To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

     In a lot of cases, though siblings can fight, and make the other their enemy, they are always there for each other, and many will stick up for their sibling because they are their family. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, brother and sister Jeremy and Jean Louise Finch, known as Jem and Scout, live in Maycomb County in southern Alabama, and they spend their days playing in the warm weather, going to school, and wondering about the Radley house next door, rumored to behold the frightening murderer, Boo Radley. They go through a series of events, many of which have to do with the Radleys and a certain court case of their fathers’, which subjects them to ridicule. And throughout it all, Jem and Scout have stuck together. Through the many experiences that Jem and Scout have shared, the author shows that their relationship is close, and loyal.

     The author shows this about their relationship through all of the experiences that the two have shared together. For example, (Pages 61-64) when Jem and Dill, a friend of Jem and Scout’s who visits Maycomb County in the summertime, decided to go to the Radley house and attempt to deliver a note to Arthur Radley (commonly know in the town as Boo Radley), Scout knew it was a bad idea, and knew that if they got caught and she was with them, she would get in trouble too, but she chose to go with them to make sure that Jem didn’t go too far and that their plan wasn’t dangerous. This shows how she wanted to protect her brother, and cared about him, even though she knew what a stupid decision both he and she were making, and how this could negatively affect her. Another example is, (Pages 78-84) Jem and Scout found a knot hole in a tree that had tiny treasures hidden inside of it, and even though Scout could have kept it all to herself, she showed it to Jem, and they both agreed not to tell anyone else about it. Also, while they walked after finding out that their knot hole had been filled with cement, home, Jem reassured Scout, “‘Don’t you cry, now, Scout… don’t cry now, don’t you worry.” This shows how Scout trusted Jem with her secret, and Jem knew better than to trust anyone but Scout, and though Scout could tell him about it, she could not tell anyone else, and they agreed that they could only trust each other. They have had so many experiences together, and they have stayed close.

     Furthermore, another instance of this is, (Starting on page 99) their father, Atticus is a lawyer, and believes in defending anyone who needs it in court, and when he takes up a black man as a client, it is his children who get ridiculed for his actions by the other children at their school. Jem and Scout have to go through the same difficulties and they take solace from each other in knowing that they do not have to go through this alone. This shows an example of what the two have to go through together, and how they know that they always have each other. Moreover, while they walked after finding out that their knot hole had been filled with cement, home, Jem reassured Scout, “‘Don’t you cry, now, Scout… don’t cry now, don’t you worry.” This shows how Jem knows this is upsetting to Scout because this was their special secret, and it had been ruined, and he was very kind to her, letting her know that everything would be okay. Finally, (Pages 132-149) Jem gets very upset with an old, sick woman who scolded and scorned them whenever they would pass by her house on her way to town, and he gets so upset one day, that he cannot control himself, and completely vandalizes her entire front yard before her eyes. His father makes him go back to her house later and apologize, and he comes up with an agreement with her that every day after school for a month, he would sit in her house, by her bed, and read to her from one of his books out loud for two hours. Scout knew, and was told, that she did not have to go with him, but she did anyway, and stood by his side when she knew he didn’t want to be alone, even though she hated going along. This shows how Scout would help Jem even if she really hated it, and she would stand by his side in the worst of times. All in all, Jem and Scout had so many experiences together, and they were able to get through them, but only because they had each other.

     I can understand why thing book is a classic. I have read it once before, and reading it again is not only just as enjoyable, but I am able to pick up on a lot of things that I missed in reading it in the sixth grade. I feel like it is a wonderful book that can be enjoyed by many different people. In conclusion, through the many experiences that both Scout and Jem faced together, good and bad, Harper Lee expresses how they will always stick together no matter what, and how they are very loyal to each other, and will go through the worst for each other.