Discussion Essay- Jem and Scout are taught nothing of great importance in the classroom. Their real education comes from the people and events they experience.
In To Kill a Mockingbird Jem and Scouts education is learnt in many ways, through classroom teaching, by their father Atticus and through Tom Robinsons trial. Through these experiences the children learn how life can bring many ordeals that are unfair or wrong but learn how it can be dealt with. Jem is affected differently than Scout because he is older and Scout doesn't fully understand the meanings of what is happening.
When Scout encounters her first day of school she learns that Miss Caroline, her teacher, uses the Dewey Decimal System. From scouts view, "The Dewey Decimal System consisted, in part, of Miss Caroline waving cards at us which were printed 'the,' 'cat,' 'rat,' 'man,' and 'you.' (pg. 23). From this experience, Scout knows that she likes learning in her own way and not Miss Caroline's.
Most of Jem and Scouts learning is from their father Atticus. Atticus lets them learn more from their experiences rather than tell them what is going to happen if they do something. When Jem and Scout followed their father to the jail and encountered the mob that was trying to get to Tom Robinson, Scout most of all learnt that not all people in Maycomb were nice, friendly people. “You know what we want,” another man said. “Get aside from the door, Mr. Finch.” (ch 14-15)
Tom Robinsons trial was a life changing experience for both Jem and Scout. It showed them that a lot of racist people lived in Maycomb and that life is not fair and how they can improve themselves in life towards others. They also learnt what true courage is. "Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do." Atticus showed this to his children by following through with the trial, he knew he was going to lose but he still followed through. Although Jem and Scout were deeply affected, they can now follow through with lessons learnt in life. They now understand that school is not the only way to learn and that everyday living is just another part of their education.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Scouts education level is higher than most first graders. Scout loves to read and she spends most of her time doing it. She even has the ability to write in cursive. Scout proves her intelligence towards the beginning of the novel when she is in school. Miss Caroline is…
- 874 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mocking Bird, the characters of Jem and Scout are portrayed as both mature and immature. By reading the novel, one can determine that both characters mature throughout the story with the help of their father, Atticus, as well as other characters within the novel.…
- 922 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Throughout the novel, Atticus urges his children to try to step into other people's shoes to understand how they see the world. Whenever Scout doesn't understand Jem, Atticus encourages her to try to understand how he might be feeling. Usually, Scout finds this advice helpful, and her attempts to gain insight into other people's perspectives on life and the world broaden her moral education and social understanding.…
- 394 Words
- 1 Page
Good Essays -
The novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a story about coming of age. It tells of the experiences of Scout and Jem Finch, and how these experiences shaped their understanding of the world. The Tom Robinson trial was the main event that taught the children about justice.…
- 379 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Jem and scout are young and have not experienced the world very much but they are not too young to be exposed to evil. Atticus, Jem and Scout’s dad, Tries his hardest to make sure Jem and Scout don’t have to ever experience evil but he knows that there is no way to not too. At the time, Atticus is defending a black man, Tom Robbinson, and a lot of the town disagrees with it. Since Atticus is defending Tom, A lot of the kids give Jem and Scout a hard time because of what their parents tell them. In the book, Atticus says, “What bothers me is that Scout and Jem will have to asorb some pretty ugly things soon.…
- 575 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Many things can influence a child’s life. Today a child may suffer from stress all the way to learning life lessons through a breakup. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, two children, Scout and Jem had to deal with a less common stressor. They dealt with the trial and conviction of an innocent black man in their town and to make things worse, their own father Atticus was the appointed defense for Tom. Scout and Jem were six and ten at the beginning of the novel; throughout the next three years that it took place their maturity goes on to be influenced by many experiences and people. The two children learn valuable lessons from adults during events surrounding the trial such as empathy, courage, honestly, equality and justice. The main characters…
- 1102 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
When she begins school and is able to read it and write it makes her teacher, Mrs. Caroline aggravated which almost makes Scout want to drop out of the first grade. But when Atticus shows Scout what it is like for Mrs. Caroline she has more respect for her. He tells her that Mrs. Caroline is knew to Maycomb county and the teaching system, so Scout’s advancement threw her lesson off and frustrated her. Then when Scout, has to inform her teacher about the Ewell’s and how they only go to school on the first day, and how the Cunningham’s do not take anything because they cannot pay anyone back is embarrassing for the teacher to have to find out from her students. This gives Scout a more positive outlook on her class and stops her from wanting to drop out of the first grade. This trick helped Scout throughout the rest of the novel as…
