Kill A Mockingbird. However, it is not so much “change” that was the cause of the childrens’ ultimate acceptance of Boo, but rather the simple process of …show more content…
Jem genuinely held less of an interest in Boo Radley as opposed to Scout. In fact, by Chapter 14, “Jem had grown out of the treehouse” (Lee. 144). The treehouse is where the children spent countless hours, planning and enacting the lives of the Radley family, however, when Jem had grown out of their beloved place, he elucidates how he had now matured and no longer saw interest in such childish matters. Literally, this quote means that Jem had physically grown out of the restricted area, however, symbolically this meant much more. The treehouse acted as a safe place for the children, away from the haint Boo, but when Jem had grown out of it, it can be implied that he is now comfortable with the Radley place and has moved on. Unlike Scout, who persistently fantasizes about Boo, Jem shows little interest, which implies that he is grown up and does not approve of such activities. Through the comparison of Jem and Scout, and by showing the edification of specifically Jem, Harper Lee demonstrates that age played a large role in the ultimate acceptance of Boo