Essay On Jem A Hero In To Kill A Mockingbird

Zoe Eickmeier Mrs. Klein Pre-AP ELA 31 March 2023 What Makes a Hero? Most heroes share a collection of characteristics that makes them heroic. The most important characteristics of a hero are courage and determination. Fredric Douglas and Atticus Finch are both excellent examples of heroes. Fredric Douglas and Atticus Finch both show traits such as courage, determination, and kind hearts.

• Jem o “When we went home I told Jem we’d really have something to talk about at school on Monday. Jem turned on me. ‘Don’t say anything about it, Scout . . . I reckon if he’d wanted us to know it, he’da told us. If he was proud of it, he’da told us . . .

On the walk back home, Jem heard noises behind him and Scout. They thought that must be Cecil Jacobs. Suddenly, someone rushed to them. Jem started to fight against, and ask Scout to go. Finally, Jem’s arm got seriously hurt, and the person began plaining to attack Scout.

There are many traits that heroes can demonstrate in stories. The two stories The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, and “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell both have heros in them. Connell’s story portrays a hero named Rainsford, who crosses a mysterious island where humans are hunted for fun, and he himself has to run for his life. Twain’s book follows a young boy named Huck, who has run away from his father, and his older friend Jim, who is a runaway slave. Jim is more of a hero because he is more self-sacrificing, unafraid of negative consequences, and more determined.

Scout is now forty six and living in Colorado, she’s a grammar school teacher and a mother of two. She’s been married for 19 years with Henry Stub, a pediatrician. Living in a country style community she learns to ride horses and raise farm animals. Her two daughters Amilia and Catrina would help in the farm all the time as children but now they are grown with their own lives. Now it’s just the two of them, Scout and Henry and their farm animals.

Every day in our lives, heroes are all around us. They may not be what society tells us is a hero, like Superman or Batman. They do not wear fancy costumes or have super powers. But these heroes change the lives of the people around them, for the better. Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird is the charismatic, understanding father of Scout and Jem Finch as well as a hard working lawyer in Maycomb County, Alabama.

Jem has courage. He does not let the past bring him down in the present. He forgets past defeats and focuses on winning the current fight. Jem is a very brave and courageous person who is not afraid to face anything that hits

Atticus said no, Jem was growing” (pg 153). As Jem is dealing with more complicated issues, one being puberty, he is starting to grow up and develop a more

but then Jem says, “Don't do that, Scout. Set him on the back steps (Lee 319). After Jem says that Scout asks him why he didn't want her to smash it and Jem says, “Because they don’t bother you, Jem answered in the darkness. He had turned out his reading light.”

It all starts when the kids are sneaking in his yard trying to get a look at the so called, “crazy man”. Jem is forced to leave his pants after they get stuck on the fence, when he is making his escape. Boo, finds the pants and fixes the rips caused by the fence. Later, during the house fire, Scout mysteriously has a blanket draped over her shoulders. They soon find out that the blanket came from Boo.

A hero is a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. While anyone could be considered a hero depending on the circumstance, in the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, one character stands out for his achievements and additions to the greater good of the society he lives in. Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the 1930s who was tasked with defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of assaulting a young girl in a society that was pitted against him. Atticus demonstrates the qualities of a hero throughout the conviction and trial of Tom Robinson by taking on his case and defending him even though he knew he wouldn’t win it, standing up to those who wanted to intimidate him, and trying to better the legal system

Jem, a young and smart boy develops and matures through many unique situations in the novel. Jem is exposed to the harsh belief, judgement and circumstances of the court at a very young age. Following his father, Jem involves himself in the trial between Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell yet takes Tom’s side due to his father's involvement. Jem slowly loses faith in the justice system and is faced with a loss of innocence as explained by Scout“It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.

" Run, Scout! Run! Run, Jem screamed. I took one giant step and found myself reeling: my arms useless, in the dark, I could not keep my balance. Jem, Jem, help me, Jem!"

It began when as punishment for the deed he had to, “...Come over [to Mrs. Dubose’s house] every afternoon after school and read to her out loud for two hours”(Lee 121). This seemed like torture to Jem, who whined and complained to Atticus, but he eventually submitted. As Jem read, Mrs. Dubose seemed to be trying to teach him new words, according to Scout, who said, “When Jem came to a word he didn’t know, he skipped it, but Mrs. Dubose would catch him and make him spell it out”(Lee 122). Jem seemed to be unaware of this, but he must have learned new words and their meanings from this experience. However, he was mainly focused on how ghastly the old woman appeared.

When people think of a hero, a tall buff male with supernatural strength who beats up villains comes to mind. But not all heroes are like that. Superman, Mahatma Gandhi, Veronika Scott, and Ponyboy Curtis are all heroes. Superman is the only hero that fits that category. Superman is an archetypical hero, a hero in books and movies that fights villains with supernatural powers.