Chapter 6/7: What does Scout mean by “It was then that Jem and I first began to part company?”(Tom)
After Scout, Jem and Dill’s trouble at the Radley place, Scout finds herself not being able to understand Jem. This gives Harper Lee the ability to further contrast Jem and Scout. Jem, Scout, and Dill decide to look inside the Radley house. After sneaking into the yard, Jem looks into a window only to find himself staring at a pair of blinds. Once Jem is let down, Scout notices a shadow with a hat slowly approaching them. The children take off running, and in his haste, Jem loses his pants. After both Jem and Scout are safely in their beds, Jem decides to go back to get his pants. It is at this point where Scout says “It was then that Jem and I first began to part company” (Lee 75). Scout tries to stop Jem, saying that a Lick’in goes but death doesn’t. Jem says “I-its like this, Scout...Atticus ain’t ever whipped me since I can remember. I wanta keep it that way” (Lee 75). Scout can’t understand Jem because she would rather take the definite (but lesser) punishment than the possible permanent one. Lee can also use this to build the relationship between Jem and Atticus (which is one of mutual respect opposed to Scouts relationship, love, and trust).
I feel like this parting of company means that Jem and Scout are growing up, Jem is beginning to become interested in other things that he and Scout do. This sad truth is frustrating Scout because it seemed like they were fine to her and all of a sudden things are falling apart. Siblings tend to drift apart as they get older and that phase is what Jem and Scout are going through. I feel like Jem is starting to want to do other things with different people instead of Scout.
ReplyDeleteI agree, but I also think that Scout knows what the right thing is(not going to the Radley place in the first place) and just follows along over peer pressure. Since Scout followed Dill and Jem to the Radley place in the first place, she knew it was bad, and wanted to immediately stop, before it was too late. That is where her and Jem parted ways. Jem may have known that it was wrong, but wanted to follow his imagination and figure out if he could see Boo Radley. When Jem decided to go back for his pants, he knew the risks but wanted to take that chance as he felt it was worth it. Scout disagreed with him as she knew that it would be dangerous and could not sleep without knowing her brother was ok. Just before Jem leaves to retrieve his pants, Scout says, "Look, it ain't worth it, Jem. A lickin' hurts but it doesn't last. You'll get your head shot off, Jem. Please..."(Lee 75). Scout says this out of pure worry for the future of her brother and tries to stop him while knowing that she can't and just has to pray that he will be ok.
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