Scout's Final Moment Of Maturation example essay topic

Children are often influenced by adults in their life. Children often receive advice and encouragement from their parents or adult figures. In Harper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch helps, his daughter, Scout deal with situations, causing her to become a mature, open-minded individual. Scout learns about courage when Atticus sends her and Jem to read to Mrs. Dubose everyday. Scout learns to fight with her heads instead of her fists when Atticus is defending Tom Robinson.

Scout finally learns what Atticus means when he says that you can't understand a person until you walk around in their skin. Atticus' influence shows in Scout accompanying Jem to Mrs. Dubose's. First, Scout learns about courage from Atticus. One can see this when Atticus sends her and Jem to read to Mrs. Dubose as a punishment for destroying her garden.

Scout at first does not realize the courage Mrs. Dubose has. She thinks that she is just an angry, bitter old woman. Through going with Jem each day to her house, Scout finally discovers how courageous Mrs. Dubose is. One can see this when Atticus says, 'I wanted you to see something about her - I wanted you to see what real courage is instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.

It's when you know you " re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what' (116). This quote clearly shows that Scout learns about courage through the influence of Atticus, as well as Mrs. Dubose. It shows that Atticus does his best to steer his children in the right direction so they will mature into kind, loving people. Atticus also influences Scout when he asks her to fight with her head.

Second, Scout learns how to fight with her head. One can see this when Atticus is talking to her about the Tom Robinson trail. He tells her that several people in the town will say mean things about him, and that instead of attacking them, or fighting them, Scout should ignore them. He tells her to hold her head up high. One can see this when Scout says, 'Somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down. Atticus so rarely asked Jem and me to do something for him, I could take being called a coward for him' (81).

This quote illustrates that because of Atticus, Scout chose not to fight. Scout learns that it doesn't really matter what people say or think and that she doesn't need to fight people if they insult or offend her. Through Atticus asking her to fight with her head Scout matures. Scout's final moment of maturation occurs when she stands on the Radley porch. Third, Scout matures when she stands on the Radley porch.

As Scout looks at the neighborhood from the porch, she sees the world from Arthur's eyes. She finally understands what Atticus means when he says you can't understand a person until you walk around in their skin. One can see this when Scout says, I turned to go home. Street lights winked down the street all the way to town. I had never seen out neighborhood from this angel... Autumn again, and Boo's children needed him.

Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in their shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough. (281-282) This quote shows how Atticus influenced Scout's judging people.

Scout sees that you should not judge a person until you see the world from their eyes. She understands Boo now, and realizes how precious the children are to him. Scout matures through advice that Atticus gives her. Finally, this novel illustrates how adults have an important influence on our maturation. With Atticus' advice, Scout may not have matured into an open-minded individual.

Through Atticus' advice, Scout learns how to deal with many situations in her life. She learns what real courage is, how to fight without using violence, and not to judge a person based on rumor or initial impression. This novel shows how important one's parents are, it illustrates that parents and adults ultimately steer us in our maturation.

Bibliography

Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. New York: Warner Books, 1960.