After the trial Jem says, "It's like being a catepillar in a cocoon, that's what it is .... I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world" (215). What does Jem mean when he says "It's like being a catepillar in a cocoon?" How and why has Jem's perception of Maycomb changed? What might this change in perception say about Jem's personal growth?
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I think his perception of Maycomb changes because of his growth and his mined maturing. I think he is finally realizing that Maycomb folks are really not thinking in a fair way. In the trial, the jury’s verdict was that Tom Robinson was guilty because he was black. It didn’t look like they judged the trial fairly at all. I think Jem knows this, and he is realizing that the people who live in Maycomb are thinking in a very bias why, and that they are shut off from the rest of society. I think that’s what he meant by “It’s like being in a caterpillar cocoon.” The society is thinking more as a group and not as individuals with different ideas and thoughts. It’s like they are so fixed on the idea that white people are better than blacks, and Jem finally understands that.
When Jem says "It's like being a catepillar wrapped up in a cocoon," I feel like the catepillar is a sign of being young and oblivious, and when you are out of the cocoon you have woken up. As a "child," Jem thought the town of Maycomb was the best and you could tell he had so much fun whether he was running around in the mud or talking to Miss Maudie. Now that he is more aware of his surroundings, he realizes it is a messed up town. This town is messed up in many ways as far as rumors, racism, and sexism go. As Jem gets older, his perspective changes and he is now realizing that those three things are important to deal with in a small community like Maycomb.
Having a father like Atticus is something that affects the way he thinks very much. Atticus is a very fair individual and Jem and Scout are starting to pick up on that as they are starting to see the town differently. Though at first I did not think Jem matured much at the age of twelve, I now see how the way he is thinking and using his brain is changing, and I think he is about to try to make a change in this town.
At the end of chapter 22, Jem was forced to realize the ugliness of Maycomb. After the trial, he begins to reconstruct his original feelings about Maycomb. When Jem was younger, he was too ignorant and naive to understand Maycomb fully, but now that he is maturing, he begins to grasp the truth.
Jem says: "It's like being a catepillar in a cocoon, that's what it is .... I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world" (215) I think that he means being young is “like being in a caterpillar in a cocoon”. When you’re young, you’re filled with ignorance and that is what the cocoon represents. Once you start to get older, you shed the cocoon and therefore “shed” the ignorance.
Now that Jem has “shed” his cocoon, his perception of Maycomb has changed as well as his perception of mankind. At the trial he witnessed acts of injustice and cruelty towards Tom Robinson. Jem doesn’t understand why the events of the trial occurred because he is still young, but does know that they were unjust.
Jem’s sudden realization of reality states a lot about his personal growth. For one, it proves that (as I mentioned previously) Jem has lost a great deal of his childish ignorance and naivety.
At the beginning of Part Two, Scout describes some of Jem’s new facets. She describes him as moody, pompous, and a bit of a recluse. To us, the readers, we assume that Jem is changing for the worst. We continue to see Jem’s constant attitudes and mood swings until the end of the trial. Jem’s new found hatred for inequality and bias proves the readers new opinion about Jem wrong. We see that he is changing for the better and not the worse; he is maturing into not a brat, but a good citizen.
-Kai Marcel
After the trial Jem, Scout, and Dill went to Miss Maudie’s house to get some cake. Jem and Miss Maudie talk about he court case that just went on and how they feel about what happened.
I think that what Jem meant is that he feels stuck and he can’t do anything about it because he can’t break fee until he matures. It means that the world is changing very fast, while he is changing very slowly. Also I think that the caterpillar symbolizes the truth and the cocoon symbolizes all the lies and the rumors in Maycomb. People in Maycomb don’t seem to care about the truth; they care more about the rumors. When someone tries to tell people the truth they don’t believe it until they have proof of what is true. So it is as though people can only see the cocoon, which represents lies and rumors, and they don’t see the caterpillar inside the cocoon, which represents the truth, until the caterpillar has matured enough to break out, which represents the proof people need to believe.
