Jeremiah Atticus “Jem” Finch, the Explorer's older brother, transitions into adolescence during the course of To Kill a Mockingbird. At the beginning of the novel, he is Scout's constant playmate and, being four years her senior, tries to protect her. As a "born hero," Jem is always the star of the comedies that Scout and Dill, their summer playmate, create. "Jem's head was transparent at times: he had thought it through to make me understand that he was not afraid of the Radleys in any way, shape or form, to contrast his courageous heroism with my cowardice." (pg. 21) Jem is also constantly looking for loopholes in Atticus' rules, convinced that he can avoid punishment, proving that he still lives in a childish world. As the story progresses, Jem begins to distance himself from Scout's games and becomes more of an authority figure, treating Dill and her like small children in order to establish himself as an adult. Jem doesn't always take the most popular route, but he always does the most moral and right thing. “Dill's eyes darted to Jem, and Jem looked at the floor. Then he stood up and broke the remaining code of our childhood. He left the room and crossed the corridor. “Atticus,” his voice was distant, “can you come here a minute, sir?” (pg. 74) Jem's view of his father also changes when he nearly gets shot by Mr. Radley when he goes back to get his pants so that he can avoid the disgrace of seeing Atticus disappointed in him. Toward the end of the novel, when Jem hears the verdict in the Tom Robinson trial, the darkness of reality destroys what remains of his optimistic innocence. It dispels everything he had previously believed to be true, and Jem is unable to understand why people would be prejudiced. other shoes. She always saw Boo Radley as an evil monster with no ability to feel, but her perspective changed greatly when he saved her from the destructive Mr. Ewell. After meeting him, Scout begins to see herself in a different, more adult way, although this doesn't necessarily make her happier. Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with illness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch on a chain, a couple of lucky pennies, and our lives. But the neighbors give in return. We never put what we took back into the tree: we hadn't given him anything, and this made me sad. (p. 148) Although Scout is still young at the end of the book, only nine years old, her outlook on life has shifted from that of a carefree child to that of someone much older than her..