To Kill a Mockingbird Over a Hedge The Coming of Jem Finch Society is not as innocent to a child as it might seem. In fact, when one truly understands the society in which he lives he is no longer a child. This is much the same case found in To Kill A Mockingbird, by Leigh Harper. Although Jem, being a child at the beginning of the novel, is immature and unaware of the society he lives in, he matures mentally to the point of seeing the evil in society and gaining a knowledge of death. To Kill a Hedge Jem and Scout are both young, play together, and have monsters or childhood fears like other children. Mostly, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem is young. Scout states their ages when it supposedly all begins: "When I was nearly six and Jem nearly ten..." (10). Here Jem is only nine years old and therefore still a fairly young child; it is therefore assumed to be immature. Jem also spends his time playing with his five-year-old sister. This also occurs very early in the novel: "Early one morning, as we were starting our day of play in the back yard, Jem and I heard something on Miss Rachel Haverford's cabbage farm." (11). As the novel progresses, Jem no longer plays with his sister Scout, but at this point he is and would seem to anyone like a child playing with his sister. Finally, Jem has childhood fears like most children. All children have their fears or monsters. In Jem's case it is Arthur Radley, commonly known as Boo: "Let's try to get him out of the closet..." Jem said if he... middle of paper ......attacked by the vengeful Bob Ewell: We were almost on the road when I felt Jem's hand leave me, I felt him fall back to the ground. More stomping, and there was a dull screeching sound, Jem screamed. (265)Here Jem becomes aware of his own life, of his own mortality. Each of these three deaths had an individual effect on Jem, but Jem certainly gained comprehensive knowledge of death. Thus, Jem is a child at the beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird but matures, gaining a sense of the society around him and a knowledge, or mature awareness, of death. Jem does not achieve these mental developments easily but through many efforts, and this is exactly what To Kill A Mockingbird is about; struggle with society and learn by putting yourself in the shoes of others.