How Jem thought about Maycomb has changed. He used to think that everyone in Maycomb was fair and impartial. He notices that people are racist and not nice to black people. I think one of the reasons he now thinks this is because he is getting older and more mature, so he is noticing and understanding a lot more about the people of Maycomb.
Jem felt that his dad would never give up on anything he believed in. However, he gave up on his fight to defend Tom Robinson after he was found guilty. Jem was disappointed that he stopped fighting for Tom. Jem felt nothing would be the same for him anymore.
I think that this change in Jem’s perception says that he has grown up and learned that his father and his town were not who he thought they all were.
I think when Jem says that living in Maycomb is “like being a caterpillar in a cocoon” he is expressing his growing frustration with Maycomb. In the past few chapters I think Jem and Scout have really lost their innocence and their perspective has changed drastically. Jem and Scout have both started questioning the values they have been taught and the normal way of life in Maycomb. This case really opened their eyes to the racism and sexism in their town.
The kids have seen the differences between people like Atticus and Aunt Alexandra, or Mr. Raymond and Mr. Ewell. I think the children are beginning to see the injustice in Maycomb. I think a conflict for Jem is that he used to try so hard to fit into the community and now I think he doesn’t want to be apart of Maycomb Society. I think Jem feels confined in Maycomb and wishes he had a way out into a equal and free society. I think what Jem is experiencing right now is the feeling that everything is unfair. He doesn’t understand why people act the way they do towards African Americans, and he wishes he could fix it.
When Jem says, "It’s like being a caterpillar in a cocoon," I think he means that he now realizes that people can be cruel, even people from Maycomb. He may not have realized this before because as he grows up he starts to notice the way people act that he did not notice before.
Throughout the trial, Jem was very confident that Atticus had won the case and now he realizes that even though the case was so clearly theirs, because Tom was black he couldn't have won. Since Jem was so familiar with the members of the community being friendly people who associated with Atticus, seeing them act unfairly against a man they most likely knew was innocent shocked him. He had grown up learning from Atticus that all men should be treated equally, and then watched friends of Atticus take down a man that looked fairly innocent. Jem knew people could be cruel but didn't think those cruel people could live in Maycomb because those were the only people he really knew and the seemed nice outside the court house.
Jem now sees Maycomb differently. He sees the people who live there to be unfair people who do NOT treat all men equally. The reason he realizes all these things now is because as he grows up Jem has begun to take in consideration what it means to be equal. He also learns what it means not to be equal, and his theory is proved during the court case.
Now it's up to Jem to decide how he will treat people equally.
Jem thinks of Maycomb as a place where everybody was treated the same and equally. He thinks no one in the town did a single thing to help Tom Robinson. Miss Maudie there are a lot of men in the world that do the difficult and unwanted jobs them. She says that Atticus is one of them. Jem has grown to be a more mature and responsible person and his perspective of Maycomb has changed. He has realized that negros are treated unfairly and everyone is treated differently.
Jem has undergone great personal growth during this chapter. Initially the book portrays Jem as a conscious, almost Atticus-like figure. However, it is apparent that Jem is possibly the most naive character in “To Kill A Mocking Bird.” This concept is emphasized by Jem’s reaction to the trial. Jem is utterly at a loss and severely doubts the goodness of humanity. Scout however, does not undergo the same emotional breakdown as exhibited by both Jem and Dill. Throughout the book Jem’s putative maturity has been proven to be just a small component of Jem’s true nature. For instance the affair with Mrs. Dubose left Jem in an almost child-like state after he received Mrs. Duboses’s Camellia; “Jem’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. ‘Old hell-devil old hell-devil’ he screamed flinging it down. ‘Why can’t she leave me alone?’ ” Jem’s naivety made him short sighted, he had assumed that there was no compassion in someone so apathetic as Mrs. Dubose. However the act of Mrs, Dubose actually thanking Jem for his succor shattered Jem’s perspective on the world.
