Final Draft of Essay 7

Mature:

Growing Up

An Essay by Inpyo Hong

8^th Grade English

Pine Point School

November 5, 2010

          

To quote Albert Einstein, “True genius is the ability to return to childhood at will.” The quotation signifies that it is beneficial to hold on to the ability to make friends, to learn new skills, and to trust the people that we knew in childhood. Jem’s growing up and my opinion about growing up are examples that show why this period is significant in our lives.

           Humans mature after some events and lessons. In To Kill A Mockingbird (TKAM), Jem grew up after Mrs. Dubose’s death, when he became twelve years old. Jem started to think about life and view it differently. Jem told Scout about his extended thoughts when they saw “The cartoon in The Montgomery Advertiser above the caption, Maycomb’s Finch,” they were dumbfounded because it showed Atticus barefooted and in short pants, chained to a desk. It showed that Atticus was assiduously writing on a slate. Jem explained the cartoon to Scout that it was a compliment, and it was about reorganizing the tax systems. Scout could not think about that because she was not mature enough. Even though Jem explained the cartoon to Scout, he refused to answer her question: “How do you know?” It was disrespectful to refuse and say, “Oh, go on and leave me alone,” because he had never done it before. He always answered Scout’s questions. Therefore, Jem became idle and also irritable over time. Consequently, we may discover some benefits of extended thinking and disadvantages of becoming inert, from Jem’s growing up.

           As Jem matures in the story, we may relate to some of his experiences. To quote Mr. Salsich, “I am still growing up.” These words imply that he continues to learn and mature. It is not justified that one has to be very dignified and genteel because one is old. It is wrong to assume that mature people are old-fashioned. As Einstein said, we can act like younger people. This means that we can sometimes tap into our childhood abilities to use them to our benefit. In my opinion, holding on to our childhood abilities throughout our lives is important. Nevertheless, Jem could not hold on to his childhood characteristics, such as being gentle and kind, in TKAM. Thus, being mature may affect one’s character and attitude, so we have to keep holding on to our willingness to make friends, to learn new skills, and to trust people when we are growing up.

Overall, Jem grew up with some advantages and disadvantages. He was able to think and look deeply, which helped him to understand experiences and events. However, it was difficult for him to hold on to his ability to trust others, which harmed his relationships with people. Therefore, experiences that we have while growing up are an important part of our lives, and we are constantly maturing!