Katz 1

Noah Katz

Ms. Starry

English 9 H

TKAM Essay

How Scout Changed

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the character Scout Finch is always

showing signs of growing up, maturing, and adapting her view on people. While reading and

viewing the world through Scouts eyes, the audience experiences with her the key events that

shape her into the cool headed, insightful person everyone sees as she walks Boo Radley to his

front door.

The first event in which one sees Scout growing up is when she and Aunt Alexandra are

getting ready on a Sunday morning. Scout witnesses Calpurnia serving drinks and things to

people stopping in. She says this, I admired the ease and grace with which she handled heavy

loads of dainty things. (Lee 305). This is displaying Scouts admiration of how lady like

Calpurnia can be. It is showing that Scout is ready to take the next step toward adulthood and try

to be more elegant and ladylike similar to all of her female role models in her life who already

are.

Scout does a considerable amount of growing up throughout the novel. For an example of

this, one can look to the school yard where Cecil Jacobs has been harassing the Finch children

about their fathers choice of defendant. Cecil finally says something that pushes Scout over the

edge. She gets ready to fight Cecil, but then does something slightly peculiar: I drew a bead on
 Katz 4

him, remembered what Atticus said, then dropped my fists and walked away. (Lee 102). This

exhibits two new things in Scout, she has a new found cool headedness, and a willingness to

listen to her father not commonly seen in children of her age. Scout has never been able to keep a

cool head, not even with her family, which is why her actions here are so surprising. The latter of

these two things seen here is intriguing because it is so out of character for Scout. To make the

decision to not fight Cecil, several things must happen in her mind. Number one, in a moment of

intense emotion she must calm herself down. Number 2, she must then remember what Atticus

had told her. Number 3, maybe the hardest of all, swallow her pride. And number 4, walk away.

By the time Scout had walked Boo Radley to his front door, she has become a changed

person, but isnt done yet. The moment she drops him off she mentions that she feels very old.

She also Remembers something Atticus had said to her and feels now more than ever, it is

applicable, Atticus was right...you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes....Just

standing on the Radley porch was enough. (Lee 374).The walk home was one spent in deep

thought and reflection. She thinks about all that has happened to her, she thinks about Boo, and

all he has done for them. She decides that she, Jem, and Dill have not repaid him properly. She

reflects upon things from Boos point of view. But, the most interesting part of this whole ending

sequence, is what Scout finds when she gets home. Atticus had begun reading a book called The

Gray Ghost. A book which features a character, Three-Finger Pete, who is not unsimilar to Boo

Radley. What is even more noteworthy though, is that Jem won the novel by going up to and

standing on the porch of the Radley household, the same porch Scout is now returning from and

where she has just had a life changing realization.

When reflecting back on the adult like and sometimes harsh experiences braved by Scout,

the conclusion can be made that she has come out a changed person. With several attained skills
 Katz 4

such as level headedness and understanding, Scout has become an exceedingly mature young

lady at the age of only six. Most of all though, Scout left the Radleys porch with an

understanding of people that many dont ever come close to having.

 Katz 4

Work Cited
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. GrandCentral Publishing. 1960.
What Does Scout Do on the Radley Porch at the End of To Kill a Mockingbird?. Enotes.com,
Enotes.com, 21 July 2012