Jem’s Model

“Atticus is a gentleman, just like me.”

This passage occurs after Scout doubts Atticus because he does not tell his children he can shoot. Jem decides that this attitude is correct, and defends his father. He knows that his father is almost always right, and that this time is no different.

Two important parts are contained within this passage – “Gentleman” and “like me.” Jem sees Atticus as his role model, and a gentleman, because Atticus has taught him many things and Jem learned to follow his footsteps. When Scout tries to veer from that course, he tells her that she is wrong, and that Atticus is what she should be striving to be like. And, since Jem thinks that he is doing a pretty good job of picking up what Atticus teaches him, he thinks he is a good gentleman. So he compares Atticus to himself as an equal because he does not want to imply belittling characteristics to himself.

This passage has importance because it presents to us that Jem honors his father, and is trying to be like him. Atticus shows humbleness to his children, and Jem, seeing this, knows that it is the right thing to do. Scout, on the other hand, sees this as though Atticus was keeping secrets from them, and so disapproves of this action earlier on. Jem implies in this passage, that if Scout ever wants to be good or kind hearted, she has to be like Jem or his father.

My parents are divorced. Once my Mother told me that my father left because of him being selfish and fighting with her all the time. I, loving my father, started defending his cause by suggesting she probably had something to do with it herself. As Jem does in this passage, I try to defend my father because he is my role model, and any accusations are wrong. This attitude can boost a person’s morale, and many people follow it, which is why this passage is important.