One of the central themes in “To Kill a Mockingbird” is the loss of innocence. Scout, until now has be the quintessential follower of this theme as her brash nature caused her to resist this development in her character. One would not suspect someone of Jem’s age to have so little worldly experience. It is not to say however that Jem lacks wisdom. Jem is clearly wise beyond his years. The only reason why Jem is unable to cope with the bleakness of the trial is because he does not know how to use his wisdom in context. Jem is more than happy to explain to Scout the workings of the world but this is only because he is acting as a “third person” and need not worry himself with the affairs of others. It is only when Jem finds himself in a predicament he finds himself at a loss. This is seen when Jem is confronted by Walter Cunningham’s mob as it was Scout who extricated Jem from the situation. It is only now in the book that Jem finds himself finally becoming more self-aware.
When Jem says, "It's like being a catepillar in a cocoon" he means how as a child you are shielded from the outside world. You grow up in this child proof enviorment where even the most innocent things are hidden or sugar coated. Jem has now just broken out of his cocoon.
By realizing peoples real racism, he was exposed to the unfriendly part of Maycomb. Jem said himself, "I always thought that Maycomb folk were the best folk in the world." now he thinks their some of the worst.
When Jem says, "it's like a catepillar in a cocoon, that's what it is....I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world" I believe that he is saying that he has been kept from the real world for too long, and has shielded his eyes with happy thoughts though in that time period the real world was based on racism, and sexism. He says that he thought Maycomb was the best place in the world, when the real world was a very unfair place. when Jem talks about a catepillar in a cocoon he is refering to himself as the catepillar becaause he is not able to see the real world for what it really is.
In my opinion, when Jem says, "It's like being a caterpillar in a cocoon, that's what it is," he meant that the sense, the pity, the reasoning and the respect for all people was something that was still in a cocoon. He still believed Maycomb folks were the best folks. But he now thinks that they are in a stage of evolution, where they are developing this new openness. He still had faith in the residents of Maycomb, and he is sure that over time they will change, with everyone else who is racist, in the future. When being a caterpillar, they learnt all their respectful skills, their politeness, their humanity, but only towards white people. While in a cocoon, you are not at all active, and you don't learn any new skills or abilities. You spend more time in a cocoon than being a caterpillar, and the only thing to do in to think and meditate, waiting for the world to open itself for you. Changing a major invisible law, or rule requires much more concentration and time.
Jem is getting much more mature and understandable of the world than ever before, and in some ways is like a caterpillar in a cocoon. He was an insider, in general, but slowly he is becoming an outsider. He found out that hostility towards black people was actually a really important invisible rule. By being friends with and defending black people, he is becoming Atticus, an outsider whose philosophies are not affected by other people.
I think Jem is starting to break away from the shelteredness that he has grown up with. Jem and Scout have never witnessed what could be considered "adult matters." He believed Maycomb was the average and ideal kind of community until they unfairly convicted a black man of a horrible crime he was assumed to have done. He now sees the racist, unfair nature of Maycomb's residents. Jem has begun to evolve from a naive boy to a more self-aware young man. He has started to shape his own perceptions of what he considers right and wrong and reject Maycomb's idea of it.
What's interesting to me is that being a caterpillar inside a cocoon makes me think that when you finally come out, the world could be entirely different to what you thought it would be. When you're a caterpillar, you see the world one way, and then you become a new animal and see it a whole different way. I think that this example sort of describes Jem's maturity, and that while he was younger, he saw it differently, and when he matured he was a butterfly, being able to explore more of the world being older, and realizes that it's completely different than he thought it was. He originally thought Maycomb folks were the best in the world because when he was younger, he didn't see how racist people were, since he couldn't exactly understand it. Now being older, he understands the truth, and realizes that they only found Tom Robinson guilty because he was black, and I recall Atticus stating earlier that a "white man's word always beats a black man's." Since Jem is realizing a whole new "wall behind the wall" around him, it is showing that he is getting older is sees more of Maycomb than he did before.
