Essay Number 7

Growing Up and Changing

An Essay About Jem and Me Growing Up

An Essay by Gaelen Frink

Eighth Grade English

Pine Point School

November 4, 2010

             (TS)Growing up is something you cannot control;you cannot control being short, just as you cannot control being tall. (SD) As you grow up your body starts to mature and grow just as your mind starts to mature and grow also. (CM1) Jem is starting to mature and this is weird for Scout because she has never seen her brother act like he is acting now. (CM2) As Jem grows up, he learns what to do and what not to do. (CM3)An example of this is when he tried to kill all of Mrs. Dubose's flowers. (CM4) Jem learned this the hard way and he had to pay for it by reading to Mrs. Dubose. (CM5) He also had to grow the plants to revive them and even though he lost it, he will never do what he did again because he knows the consequences. (SD) In addition, as Jem grows older, he starts to grow taller and larger and more respected; he also has a larger appetite because Scout thinks, "he's got a tapeworm" (CM1) As Jem grows, he is now "Mr. Jem" because he is old enough to bear the name because he is "gowin' up". (CM2) As Jem gains things, he also loses things from his past. (CM3) Jem will lose things, but he will accumulate new memories and fun times, but to gain things you have lose things first. (CM4) I can relate myself to Jem; I personally have noticed that I am starting to eat more at dinnertime-not just meat but vegetables too. (SD) In addition, as Jem is growing older, he is starting to become a lot wiser. (CM1) He seems to have an air around him where he bosses Scout around, and he once told Scout to "just hold your head high". (CM2) Scout does not like being bossed around by her older brother, even though sometimes he is right, who wants to listen to their older brother. (CM3) As Jem matures, Scout will slowly too because she will want to follow her brother. (CM4) I can relate myself to Scout because I am a younger brother, and I am constantly getting bossed around (CS) For Jem and me, growing up happens slowly at first then speeds up, but then the growing slowly decreases although you are done growing your knowledge is ever expanding.