In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Scout is an example of a character whose coming-of-age process involves gaining a different perspective. In To Kill a Mockingbird Scout states to herself “Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough” (Lee 374). At the beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus teaches Jem and Scout about stepping in others shoes. Scout does not fully understand what Atticus had meant when he said that until the very end of To Kill a Mockingbird. When she stands on Boo Radley’s front porch and sees everything from the view of the window that Boo has been looking out of throughout the entire novel she finally realizes what Atticus had meant all of those years. She then finally fully understands what it means to truly stand in someone else's shoes. After she has this realization she feels much older and wiser because she has gained a new perspective that most of Maycomb County has not acquired. She has gained the perspective of understanding, and having the ability to see things through others perspectives. A large part of Scout’s coming-of-age process occurs when she sees things from Boo’s perspective. Another moment of that shows Scout coming-of-age happens …show more content…
When coming-of-age a person will be continually experiencing, and learning new things. As this happens that person will develop and gain new perspectives on life and the world around them. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout is found gaining new perspectives while she comes-of-age. In David Dobbs’ article “Beautiful Brains”, he shows and explains how gaining new perspectives is a part of coming-of-age. Developing different perspectives is really what coming-of-age is all about. It causes an individual to see the world in a new light, which widens their knowledge and helps them to fully come-of-age and grow
through Boo Radley. Her transformation can be seen when comparing her mindset at the beginning and end of the story. In chapter 3 Atticus tries to teach her about this topic in which he says: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." (pg. 30). Atticus explains to Scout that she needs to try and see things from another's viewpoint even when they don’t see eye to eye. In Scout’s case, she learns to not judge people before she has a chance to see thing from their perspective. At the end of the book, Scout finally learns this lesson, as she says: "Atticus, he was real nice" which indicates her realization that some people are not what rumors say they are. Atticus the replies to her: "Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them." (pg.376).
In the story, Lee shows how Scout is perceiving a different point of view: “I had never seen our neighborhood from this angle”(320). Seeing differences through other people’s perspectives is greatly needed to grow up. Scout had finally “stepped” into Boo’s shoes and had seen everything from Boo’s point of view. Scout points out that she is acting on the impression of Mr. Raymond: “Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people, too”(Lee 229). Scout realized from what Mr. Raymond and Atticus had told her that black folks get everything worse than white folks. Coming-of-age requires seeing problems through different
As people grow in life, they mature and change. In the novel , To Kill a Mockingbird ,by Harper Lee, Scout, the main character, matures as the book continues. Slowly but surely, Scout learns to control her explosive temper, to refrain from fistfights, and to respect Calpurnia, their maid, and to really learn her value to the family. Scout simply changes because she matures, and she also changes because Atticus, her father, asks her to.
As people get older they go through experiences in their life that can change them in bad ways or most of the time change them in good ways.This good change occurs usually by the experiences teaching them important lessons they should know in life.These changes are very important in ones life because it matures them into an adult. This transformation happens to certain characters in every novel and it is called coming of age. In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, both Jem and Scout go through this coming of age and learn what it means to be courageous, the unfairness of the world, and to look at other people's perspective before judging them.
True role models are those who possess the qualities that we would want to have in the near future and those who interest us in a way that make us want to be a better person. They teach us more about ourselves and encourage us to make better choices. A role model is not just someone who is successful, but someone who has had similar experiences that we have had. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee demonstrates that Atticus Finch is a true role model. Over the course of the novel, Atticus stands up for his beliefs, respects everyone despite who they are and behaves as a true father. Atticus is truly the ideal role model.
Was Atticus a True Hero of To Kill A MockingBird? Yes and no Atticus Finch and Scout Finch were both true heroes of the story because they did many Helpful things throughout the book to help everyone no matter what they were or what they look like. Atticus had a lot of courage such as when he help out Tom Robinson at the jail he stayed with Tom at the jail even know he knew that the mod of white Americans of Maycomb would come for Tom and try to kill him. When Tom Robinson was convicted of raping a white girl Tom stranded up for him and showed courage which as a white person it was not a normal thing to stand up for a black person. Although Scout is a hero in the book too, Throughout the book Scout learns about her life and gets to
Tom Robinson had been accused to raping Bob Ewell’s daughter, Mayella. Although Atticus provided all the evidence that proved he was innocent, the jury declared him guilty and he was sent to a prison. There, he was shot dead by the guards after allegedly trying to escape. But this is all suspicious since Tom knew that he might still have a good chance of being released. It is also skeptical because the guards shot him seventeen times, an unnecessary amount, Atticus said “seventeen bullet holes in him. They didn’t have to shoot him that much” (Lee 268). Atticus realizesDill dares Jem to run up to the Radley’s door and touch it, which is a big deal to them. Scout’s comments and reactions aided in triggering her older brother to accept Dill’s dare. Scout teases and mocks him about being scared. She says that “in all his life, Jem had never declined a dare”, and he wasn’t about to now (Lee 14).When he hesitates, she laughs at him. He can’t admit that he’s scared, especially not to his little sister who would never let him live it down.
