TKAM chapters 13-15 journal response

In the book To Kill A MockingBird by Harper Lee, The character Jem has been maturing and becoming more of an adult as the book progresses. In chapter thirteen Jem helps with Aunt Alexandria's bags without being told. Jem is starting to feel the pressures of being the oldest as he has to prove himself to be a role model constantly. Jem starts to act more like an adult when he threatens Scout that if she wasn't nice to Aunt Alexandria he would spank her. Jem is still learning to become an adult and is far from having such a great amount of authority on Scout. He is trying to force himself to become more mature and responsible when it comes naturally through more time and experiences. When Jem is talking to Scout about the trial and how little kids wouldn't understand , Scout says " His maddening superiority was unbearable these days"(138). From the evidence in the chapters, one can infer that Jem feels very lost and insecure about himself. He is trying to be someone he isn't because he isn't ready to take on the responsibilities he thinks he can handle. Him showing off his knowledge is a way to reinsure himself and others that he can take on such responsibilities because of the knowledge he has gained from school And Atticus. However in chapter fourteen he admits that he is scared, when men show up at their house looking for Atticus. One can see that he id putting up a front in being brave and smart when really he is still scared and still needs Scout and Atticus for support. Since he is getting older, Jem might think that he should be acting more like Atticus but because he is only twelve Jem shouldn't have to give up all his childhood in playing with Dill and Scout. One is only a kid once and should make the most of it while they still can.


Aunt Alexandria wanting to change Scouts behavior in making her become more feminine  reminds me of how my grandmother constantly wants to change me and my behavior. when Aunt Alexandria comes she says to Scout, " We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It wont be many years,  Jean Louise, before you become interested in cloths and boys"(127).  Aunt Alexandria is striving to make Scout become someone she is not. Scout is not the type of person who will grow up to settle down and start a family. Scout is someone who seeks and adventure and wants her voice to be heard. Aunt Alexandria enforcing rules telling her that being herself is wrong and not lady like is unfair. When my grandmother comes over she will pick on me because I am the oldest and the first one out of my siblings to become an adult, she will say that I slouch too much or that I should act a certain way at the table. I understand that she is only trying to help be being told what to do constantly makes one feel inferior and that what one is doing  currently is considered to be wrong.