I am Cara, I don't know why is says ipoccky there...
i think that when Jem says its like being a caterpillar in a cocoon Jem is trying to say that he was once a baby and now hes realizing that he has to come out of cocoon someday and he just did. as Jem is growing up he has to go out of hi shell and discover things bad and good. Jems realizing you cant control what you discover its bound to happen.Jems also saying that he discovered in this case that there are mean people in the word even the people he thought were the good guys. Jem is so used to seeing these people as the finches family friends not there enemies. i think Jem might feel a sense of abandonment. he feels growing up can be good and bad and he just discovered the bad. i think that he feels like growing up can be unfair in a way and that Tom lost his case when he was clearly innocent just because he was black. i think that throughout the trial Jem felt confident and almost 100% sure that Atticuses case would win and when Tom and was found guilty he was let down almost like Jems nest or cocoon has died out and he needs to build a new one.
When Jem says “it’s like being a caterpillar in a cocoon” he means that he used to only see one side of things, but as he gets older he begins to see the complexities in the structure of Maycomb. Jem only saw the ethical sides of people but he soon begins to see the the good and the bad in peoples actions. When Jem was younger he only saw the polite and virtuous side of Maycomb and the bad parts were more of a game and something that seemed like it would never effect his life. As people start to treat him as an adult he takes on the views of an adult as well and learns to see how bad actions on Maycomb effect him. He sees the power structure of white and black people and all the controversy that takes place around it, especially in the case of Tom Robinson. Jem is appalled to see that even though the evidence presented made it clear that Tom Robinson was innocent, he is still proclaimed guilty for a crime he did not commit. The court case is Jem’s first taste of the immoral side of Maycomb.
The similie "catepillar in a cocoon," is very similar to saying "living under a rock." By being a child in Maycomb, you are forced into not knowing information, and being blind of the problems, such as racism. Being a "catepillar in a cocoon," is the definition of being a child in Maycomb, and captures the naiveness that children are said to be. As Jem realizes how cynical and harsh the community is, his thoughts of the town being so wonderful fade. Growing up in Maycomb is an eye-opener to Jem: he realizes that he can either be a part of the community and go along with the crude attitude, or be an outsider.
In Jem's personal growth, we see his realization of the unwritten rules. As Jem becomes more and more frustrated with the results of the trial, he begins to see how unfair the community is. Race becomes a way that roles in the community work, and also evolves into a figure very similar to Atticus. Both him and Atticus have a sensitivity towards acceptance in Maycomb, and realize that the town is not what they thought it was to be originally.
To me, the meaning of what Jem said about feeling like a “Caterpillar in a cocoon” is that for all his life, Jem has lived in Maycomb and has always thought of its inhabitants as the perfect community. The trial symbolizes Jem coming out of his cocoon and realizing what kind of world he really lives in. Now that Jem has had his eyes opened, he is now a butterfly, in the sense that he has become more aware of the real world. Jem always thought that the people of Maycomb knew what was right but was blown away when he saw that they had decided that Tom Robinson was guilty. To him, a child who doesn't have to worry about politics or raceial discrimination, there is no way that Tom Robinson could be found guilty as he says, “Don’t fret, we’ve won it... Don’t see how any jury can convict on what we heard” (page 208). This quote shows how Jem is not the least bit worried that tom will be convicted because because of the profound evidence that was put in front of the jury. After the conviction, Jem sees how many things factor into how a person is judged, even if the evidence is in their favor. through the whole court case, Jem has learned that the world can be unfair and very cruel plus the face that Maycomb is no exception to racism.
First off, I think Jem has gone through personal growth in the past few chapters. He's wanted to be mature and be exposed to "adult" things. And I feel in this chapter, he wishes he hadn't been exposed to the 'reality' of Maycomb.
In the trial, the jury states that Tom Robinson was guilty just because he was a colored man. When hearing this, Jem is furious. He was brought up believing in equality and justice. He doesn't think he should be stated guilty. He feels it wasn't a fair statement just because Tom Robinson was black.
In this moment, I feel Jem is realizing what kind of world he lives in. Also, I feel he realizes that he's being exposed to what adults have to sometimes deal with. I feel like he longs that he was still a 'child' and not exposed to the harsh reality of not only Maycomb but the world in general.
I think that "It's like being a caterpillar in a cocoon" means that in Jem's childhood, he perceived Maycomb as a nice friendly place. As he got older and started to change and mature, (like a caterpillar morphing in a cocoon) he realized the more uglier parts of Maycomb like the racism and social outcasting.
Jem's perception on Maycomb has changed a lot because he has become more understanding about racial equality and doesn't like Maycombs racist ways. I think that what mainly caused Jem to understand the difference between justice and injustice in the trial and in general between black and white people is Atticus's influence on him. Atticus has become one of Jem's major role models and has shaped Jem's perception on Maycomb. Jem has personally grown up by being able to handle adult concepts and making his own opinions on what is right and wrong in Maycomb.
What Jem means is that when the catepillar is in it's cocoon, it is frozen, it can not move, it is unprotected, or it can not protect itself from other bugs. The people in the trial are subjects to a game in a way, they can only answer and not ask. They must do what the person says, they can not protect them selfs. The way Jem is seeing Maycomb has changed because he has never noticed how people really acted towards people different then them. He feels disgusted and upset that his town is like this. As Jem grows he will start to change and take in to consideration about sticking up for people different then him, others who stand out of the crowd.
Isaiah
When your a catepillar in your cocoon your waiting to evolve into something new. Into a butterfly. However it takes time to change and when your trapped in a cocoon, well things around you change. When you were little you must of thought that where you lived was the best place in the world. Everything was perect. However when you get older you start to realize that the people are changing and the atmosphere is changing. It seems like their minds have changed about everything and about you, but it seems like you just missed it or were oblivious until this moment.
Growing up has made Jem realize that everything isn't fair, people aren't fair and life can sometimes be unfair. It seemed like Maycomb was the happiest place with the happiest people, but it has evolved. Maycomb has turned into this place filled with people with feelings that are horrorific(?) as in discrimination and how the majority of the white population in Maycomb take the white girl's side. I can't exactly think of the right word for this and I don't exactly think its "horrorific" but that was the first thing that came to mind. Jem has grown older with his mind wider and smarter. He has learned most of the ways of Maycomb so now, Jem has evolved from a catepillar in a cocoon, to a butterfly.
I think that the quote "It's like being a catepillar in a cocoon, that's what it is... I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world" means that the people living in Maycomb, are secluded from the outside world, or other res besides Maycomb. When a catepillar is in a cocoon,it's as if time stops for that catepillar, but the world is changing and growing, the catepillar is stuck in its own little place, separated from the outside world. As Jem starts maturing and changing, so does the the way he views the world. Before Jem wasn't really apart of for example, the injustice that Tom Robinson had gotten when pronounced guilty. Jem had found the conviction of Tom Robinson to be unfair and plainly wrong. Jem ad found it simple to tell that Tom Robinson was innocent, but the jury had decided otherwise. Jem's perception of Maycomb changed when he had suddenly seen that Maycomb was unjust, and had many wrong things about it. Before the trial, I don't think that Jem had ever thought about Maycomb being an unjust place, but when Tom Robinson had been found guilty, Jem had realized the truth behind his hometown. As he matures, his mind opens to things he had not seen before, and that has caused him to change his perception on Maycomb. This change in perception says that Jem's personal growth is evolving into seeing the unseen. What I mean by this is, while as a kid, Jem had thought the smallest of things such as Boo Radley were important, but as he's growing, he sees the more important things that are wrong and thinks more about them in a different way. He becomes wiser, and closer to Atticus, for they can share the same thoughts, and have areal discussion involving important matter. Jem is just starting to grow from here.
I agree with Sophie in terms of "growing up," and how Jem is thinking this because of his new rebellious questioning society stage. But disagree with her theory on the " caterpillar in a cocoon." I believe that it represents sameness, in that a cocoon is a very dull and boring place. not nearly as glamorous as the thing that comes out of it. so when Jem says,"It's like being a caterpillar in a cocoon, that's what it is .... I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world," he meant that he thought Maycomb was a town of butterflies. But now he realizes how much the citizens are like children still in the developmental stage. Jem is of the age of conscious it has decided to use his consciousness to figure out the society he lives in and how a innocent man can be perceived as guilty.
It think what he mean by "caterpillar in a cocoon" is that he and the children where sheltered. They where wrapped up and incased into a nice safe little blanket where things like racism and injustice could not reach them. The children a forced onto be naive and thinking that Macomb is a perfect quant little town. In these chapters Jems starts to come out of his cocoon and realize that his town it not all that perfect. Jem witnesses the conviction of Tom Robinson. When all the evidence says that Tom Robinson is not guilty he is still convicted and sent to jail. Jem seems to mature y witnessing this. He is exposed to the real and he has gained more knowledge about life and what life at that time was really like.
Jem realizes that he has been covered and protected in a cocoon of lies and an ideal vision of Maycomb “It’s like being a caterpillar in a cocoon, that’s what it is . . . I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world.” Jem has been covered and protected in a cocoon of lies. In a cocoon you are safe, but you don’t really know what’s around you. When you are out of a cocoon, you aren’t protected anymore. Like a butterfly, you have wings. These wings represent that Jem has escaped from the lies. Now though that Jem doesn’t have a cocoon protecting him anymore, he has to deal with the hard truth.
Jem’s perception of Maycomb has changed because Tom Robinson has been found guilty of a crime that people know he didn’t commit. Jem is also upset because he knew how much this case meant to Atticus. Jem believes that his father made a much better argument then the other lawyer and that he should have won. Jem has always seen Maycomb as an ideal place of justice and peace. He learns that what Maycomb would like itself to be perceived as is all lies. In part two of the book, Jem has believed that he is mature. I though believe that Jem finally reaches manhood after the case. Jem learns that the world isn’t a nice place and that he has been living a life believing the lies that Maycomb is an ideal place. Jem changes in many ways. A new determination to become a lawyer arises in Jem. This new flame of passion arises because Jem sees no justice in the jury’s decision. All he sees is a group of prejudiced white men.
The chance of an African American's conviction of being guilty in the 1930s compared to him being innocent was very high, primarily in the South and rarely in the North.
Before I begin deciphering this qoute, I would like to say that "To Kill a Mockingbird" is an interesting novel for the reason that most of the themes that we hear about in this novel are repeated in other fine pieces of literature and modern day media.
Jem nevertheless is referring to the fact that he believed Maycomb was a loving place of cultural salvation. What I mean by cultural salvation, is that Jem thought Maycomb was home to the "best folks in the world", but unfortunately, Jem learned that this was only a childhood fantasy. As Jem thrives and flourishes throughout the story, he notices that Maycomb was not the place that he thought it was. Jem can even be related to multiple children who live in New York City. I, myslef as a child thought that New York City was home to the "best folks in the world", but after living in this city for 12 years, my mind has been slightly turned around.
Jem came to a mental realization about soicety in the 1930s. I agree with multiple arguements on the blog. They all connect to the fact that Jem thought he was protected from the real world, but his coccoon finally hatched, and like a butterfly, he was exposed to the real world, or 1930s America in that sense.
Jem's thinking and actions changed and are changing. So he is reffering to himself as catipillar in a cacoon because isn't fully there yet. He is still seeing how most people in the town act and, it is completely different from his child-hood.
I think, "It's like being a catepillar in a cocoon" is a quote with the most importance in this book. To Kill a Mockingbird, in a sense, is all about growing up. The catepillar symbolizes youth, and the idea of being naive. Jem feels that the people of Maycomb are stuck in their own cocoon, almost as if they hadn't developed the maturity that most adults should already have. Kids usually are influenced by their guardians, and take on the opinion of that guardian. It's almost as if theres one guardian in the town of Maycomb, and he's influenced all of these "kids" to segregate blacks from society.
I feel that Jem is breaking free from this cocoon, and that he is finally understanding the definition of life, which includes equal entitlements amongsts all races, specifically blacks.
