Both Pip in Charles Dickens' 'Great Expectations' and Jem and Scout in Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' have deep fears in early childhood - How do the authors create these fears and vulnerabilities?

Pip's impressions of his family are 'unreasonable derived from their tombstones.' The reader later discovers that Pip cannot read, and is looking only at the shapes of the letters.Jem and Scout's innocence is a device that Harper Lee uses in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Jem and Scout are ignorant to the details and complexities of the events occurring around them - they are unsure as to what rape is, and they do not know what people are trying to express when their father Atticus is called a 'nigger-lover'.There is a similarity in the characters of Pip, Jem and Scout is that none of them have the traditional maternal figure. Pip is brought up 'by hand', by his abusive sister as his mother is dead. The Finch children are brought up by their black domestic helper Calpurnia, who Scout describes as being made up of 'angles' and possessing hands 'as wide as bed-slats but twice as hard'. Dickens builds up much pathos around the way in which Pip behaves. He is incessantly polite, irrespective of the circumstances that he is in. For example when he is confronted by a convict in the churchyard, he constantly refers to him as 'Sir' and when leaving says 'Goo-good night, Sir'. Although Pip is stuttering and obviously inwardly terrified he continues to be polite. This adds great pathos to the story, but also adds a level of humour, for which Dickens is well known.There is also a pathos surrounding Jem and Scout. They are two small children growing up in a world that is difficult to understand, their mother is dead, and their family is hated by many sectors of the community. Atticus is attempting to bring them up as respectable members of the society, but the two children do not understand his aspirations for them. Jem and Scout act in a way in which they hope they will please Atticus, but also act as children; showing their real human emotions and becoming angry when their father is insulted.There is no doubt that Dickens created the infant Pip as a 'victim.' Almost every other character insults or physically hurts Pip. One of the persecutors is Pip's own sister, known as 'Mrs. Joe'. She resents having to look after Pip, and often beats him with 'a wax ended piece of cane' euphemistically referred to as 'the Tickler.'Another of Pips persecutors is Joe's uncle, known to all as Uncle, Pumblechook, who takes every possible opportunity to show his dominance over Pip. One of the most obvious is at the Christmas meal, when Uncle Pumblechook calls Pip 'a swine' and the entire meal becomes a punishment for Pip.The lives of Atticus children are often dominated by the irrational fear of one group of characters, the Radleys. The Radley family are the only family which are not a real part of Maycomb's community, and rumours and legends have built up around the house and the family, notably the mysterious Arthur Radley, commonly known as 'Boo'. Scout describes Boo as a 'malevolent phantom', he intrigues the children with his solitary existence, as they do not understand how anybody could live without the community around them. One of the most haunting characters in Great Expectations is 'Miss Havisham', a woman who was jilted on her wedding day, and has stopped her life on the day, leaving everything exactly as it was. She invites Pip to her home, and orders him to play with Estella, her adopted daughter, and constantly insults him and makes him feel uncomfortable. Miss Havisham and Estella both attempt to make Pip feel uncomfortable about who he is 'he is but a common labouring boy' with 'thick boots' and 'coarse hands'. Pip has never before thought about this, and immediately feels that he is being insulted. However, he does not speak out until prompted to by Miss Havisham, who he feels he must speak to. He tells her that Estella is 'very proud', 'very pretty' and finally 'very insulting.' When asked why he did not tell Estella directly the reason he gives is that he 'don't want to say.'On his second visit to Satis House, Pip meets Jaggers, a character who reflects many people's attitudes to Pip. Although he has never before seen Pip, he rebukes him for his existence. 'I have a pretty large experience of boys and you're a bad set of fellows.'However, Pip does have one small comfort in his life, Joe, his sister's husband. Although Joe does not have the power to stop Pip's persecution, he continually encourages Pip and reassures him. An example of this is at the Christmas meal, when everybody at the table is insulting him; Joe is constantly giving him gravy, showing that, despite the insults, Joes still loves Pip. Dickens hopes that the reader can identify with Joe. They want to be able to stop the hostilities but are unable to do anything.I faced with a problem or a fear, Jem and Scout feel that they can tell Atticus, but, unlike Joe, he offers advice, and often mediates between the children and the people that they fear.In amongst the adversity, one part of Pip's character shines through. He is very stoic, suffering the insults, apparently letting them have no affect on him. In every instance of his victimisation, he remains polite and quiet. Another device that Dickens uses to inform the reader about the characters are charecternyms. Initially, Pip; a Pip is defined as 'a small seed' and this especially in his infant years, is very suitable. He has to grow, and become bigger, and although he is only small he contains great potential. Estella is another example of a charecternym. Estella means 'star' and through Pip the reader sees many characteristics of a star. She is distant and apparently cold. The allegory to a star is intensified in Pip's first meeting with Estella 'her light came down the dark passage like a star.'Pumblechook is a name which, it itself suggests a large, rotund character and Uncle Pumblechook reflects this name. Pip feels intimidated by his size. Dickens use characternyms to show the reader Pip's view of the characters.Pip, Jem and Scout all have fears in their childhood, but they react to them differently. Pip stoically accepts his situation, and continues to endure the oppression inflicted upon him. Pip confides in Joe, but Joe is unable to take any action. Jem and Scout also feel threatened, but they can tell Atticus, who is always willing to mediate between them and other people, and do all that he can to solve their problems.To conclude, Dickens and Lee both use devices in their writing to present a child's view of the world, and both successfully convey the fears and vulnerabilities of their infant characters. Page  of