Coming Of Age Journey

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The Coming-of-Age Journey: Confronting Racism and Prejudice in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a work that explores themes of racial injustice and the loss of innocence in the American South. One of the most key moments in the novel occurs during Tom Robinson's trial. The trial scene stands as a pivotal moment that marks the coming-of-age journey of Jem and Scout Finch. As the trial of Tom Robinson unfolds in the racially charged atmosphere of Maycomb, Alabama, the siblings are living in a community rooted in discrimination and injustice. Jem, the older of the two, faces the harsh realities of racism and prejudice as he witnesses the trial proceedings with a growing sense of disillusionment. Meanwhile, …show more content…
Your father’s passin’” (240). The Reverend’s call for Scouts to stand shows the community’s acknowledgment of Atticus’s courageous efforts. While Scout may not have gotten as much development from the trial as Jem did, she started to understand the significance of this trial and how despite its outcome, the African American community continues to strive for fairness. After they left, Scout notes “It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. “It ain’t right,” he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting. “It ain’t right, Atticus,” said Jem. “No son, it’s not right” (242). Jem cries before Atticus comforts him. This emphasizes how while Jem is only recently being exposed to racial injustice, Atticus has long been familiar with it and understands how Jem feels but has become so used to discrimination that he no longer cries. After they get home and inquire about Atticus’s well being, Jem says “Atticus—”... “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– it seems that only children
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