Jem's Maturing in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee As children grow up, they face difficult problems and. they learn to cope and take responsibility. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a flashback about two kids that takes place over a few years. Jem ages from ten to thirteen over the course of the novel and goes through many changes, as his sister describes him. Over the years, he is exposed to the problems adults face and eventually shows an understanding of racism and innocence. As Jem grows, his view of courage also changes. Jem follows in his father's footsteps and derives much of his knowledge from him. Jem's definition of courage changes as he grows up; gains understanding and experience of the world around him. At the beginning of the story, Jem thought of courage as only touching the side of the Radley house, only because "in all his life, [he] had never turned down a challenge. (p. 13)" However, as the story continues , Jem learns courage from several events. After learning of a trial in which a black person was prosecuted, Atticus decides, as a lawyer, to defend that person. Atticus chose to defend Tom Robinson, an African American, because it is the right thing to do, and no one else wanted or had the courage to do it. “Simply because we were beaten a hundred years before we started there's no reason for us not to try to win, (pg. 76)” he told Scout and Jem when Scout asked him. Atticus was courageous in doing something right, even if he is not encouraged. Jem also learns a different kind of courage after learning of Mrs. Dubose's struggle with morphine addiction. Jem and Scout didn't like Mrs. Dubose because she was quite a mean person. Later they were happy not to have to read them anymore. Atticus told Jem that Mrs. Dubose simply had her own view on things and that her attacks were due to her addiction. Atticus had Jem read and explained, "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you've been defeated before you start but you start anyway. ... In [Mrs. Dubose's] view, she died indebted to nothing or anyone..