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Melinda Sanchez

Mr. Martin

English 3A

9 April 2018

PA Final

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...

Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” In the town Maycomb, things are not

always what they seem. You may think some people are detrimental and deranged when they are

actually kind and solicitous. In To Kill a Mockingbird characters in Maycomb are put through

many obstacles such as having a “mad dog” on the loose, to having an aggressive trial against an

account of rape, and even murders. Throughout these obstacles, the town Maycomb comes

together to grow as a whole. We can see this through the characters and shifts in attitude towards

the society in Maycomb. When the book first starts off Maycomb is in a bad state where there is

a lot of racism and judgment going around. Towards the end, we see a change in the characters

where they start to respect one another and be more considerate of how others live. The theme

time brings growth connects to the characterization of Jem, followed by the symbolism of the

camellia and oak tree.

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the characterization of Jem helps to reveal the

theme time brings growth. In chapter 1 Dill dares Jem to go and touch Boo Radley's house, this

is a big thing in a kids eyes because Boo is portrayed as an evil monster and would harm anyone

that went near his house. Of course Jem and the kids being young, believe these things they hear

around Maycomb and think Boo is a terrible man. Dill then accused Jem of being scared and that

he is not going to go through with the dare. Although Jem is afraid of Boo, Jem sees dares as an
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act of showing bravery because he is immature, and decides to go through with it. “I hope you've

got it through your head that he'll kill us each and every one, Dill Harris," said Jem, when we

joined him. "Don't blame me when he gouges your eyes out. You started it, remember." "You're

still scared," murmured Dill patiently. Jem wanted Dill to know once and for all that he wasn't

scared of anything.” (17) The part “Jem wanted Dill to know once and for all that he wasn't

scared of anything.” shows that due to Jem valuing not backing out on a dare he has the principle

of bravery which he shows by acting upon it and going to Boo’s house. This relates to the theme

time brings growth because this shows where in the beginning of the book he is doing immature

dares whereas in later quotes he changes. In chapter 1 Jem, Dill, and Scout are all talking about

Boo Radley. Since Dill is fairly new to Maycomb Jem and Scout are filling Dill in on all the

rumors heard about Boo. When Dill asks Jem what Boo looks like Jem gives a monster-like

description that has been heard around Maycomb due to his innocence as a child and him

believing he is a monster."Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a-

half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch,

that's why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the

blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow

and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time”. (16) When the quote says "There

was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his

eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time." These are over exaggerated descriptions that a

kid would believe when they hear them due to their innocence. Since Jem pays attention to what

people around Maycomb say this shows he values their word and information. He goes into a

principle when he not only believes the rumor but is confident enough to recite it to someone

new who is seeking information. This reveals the theme by demonstrating how he is still not
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matured and grown as a person through his gullibleness. As the story goes on Jem starts to

mature as a person and realizes things about Maycomb. Jem starts talking less and less about

Boo Radley. Jem is explaining to Scout about the background of family and how things in

Maycomb are. Even though “people are all people” they can not seem to get along with each

other. Jem then goes to say, “Scout, I think I’m beginning to understand something. I think I’m

beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time...it's because

he wants to stay inside.” (304) Throughout the book, Jem goes from an immature little boy who

causes trouble in his neighborhood and believes rumors in Maycomb to a more thoughtful person

who starts thinking about other people's feelings and why Maycomb is the way it is.This shows

that Jem values other people's feelings and emotions. He carries this out as a principle when he

goes on to no longer obsess about Boo Radley. The characterization of Jem helps to reveal the

theme by showing how over-time Jem progressed as a person and began to become more mature

as he notices that there is more than what meets the eye in Maycomb. Shown when he says

“Scout, I think I’m beginning to understand something”, he begins to realize not to judge people

unless you are in their shoes and know the whole story. Being given this information he begins to

treat people with respect and tries to set an example for his younger sister, Scout.

In to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the symbolism of the white camellia also reveals

the theme time brings growth. In chapter 11 Scout and Jem go on to describe how they hate a

lady in their neighborhood, Mrs.Dubose because of her rude comments towards them and their

family. One day as Mrs. Dubose insults Atticus, Jem’s father, Jem finally loses control and takes

Scout’s bat to destroy Mrs. Dubose’s Camellia bushes. As Atticus and Mrs. Dubose find out that

Jem did this, he is then sent to Mrs. Dubose's house to read at least two hours every day for a

month. During his days spent over there, he realized a number of ‘fits’ she had due to her
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morphine addiction but did not know why she had the fits until Atticus told him after she had

died. After she died she had asked for a box to be given to Jem where inside layed a single

camellia. The camellia is seen as a symbolism of peace. “Jem picked up the candy box and threw

it in the fire. He picked up the camellia, and when I went off to bed I saw him fingering the wide

petals.“ (149) Jem cared about the gift given to him because instead of throwing it into the fire he

kept it and was “fingering the wide petals”. This connects to the theme time brings growth

because Mrs.Dubose gave Jem the flower as an act of showing they had peace between them

before she died. Jem who at first hated her actually held on to the flower showing her he forgave

her too. As he hated her at first their relationship grew overtime as he got to know more about

her and her story. The symbolism of the oak tree gifts reveals the theme time brings growth. In

chapter 7 Jem and Scout walk pass the oak tree and find (once again) something in the knot of

the tree. Over time they receive things like pennies, soap, watches, and chains. The oak tree gifts

show a symbolism of friendship. The book later goes on to say “Boo was our neighbor. He gave

us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good luck pennies, and our lives.” (171)

The quote stating “Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls..” goes to show that Boo

was trying to show kindness to Scout and Jem by leaving gifts in order to build a sense of

friendship with them. This symbolism reveals the theme time brings growth by showing how

acts of kindness can eventually bring people closer together. As Boo Radley goes on to give the

children gifts and save their lives Jem and Scout start to feel a different way towards him. In the

beginning of the book, they thought of him as an evil guy and were petrified by him whereas

towards the end they are no longer afraid of him and come to think of him as a good guy.

Overtime people go through changes that can better themselves and their society.

Throughout the novel, Jem’s perceptions change as well as Maycomb's relationships due to kind
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actions. To make somewhere a better place, society has to seek understandment and look at

other's perspectives instead of assuming things. When Jem was young he thought Boo Radley

and Mrs.Dubose were terrible people until he got to know them and their lifestyle. Maycomb's

way of becoming a better home to everyone was to go through challenges that let people think

about why others may be the way they are and how they can act upon it to better society.

Works Cited

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York :Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006.

Print.