Now that Jem is full of anger from the jury's decision, he should be the influence. He should influence society to break the habit of racism, and to be indifferent when it comes to dealing with race.
Towards the end of chapter 22, Jem says, "it's like being a caterpillar in a cocoon..." I think that the caterpillar is somewhat resembling someone that is young because you wrapped up in a safe place but then everything changes when you come out of the cocoon. The cocoon is technically a safe haven and the caterpillar is a person.
Jem thought that the people in Maycomb were nice and the best, but now he is regretting that thought.
His perspective on Maycomb has changed after the case on Tom Robinson. He thought that people in Maycomb were good but witnessing the judge saying "guilty…guilty…guilty…," Jem thought that people were racist towards black people. Some people in Maycomb knew that Atticus wasn't going to win the case, it seemed to be obvious why. The jury's decision was to proclaim Tom guilty, most likely because he was black. Jem didn't think that was right, it was unfair to him. Now he knows that Maycomb isn't that great as he thought it was; that was back when he was young. Jem is now mature and can understand the world better.
- Brianna <3
Jem’s perception of Maycomb is changing because as he is getting older, the protection of his family and community from the horrors of the outside world is fading. As this protection fades, he is being exposed to more of the world. As opposed to when he was a child, he now sees the world in a much deeper manner. He understands what is going on and can make connections now. He is now being exposed to the cruel side of the world. I believe that he is using the idea of a cocoon to refer to the blindness that is kept as a child to the darker world. He is also using it to represent the coming of age and unveiling of the secrets to his surroundings. This scenario is similar to that of Siddhartha in Herman Hesse’s book Siddhartha in that he was kept in a beautiful castle with everything he could ever want. At the same time, he was unaware of anything outside the castle walls. He was unaware of the misery and suffering that was occurring around him. Eventually, he left and learned; and so did Jem. With youth comes a blindfold to the brutality of the world. With age comes a revelation and a view of this brutality. Because of this, Dill, Scout, and Jem are each in different stages of the cocoon. Dill reacts as horrified and disgusted without understanding the elements of the trial, therefore he is a caterpillar. Scout seems to understand the zest of the trial but cannot formulate one certain reaction, therefore she is a cocoon. Jem understands the trial entirely and reacts with endearment towards Robinson and is traumatized by the antipathy and the cruelty of the camp of Bob Ewell, therefore he is a butterfly.
A caterpillar in a cocoon symbolizes false change. For example, when a caterpillar goes under metamorphosis it changes into the butterfly. The truth is that it is the same insect, but, in a different form.
That is what Jem means by, "It's like being a catepillar in a cocoon, that's what it is .... I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world." In part one, Jem was never suspecting unfairness in Maycomb, he was a naive little boy. However, part two brings unfairness to the stage. Jem now realizes that his childhood was sugarcoated and was used to cover up lies in Maycomb. The people of Maycomb were believed to be the best by Jem, but were only lies from the community.
What may have incited this perception is the maturing of his mind and actions as he spends time with Atticus more often. Atticus, as we discussed in class, looks for equality and so he took in Tom Robinson and gave in a trail. Atticus knew it would not be a fair trail. Fortunately, this view rubbed off onto Jem. This states that Jem may be moving closer to Atticus's point of view. It is also stating that Jem is personally going towards the equality/justice personality.
Ian Effendi.
When Jem says “It’s like a caterpillar in a cocoon” he means that for his whole life he has been protected in an innocent bliss. A caterpillar sits in a cocoon, free of harm and thus free to develop, until one day the cocoon breaks and the caterpillar is introduced to the real world.
Just like a caterpillar breaking free of its cocoon, the trial serves as a wake up call for Jem. He sees the bias of the trial and realizes that right versus wrong is irrelevant. Atticus has always been an open and unconventional parent, but when Jem sees the blatant racism of the society he lives in he cannot cope with it. Unlike Scout, Jem is old enough to really understand what is going on. Jem is a well-educated and smart kid but at the same time he is naive. He is intelligent enough to know that the evidence presented clearly tends towards a not guilty verdict, but at the same time he is too young and innocent to realize that, in Alabama, a Black man can never beat a White man no matter the situation.
