Jem is ashamed of Atticus because he does not possess the youth and strength that the other fathers of boys Jem's age have. As an aging lawyer, Atticus is not able to "keep up" physically and athletically like the other fathers. Jem is particularly bothered by the fact that Atticus won't let him tackle him during their football games and that he will only play "keep away" with the ball.
Atticus redeems himself in Jem's eyes when he proves his marksmanship skills by shooting Tim Johnson, the rabid dog who wanders down a road in Maycomb. Both Jem and Scout are shocked at how talented their father is, particularly since they never associated him with anything as violent or as physically demanding as shooting a gun.
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