Character Profile- Jem Finch

Character Profile- Jem Finch

1. Jem and Scout are close & they do a lot together. The first and last lines of the novel are about Jem. This reflects his importance to the story

2. Jem grows up the most

   • Scout starts to notice Jem's maturity in chapter 6
     • "It was then, I suppose, that Jem and I first began to part company"
   • Jem "broke the remaining code of our childhood" by telling Atticus about Dill running away from home- he shows responsibility
   • He shows understanding when he explains situations like the trial to Scout
   • After the trial Jem stops Scout killing an insect- Tom's case taught him the importance of protecting the weak
   • He looks after Scout. When she messes up the school pageant Jem's sympathetic. He makes Scout "feel right when things went wrong"

3. Jem is...

   • Brave- "In all his life, Jem had never declined a dare"
   • sensitive- "How could they do it, how could they?"
   • calm- "He had a natural tranquil disposition

4. Jem can sometimes be a bit rebellious

   • Jems more level headed than Scout, but he isn't always respectful and do as he's told
   • He sometimes lies to avoid getting into trouble- He lies to Atticus when he loses his trousers running away from the Radley house
   • He torments Boo, even though Atticus has told him to leave him alone
   • He destroys Mrs Dubose's camellias

5. Jem shows his feelings

   • He's sensitive- he worries for Atticus when he's outside the jail. It also shows his maturity- he's taking on a protective role over his father
   • He's upset by the outcome of the trial- his hands go white from gripping the balcony rail when he hears the jury say "guilty" and his shoulders jerk as if each verdict "was a separate stab between them"
   • He has a strong sense of justice. He knows that what happened to Tom Robinson isn't right