When it snowed in Maycomb County, Jem had a plan to build snowmen but Atticus warned that there would probably not be enough snow. As Jem and Scout pondered on what they could do, Jem “produced the garden hoe and began digging quickly behind the woodpile….he went in the house, returned with the laundry hamper, filled it with earth and carried it to the front yard” (Lee 88). Since there’s not much snow to make the traditional snowman, Jem comes up with the idea to make the figure with dirt and cover it with snow. Jem has an inventive mindset. When Atticus returns home and sees the snowman he praises Jem on his craftsmanship and says, “I didn’t know how you were going to do it but from now on I’ll never about what’ll become of you, son, you’ll always have an idea” (Lee 90). Jem’s creativity and resourcefulness helped him come up with a resolution to their problem of low amount of snow , which all in all helped Jem and Scout succeed in their goal of making a …show more content…
When the trial for Tom Robinson was coming to an end, Judge Taylor began polling the jury. He continuously murmured the words “guilty”. As Jem was listening “his shoulders jerked as if each ‘guilty’ was a separate stab between them” (Lee 282). When the verdict came back guilty for Tom Robinson, Jem left the courtroom with “his face streaked with angry tears” (Lee 284). Jem is visibly unsettled and shocked about the outcome of the trial because, he was confident that based on the evidence Tom wouldn’t be found guilty. Jem is upset over the trial. As the Finches walked home after the trial, Jem mutters to himself the whole way home, “It ain’t right” (Lee 284). Once they all arrive home, Jem asks Atticus, “How could they do it, how could they?” (Lee 285). Jem is still in disbelief that Tom Robinson was found guilty and that the people of Maycomb would declare him guilty when it’s apparent that he’s innocent. Jem’s passion for the trial shows his beliefs and humanity. He thought that Maycomb was filled with fair and good-minded people like him but now, he isn’t so sure.
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem manifests courage and heroism, a creative and inventive mindset, and strong passion for the things he believes in. Jem represents bravery and what it really means to be courageous, it’s not about guns or violence; it’s about the strength