Question

Jem is trying to forget the ugly side of humanity that he witnessed during the trial. He screams at Scout, "I never wanta hear about that courthouse again, ever...." The trial was a very traumatic experience for him, and he is still trying to deal with the disillusionment he suffered as a result of it. As Atticus states in the last paragraph of the chapter, "Jem was trying hard to forget something, but what he was really doing was storing it away for a while, until enough time passed. Then he would be able to think about it and sort things out." What was Jem trying to do after the trial?

1) Forget about the trial completely
2) Store the memories away temporarily
3) Discuss the trial with Scout
4) Seek therapy for his trauma

Answer 1

Jem is trying to temporarily store away the traumatic memories of the trial to deal with them later, matching the second option provided.

Step-by-step explanation:

After witnessing the disheartening outcome of the trial in To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem is attempting to cope with his disillusionment. According to Atticus's observation, what Jem is trying to do is store the memories away temporarily. He is not yet ready to fully process the traumatic experience, so his actions align with the second option. Jem's reaction reflects a common psychological response where individuals may temporarily put away difficult memories in order to deal with them at a later time when they might be more prepared to handle the emotional impact.