“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee 39). Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird follows Scout Finch’s childhood as she grows up in a rural Alabama county during the 1930’s. She and her brother Jem have many adventures in their youth and are raised by their single father Atticus. As they grow up they start to learn the importance of empathy especially when dealing with the racial prejudice that many people around them have. They also witness a man on trial for his life for a crime he did not commit. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee uses characterization to display that one must use empathy to fully understand a situation. …show more content…
Early in the book when Scout starts school she finds she does not like her teacher because her teacher does not believe Scout should be reading yet. Scout who has known how to read for a few years now finds this idea silly and decides to ask Atticus if she can stop going to school. Atticus tells her that if she can learn a little trick it will help her a lot in life he states “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee 39). This helps scout realize that even though she does not like her teacher’s thinking she can see the logic behind it if she looks at it from her point of view. Next towards the end of the novel Bob Ewell spits in Atticus’ face and swears vengeance for the trial. This scares Scout and Jem. When they confront him about it Atticus merely says “Jem see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes for a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial. . . So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take.” (Lee 292). This again teaches the kids that you can understand someone's motives behind doing something by using empathy. To conclude Atticus Finch shows his children and the reader the importance of empathy to understand other’s
To Kill A Mockingbird Essay In the novel, To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a young girl named Scout and her brother Jem, display acts of empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and relate to the feelings of others. