I find Scout's intelligence for someone so young to be her
most endearing trait in To Kill a Mockingbird. Upon entering her
first day in school, she is already advanced scholastically beyond all her other
classmates: She reads several grades above her level, and she already knows how to write
cursive (though these facts do not impress her teacher, Miss Caroline). Despite her
youth, she understands most of what is said by adults and comprehends some of the more
detailed aspects of life in Maycomb. Although some of the testimony in the trial of Tom
Robinson is above her head, she is able to perceive the important facts and decide for
herself about Tom's innocence. By the end of the story, she is even able to put several
of Atticus' favorite sayings to good use, understanding how charging Boo with Bob's
death would be like "killing a mockingbird"; and how important it is to step inside
someone else's shoes before judging them.
Scout's hot
temper is undoubtedly her greatest weakness, and she has to fight the urge to use her
fists in order to solve her differences. Atticus' warnings manage to curb this problem,
and her fights grow less frequent as the novel continues. According to others, her
unladylike ways are also a detriment, but Scout isn't old enough to realize this yet.
She sees that some of the other "ladies" of Maycomb, particularly those at the
missionary circle tea, are hardly worth emulating.
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