Atticus was feeble: he was nearly fifty. When Jem and I asked him why he was so old, he said he got started late, which we felt reflected upon his abilities and manliness. He was much older than the parents of our school contemporaries, and there was nothing Jem or I could say about him when our classmates said, ‘My father – ’
After making fun of her teacher and being racist towards African Americans, Scout learns a tough lesson from her father. He takes her to the porch and sits her down, and shares his firm lesson with his daughter. "You never really understand a person until you really consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his shoes" (Lee 39). Atticus, quite plainly, stresses how important it is to not judge one on their appearance or on their position within the social classes. This makes Scout think more before she acts, and it puts their actions into perspective. A small town’s gossip and the power of assumption can change someone’s life in an awful way in some scenarios. One character in example, is Boo Radley. Everyone assumes he
Scout’s maturation and non-judgmental attitude that develops throughout To Kill a Mockingbird help her mature into an individual with integrity. Contrary to the beginning of the novel, Scout establishes herself as a wise character in the latter portions of the book. After an incredulous Atticus is told that Jem did not kill Mr. Ewell, Scout reassures Atticus by saying, “Well it’d sort of be like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” (Lee 276) Taking Atticus’ advice into consideration, Scout climbs into Boo Radley’s skin and finally respects Boo’s decision to remain indoors and not be proclaimed a hero. Additionally, Scout matures into a very open-minded
Scout rigorously was able to progress and mature, as well as adapt to new situations, visually changing her morals and outlook on her life. Scouts moral growth took off at the very beginning of the novel, early on during her issues at school with her teacher, Miss.Caroline. Scout professes her concern to Atticus on her learning, and her personal belief regarding Miss.Caroline's lack of teaching things of those similar to what Scout was learning at home. Scout felt although she was progressing more educationally at home when reading and writing with Atticus. After Scout talked to Atticus she truly realized Miss.Caroline’s point of view. In the text Atticus handled the situation with Scout by saying, “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view….until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee 39) Scout definitely was able to gain new insight from this experience and from talking with Atticus. Atticus was as well able to accommodate Scout in learning these new skills. Scout additionally accomplished moral growth in her experience bothering Boo Radley. Scout and her rather childish ways began back at the beginning of the book when Scout took interest in Boo Radley and his life. Scout, being intrusive and invasive at the beginning, took concern in his life, which soon she quickly learned was not proper. Atticus provided the following saying to teach Scout the importance of developing and maturing from her preprosperous ways. “Furthermore had it never occurred to us that the civil way
It is a story full of coming of age moments no matter what life throws at the characters. An example of coming of age early on in the book would be when Scout makes fun of Walter Cunningham for being different. Atticus gives her advice and tells her, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee 39). Atticus’ words stick with Scout all throughout book and on the last few pages, when Scout is standing on Boo Radley’s porch and she sees everything Boo saw all those years. She finally understood what exactly Atticus meant. Another coming of age moments would be Atticus’ definition of courage to Scout and Jem after Mrs.Dubose died. “It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyways and you see it through no matter what..”(Lee 149). He is telling his children to always fight for what they believe in and to not let the idea of something not being popular to keep them from doing what is right. Also, the final and most ironic piece of evidence would be the idea of killing a mockingbird. It is repeated throughout the book why it is considered a sin. However, Scout does not understand until the trial of Tom and when she meets Boo. These are prime examples in the novel, that are linked to the idea of needing to mature in
“I certainly am, I do my best to please everybody… I’m hard put sometimes-- baby, it’s never an insult to be called what someone thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor the person is, it doesn’t hurt you.”~ Atticus
Coming of age is our minds and bodies evolving into a more mature person. It isn’t based off age, but more of experience and knowledge. Most of the time, coming of age is more profound in the young due to the transition from childhood to adulthood. During this transition, they have their first experience of
Perspective comes from the Latin words per and spectare and literally means: to look through. Therefore, perspective, in its most rudimentary definition, means the way one looks at things. This definition can be elaborated upon and become synonymous with belief. A perspective can be open or limited, abstract or logical, optimistic or pessimistic. With these opposites, it can be difficult to blend one’s views with another’s. People are fascinated with perspectives. Humans love the conflict that comes with opposing opinions. Consequently, arguments are always blown out of proportion. For instance, take the popularity of legal dramas, the feud between Christians and Muslims, or the pro and anti homosexuality rallies. Some of the most famous works of literature are about changing perspectives such as Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a story about strong prejudices being exercised in a small town. Articles have been written concerning changing perspectives for example, David Dobb’s writing ‘Beautiful Brains’, a study looking into the minds of teenagers and explaining their set apart behaviors. Both of these pieces tell about the transition from child to adult and the perspectives that come with this growth. Coming-of-age involves recognizing different perspectives.