Character Analysis of Jem Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird
Uploaded by Richilina on Mar 12, 2007
Jem Finch
In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Jem Finch is the son of Atticus Finch, and brother to the narrator and protagonist, Scout. Jem plays a very large role in the story, being the older brother. He is almost always there for Scout when she needs him, and he usually gives her instructions on how to do various things such as, being polite, not making herself look stupid, how to get by in school, and how to keep adults from being mad at her. Although he some times gives her bad advice he is usually a good brother and at times, a good protector.
Jem does however, have a bit of a bad side. He has a temper that can be quite nasty at times. He tries his best to conceal his temper and keep it under control, but sometimes, such as the incident with Mrs. Dubose and her flowers, he completely loses his temper.
Jem’s favorite sport is football. He gets a lot of magazines, which he thoroughly enjoys. He also tried to play football for a league: had he been bigger, the coach would have put him on the team. But being small as he was, he was assigned the position of water boy. He carried out his position on the team with enthusiasm, trying not to miss a game and always doing his duties. At the end of the book, when Jem breaks his arm, his hand is messed up and his thumb points away from his body at a right angle as he walks. At first, he is extremely worried that he will not be able to play football again (as stated in the first few lines of the novel). But once he finds out that he can still punt alright, he is okay with his condition.