- 612 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Scout, as the youngest, usually learns her lessons from Atticus and Jem but, although he is older, Jem learns from Scout's mistakes and actions. She is fascinated by…
- 390 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
We all need to grow up someday to continue life. To Kill a Mockingbird shows coming of age experiences as an enormous part of this novel. It shows how things cause situations and feelings, how young adults face the reality of first-hand conflicts, and how these situations affect them. Scout and Jem undergo conditions to help them mature in the book. The encounters help them bloom throughout the novel with noticing the components and point of views involved in the situation.…
- 977 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Over the course of the novel, Jem and Scout Finch learned just about every lesson essential in life. Although they are only nine and twelve when the story ends, they don’t have much left to learn in life. After living through a biased trial, a near-death experience, and prejudice these children understand a lot. If it wasn’t for people in their life like Atticus, Boo Radley, and Calpurnia, they wouldn’t be as compassionate and intelligent as they grow to be.…
- 615 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The trial between Robinson and Ewell brings up the theme of the coexistence of good and evil. Beforehand, Scout and Jem had never truly assumed people were evil, therefore they haven’t exactly understood the world quite yet. Throughout the book, Jem and Scout transition from their innocence to experience. Mainly, Jem and Scout learn about hatred, prejudice, racism, and ignorance, which all inevitably confront the innocent. Such as during and after the trial, Jem, scout, and Atticus were treated differently solely because it was the social norm and the ignorant did not know better. In effect, Jem and Scout mature and learn from what they experienced.…
- 353 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Atticus brought up Jem and Scout by example. His show of integrity instilled within his children their own sense of integrity. Both Jem and Scout are exposed to experiences throughout the novel their shape their perception of right and wrong. For example, Atticus took up the case of Tom Robinson not only because he had to, but because he was fighting for an innocent life against injustice and racial prejudice. His display of integrity in Tom Robinson’s case was reflected onto his children. They soon came to know their father as a hero full of moral courage, and did their best to do him right in their own ways. Though they could have fought against their peers insults against them and Atticus, they showed adversity by not reciprocating. “As it was, we were compelled to hold our heads high and be, respectively, a gentlemen and a lady.”(Lee, pg. 247) Furthermore, Scout shows integrity through her wisdom and compassion that goes beyond her years. Atticus is a strong role model to his children with his strong sense of integrity, and Scout and Jem develop their own integrity throughout To Kill a Mockingbird with his lead.…
- 870 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
“Everything in life can teach you a lesson, you just have to be willing to observe and learn” -Ritu Ghatourey. Everyone learns crucial life lessons in their lives through various aspects of life around them, whether they realize it or not. Learning these lessons is a crucial part of losing one’s simple, childlike way of life. Throughout the novel To Kill A Mockingbird Jem and Scout lose their innocence through numerous life lessons they learn. One way in which they learn these lessons is through their personal experiences. Another way is through their personal discoveries caused by their maturity. Finally, they learn life lessons that cause them to lose their innocence through events they observe.…
- 825 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Atticus is introduced the reader when Scout wants to settle an argument between her and her brother. This immediately tells the reader that he is a person who the children can trust and know is wise and knowledgeable. The simple act of calling him "Atticus" and not "father" brings Scout and Jem to the same level as Atticus, showing their relationship with their father is very strong. At the beginning Atticus is presented to be a well-known, well respected and high up in society. Part of Atticus' role as a father is teacher. Most of Scout and Jem's knowledge comes from Atticus. He teaches them the important life lessons that they can't learn from books or blackboards. "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". This conversation between Atticus and Scout comes early in the novel, and helps the reader to appreciate the bond between Atticus and his children. They respect him as their father, and they value his opinions and advice. Atticus teaches through example, for example his lessons in morality and ethics come in the courtroom, when he's defending Tom Robinson.…
- 586 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
This external conflict brings an often-overlooked truth of the novel to light: ignorance seems to take hold in the rural populations, and the more educated populace has to bar themselves to support this ignorance. Miss Caroline is trying to keep the class “on track” and stay true to the status quo of the young children from rural families being illiterate, but Scout is challenging the status quo by coming into first grade actually knowing something and, eventually, passing the 1st grade. Staying to the status quo is peaceful and “blissful”; not doing that leads to the…
- 950 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays