What are examples of indirect and direct characterization of Jem Finch?

characterizesas an intelligent young man who matures throughout the book .
Jems personality comes through not only in his words and actions but also in how others see
him.

By the end of the novel, Jem no longer sees events and people as a young
child would; he sees truth about his hometown and the people he has grown up with. For instance,
Jem understands what is happening at Toms trial, and he recognizes the danger thatfaces in
defending Tom. He tells his sister hes scared about Atticus. Somebody might hurt him. It is a
hard truth to accept that some of Maycombs citizens might turn against Atticus and his
family.

Jem is revealed to be a compassionate and caring young man who does
not merely accept the status quo. He cries after he hears the verdict of the trial, saying, It
aint right. He understands what the verdict means for Tom and his family, who will have to
survive without him. Jem questions the morality of the situation and wonders why the jury
decided on a death sentence. Jem brings up the injustice of the court system and promises to do
the right thingto fight injusticewhen he grows up.

He proves to be quite
reliable and motivated as well. For instance, when he does not qualify for the football team
because he is too thin and too young, Jem carries water for the team members. He approaches his
job enthusiastically and spends a lot of time with the team. Jem knows that no job is too small
and that everyone matters. He knows that hard work is noticed and that, eventually, it will pay
off.

Jem protects others and acts in a mature fashion. We see this when he is
walking his sister home after the play and he does not want to alarm her that someone is
following them. Jem is worried, but he pretends that their friend is playing a joke on them. He
remains calm so thatwill not panic. Jem also acts maturely when Dill runs away. He does not hide
Dill but instead lets Atticus know so that they can contact Dills mother. He faces a difficult
decision, knowing that his sister and his friend will be angry, but he knows what the right
thing to do is.

Others see Jem in a positive light. No matter what happens,
Scout respects and loves her brother. She might become upset with him at times, but ultimately,
she knows he is growing up and that he cares about her. Dill also looks up to Jem as an older
brother. Atticus respects Jems words and engages in conversations with him on legal and moral
subjects. Overall, Jem is painted as a good, strong individual who deserves
respect.