How has “Maycomb’s usual disease” affected Jem and Scout? Although Jem and Scout are portrayed to be symbols of childhood innocence in the...

It has affected them a bit as we all know, Jem and scout grow up in the story and therefore learn to overcome "Maycomb's usual disease". However, notice how it was atticus who quoted racism as a disease. He said he was afraid the children would catch it. I feel that his fear came as a result to one part of chapter 5. When he found out about his children putting Boo's life story on display for the edification of others.

And he was right to be afraid as if you were to look at some of scout and Jem's reactions, they have in fact been affected by the disease as it is in one way or another, and whether hey realise it or not, ingrained in them. It is more of scout than jem really who has become so influenced by the prejudices of the society that she doesn't even realise it when she's saying it.

Some quotes of the instances when she/they show(s) prejudice is;

"'She is supposed to go around the back' I said. Jem shook his head. 'Don't make any difference now,' he said. Calpurnia pounded on the door in vain. No one acknowledged her warning; no one seemed to have heard it." - Chapter 10

Here, she is so used to observing the social standing that is blacks are to go through the back door only because they are not as worthy as a white person and are therefore not allowed to use the front entrance (stated in the book somewhere, sorry but i'm not sure where i think chapter 1 when they describe boo's house...) that she applies herself upon Calpurnia, not realising that if she were to go through the back, she would be putting herself and the Radley's in more danger. Also, instead of realising the courage it took Cal to run out to the Radley's while the Mad dog was on the streets, she only noted the fact that Cal was going the wrongh way.

Another example would be when Calpurnia wanted to warn the Radley's of the Mad dog, "'Radley's got a phone?' Jem looked in the book and said no.'They wont come out anyway, Cal'" Jem does not care about the Radleys well being as did Calpurnia. This is probably a result of the prejudice he is so used to having toward the Radleys.

There is one from the trial scene. When especially scout does not find it at all wrong to be blaming Tom Robinson for his actions beause he is after all black.

and when she asks Calpurnia why she 'talk nigger-talk' (chapter 12) when she "know better". I feel that here she is implying that the way whites speak is more superior than that of "nigger-talk". Although to us, we know for a fact that proper english is what some of the educated whites use, the fact that Scout says that by talking like a white is better she seems to imply her beliefs that whites are better than whites as after all, that was what her environment instilled in her; Maycomb's usual disease.