I think that the trial forces Jem to grow up much more quickly than he would like to. He is always trying to act like an adult, but in actuality he is still a kid. True, he is intelligent and mature, yet he just cannot understand the “Southern” world. Jem thinks that being an adult involves autonomy, but instead he finds out that it is actually a path filled with pain. He discovers being an adult involves dealing with the injustices of the world and he finds out he is not ready for that.
When Jem states, "It's like being a caterpillar in a cocoon," I think Jem is realizing that Maycomb is a conservative town. And when you live in Maycomb, you can feel like your suffocating. Before Jem thought that "Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world". But Jem not recognizes that Maycomb's freedom is limited like other towns in the South. This analysis makes Jem grow up quickly, because he does not have the characteristic of being naive to the world’s horrors. Jem has realized, after the Tom Robinson case that he needs to do something to change the world. Sadly Jem realizes that when you live in Maycomb, you are a caterpillar cooped up in a cocoon. Almost helpless because there is not much you can do to change the worlds. But when you are a butterfly, you have the freedom to change the world, and you have the power.
Hi its Stef.
When Jem says that "its like being a caterpillar in a cocoon", he means that he always thought the world was amazing, and that there was never anything bad anywhere. He was not aware of the unfairness in life, as though he was wrapped in a cloth, blocking all of the horrors and unfairness in the world. After the trial, he realizes all of the things that he had been unaware of, all of the things that he had been kept from by his "cocoon". The reason that this is so important, is because it changes how he looks at the world. It makes him take a second look, and realize that some people that they thought were bad, were actually good, and some people that they thought were good, were actually bad. It changes his perception of Maycomb, because when he was in his cocoon, he thought that the people in Maycomb were the best, "I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world". When he gets himself out of the cocoon, he starts to think that not all of the people in Maycomb are good people.
Stef
When Jem says "it's like being a catepillar in a cocoon" i think he means that up until the court case he had been ignorant, complacent with the world. Now that Tom Robinson has been named guilty, though it seemed clear that Tom was truly innocent, he has been rudely startled awake with the harsh reality of life. He used to be so confident in the goodness of his neighbors, fellow Maycomb residents, now he is unsure. He is all of the sudden aware of a simple fact: people can be prejudiced. He was certain that Atticus would win the court case because his argument was so persuasive. Because there was no real evidence against Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was named guilty because of the jury's own racism. Jem is now wide awake.
Jem is seriously upset to find himself surrounded by biased people. He feels as though he doesn't recognize the town he has spent his whole life in, or the people he spent it with. I believe the verdict changed something in Jem, he can no longer pretend that "Maycomb folks are the best folks in the world" the verdict has forced him to grow up and accept what is around him.
-Kai W
When Jem says that "It's like being a caterpillar in a cocoon, that's what it is... (etc)" I think that he means, its like he was sheltered in a cocoon, he couldn't really see the outside world or "the real world" for what it was until he became a butterfly. Its almost like how when you're a little kid and you think your parents are the strongest people in the world and that they know everything, but as you grow up you realize that just because their your parents doesn't mean there more than human. Jem grows up thinking that everyone in Maycomb is amazing and some of the best people in the world, but because of the jury's decision he realizes that they aren't.
I think this helps Jem grow a little bit, in the sense that he now realizes that Maycomb people are only human. Which may also change his perception on his father Atticus, in the way that I mentioned before about parents being almost super heroes. It also may just change his perception on people in general.
I think that when Jem says that it like being a caterpillar in a cocoon it means that its like you are left to stay in this one place doing the same thing every day and never changing. i think that this means that when you are a caterpillar you are confined to a small space and with that you also in Maycomb you are also confined to a little space with no change unless you make a change. I think that this whole metiphor makes you think little more about what it means to be a caterpillar and what it is like to live in Maycomb. If you look really closely you can see that there isn't very much of a difference between that two.
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