Here we see Jem and scout acting childish because they are jealous of other people’s fathers. This shows childish behavior because when you get older you know it isn’t what job your dad does which makes him good, it is his personality and what is inside that matter.
Furthermore another example of the children’s immaturity is that scout believes every word that Jem says.
‘When I asked Jem what entailment was he described it as a condition of having your tail in a crack.’
This shows Jem’s immaturity because he describes the meaning of the word wrong as he does many times throughout the novel. This shows scouts immaturity because she believes every word that Jem says; even if it is wrong she does not stop and question it.
As the novel progresses we see the gap between jems and scouts level of maturity widen.
‘I began to cry. Jem was awfully nice about it: for once he didn’t tell me that people nearly nine didn’t do that.’
This quote shows Jem is growing up because he would normally say people that age didn’t cry but this time he puts himself in her shoes and realizes other people her age don’t have to go through the hard times she is going through at this point in the novel.
Scout starts showing change and maturity when she talks to Dolphus Ramond.
‘I had a feeling that I shouldn’t be here listening to this sinful man but he was fascinating.’
This quote shows scout is maturing because she thinks she shouldn’t listen to Dolphus Ramond but she does because she understands what he is talking about. The word ‘fascinating’ shows us she can understand him because if she could not appreciate what he says then she would find it boring.
Just as we think Jem has matured he goes back to his childish ways.
‘Jem was jumping with excitement, we have won haven’t we.’
This shows Jem has gone back to his childish ways because he finds it hard to understand that tom will lose whatever because he is black. Anytime it is black versus white, the white will always win however guilty or not guilty the black is.
Towards the end of the novel scout and Jem still show some signs of immaturity.
‘Aint you scared of boo radley.’
After the trial boo radley is forgotten and the reader thinks it is because scout and Jem have grown up. But from this quote we see they are stilled scared of boo radley even though Atticus keeps on emphasizing he is just as normal as them and they should leave him alone.
In conclusion scout shows she has grown up when she meets boo radley.
‘He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good luck pennies and our lives. We never gave him anything back.’
This shows scout is maturing because she starts feeling guilty because she has never gave anything back to boo radley and this also makes her feel selfish. This hints she has grown up seeing as she is thinking of others and not only herself.