Jem Flashcards
“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 you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”
(Atticus to Jem)
Jem represents the idea of Bravery and how it changes and develops in the novel.
He’s learnt from Mrs Dubose that courage isn’t necessarily what he once thought it was (toughing the Radley house, or going through with a dare.)
Represents the theme of growing up, maturing?
‘Jem said quietly, “My sister ain’t dirty and I ain’t scared of you,” although I noticed his knees shaking.’
Jem again, is representing the theme of bravery in the novel.
He’s standing up for his family, even though he’s scared.
“How could they do it, how could they?”
“I don’t know, but they did it. They’ve done it before and they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it—seems that only children weep. Good night.”
(Jem to Atticus)
Jem is idealistic and, until the trial of Tom Robinson, believed completely in the justice system; he thought Maycomb was fair-minded but was proven wrong by Tom’s sentence.
This idealism and belief in a justice system that isn’t always just in very similar to the belief that American Civilians have in their country as ‘the land of the free’ when, in so many aspects, it clearly is not.
Jem represents American Civilians?
“If there’s just one kind of folks, why can’t they get along with each other? If they’re all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other? 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.”
(Jem to Scout)
Jem is slowly realising that his naive belief in Maycomb as as fair-mined and equal community is wrong- not even the justice system is free from prejudice.
Again, shows how, in a way, Jem is a representative of the American civilian.
‘His maddening superiority was unbearable these days.’
Jem, as he grows up, begins to take the morally superior route.
This, again can be see to represent the beliefs of the American public of America being ‘the greatest nation’ and that because it was a democracy, it was better than other nations.
Jem represents the American Civilian.
‘In all his life, Jem had never declined a dare.’
Jem represents the idea of bravery and how it progresses in the novel.
When the story begins, Jem’s idea of bravery is touching the Radley house and following through with a dare- throughout the novel, this idea progresses.
“I never wanta hear about that courthouse again, ever, ever, you hear me?”
Jem is idealistic and unable to accept the jury’s conviction of Tom Robinson.
This idea of seeing injustice, yet solely complaining about it rather than tackling it can be seen to, in a way, show how Jem represents the white American Civilians of the time; they saw the injustice that was happening but never did anything about it- they solely (if ever) complained.
“Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them.’
This again shows how much the Jury’s verdict hurt him- his idealistic view of the World is crumbling before his very eyes at this moment in time and the things he believed in are being shown to be false.
