Chapter 22-23: How is Jem maturing physically and emotionally in these chapters? (Cam)

In these chapters, Jem matures physically by sprouting chest hair and emotionally by taking a stand to be the man of the house. Earlier in the book, Calpurnia recognized that Jem was growing up. She calls Jem "Mister Jem" (Lee 153) and acknowledges him as a man instead of a child. In chapter 23, Jem shows Scout that he has entered puberty by saying to Scout, "Show you something if you won't tell anybody. Well, it's hair." (Lee 301). His body changes in other ways as well. As described by Scout, "His eyebrows were becoming heavier, and I noticed a new slimness about his body. He was growing taller." (Lee 301). While Jem's body is growing, his mind is also stirring with new emotions. He acts like the man of the house when he steps in to prevent Scout from attacking Aunt Alexandra. After Aunt Alexandra calls Walter Cunningham "... trash" (Lee 301), Jem "... put his arm around me (Scout), and led me sobbing in fury to his room." (Lee 301). Jem is also beginning to make connections between people in the community. He figures out that there are different groups of people in Maycomb County that are treated differently, and he thinks it’s because of whether they can read and write. Scout disagrees and thinks that there is only one kind of person. Jem admits that he used to think like Scout at her age, but he has figured out that she’s wrong about there being only one kind of person. Jem has grown in his thinking and has more complex ideas than he did when he was Scout’s age. Before this, Atticus would be the one to explain things to Scout. Jem now acts like the man of the house by teaching Scout about life, which shows how he has matured emotionally.