Ari Benkler Chapters 22-23 Free Response Post: Explain the difference in perspective between Scout and Jem that results in their differing opinions in their exchange towards the end of chapter 23.

   Scout's view about the nature of the world is fundamentally more naive than that of Jem's as demonstrated in their exchange at the end of chapter 23. Scout believes that all people are basically the same and a victim of their circumstances when she says "No, everybody's gotta learn,... I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks." (Lee, 259). The conversation takes place in Jem's room after Aunt Alexandra has told Scout that she may not invite Walter Cunningham over for dinner or to play with him. Aunt Alexandra clearly demonstrates that she still believes in different classes of people, as evidenced by her quote, "I'll tell you why... Because--he--is--trash..." (Lee, 256). Aunt Alexandra also says "Besides, there's a drinking streak in that family a mile wide. Finch women aren't interested in that sort of people." (Lee, 255). This makes Scout go and get upset, and Jem consoles her in his room. Scout's complaints about Aunt Alexandra's outdated class system give rise to a discussion in which Jem outlines his belief that Old Family is just how long a family has been reading and writing, because, according to him, there is no other way to differentiate between the Cunninghams and the Finches. Jem goes further and outlines his beliefs about Maycomb County at large, naming the four types of people he believes reside therein. The tow folks, the folks like the Cunninghams, or farmers, the white trash like the Ewells, and the black people. This idea of hyper-division among such a small number of people shows how disillusioned Jem is with the concept of co-operation. He's seen so many bad decisions made from lack of coherence, so many moral options thrown by the wayside in the trial, he's completely lost his faith in human goodness. Scout is much more naive and open to the possibility of good qualities in people because she doesn't understand as much about the things that happened at the trial. Jem's opinions show deep cynicism about co-operation and Scout's opinion that people are all fundamentally the same and fundamentally decent shows her faith and how little she has seen of the actual world, independent of which one of them is right.

Who's vision of the social breakdown of Maycomb County is more accurate, Jem's or Scout's? Are people basically good with flaws, or are they self-serving at baseline and only willing to co-operate when it will benefit them and not take too much effort?