Growing up is a frequently occurring, significant central idea in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In the course of three years that this book takes place, the central idea of growing up is prominent.
     One example of growing up in the novel is how Aunt Alexandra wants Scout and Jem to grow up by acting like grown-ups around them. She believes that one can only truly grow up if one can behave like an adult. “She asked me to tell you you must behave like the little lady and gentleman you are”(151). Aunt Alexandra tells Atticus to tell Scout and Jem that they must behave like adults. This quote proves that at this time, Scout and Jem were not able to act like grown-ups. Since Aunt Alexandra wants to preserve the reputation of the Finches, she wants the generation below her to act like adults. Growing up is indicated when your behavior changes from having a child’s perspective to an adult’s perspective of the world.
     Another example in the novel of growing up is when Jem uses his and Scout’s money to support Helen rather than taking Calpurnia’s quarter. Calpurnia has taken the children to First Purchase African M.E. Church for the first time, and Reverend Skyes will not let anybody leave the church until the goal of ten dollars is met. “‘Naw, Cal,’ Jem whispered, when she handed him a shiny quarter, ‘we can put ours in. Gimme your dime, Scout’”(139) is quoted when Jem uses his and Scout’s dime instead of using Calpurnia’s quarter. Jem has grown up because he realizes the difference in class, how in Maycomb County, Calpurnia is of a lower class than he because she is a servant and also black. In the county, if you are a lower class, it means you have less money. Jem has grown up because he realizes that Calpurnia has less money and so he should put his own money in rather than taking hers again.
     Another example of growing up is how Dill is angry that Mr. Gilmer was being rude to Tom Robinson during the trial when he interrogated Tom. Dill is mad because he realizes that it isn’t fair to treat somebody like they are lesser because of their skin color. Dill says, “It ain’t right, somehow it ain’t right to do ‘em [blacks] that way”(226). He is talking to Jem and Scout about how it isn’t just to talk to somebody disrespectfully because of their skin color. Dill grew up because he figures out that it is wrong to discriminate against others unfairly based on skin color. He believes that everyone deserves politeness and everyone should be polite to everyone. Dill has grown up because he understands one of the major flaws of Maycomb County, and he discovers that it isn’t right to discriminate against blacks because of their skin color.
     The idea of growing up is prominent throughout this book. Jem, Scout, and Dill have all grown up throughout the course of this novel, and so they all have better understandings of the world and can now think more deeply about things that happen in their day-to-day life.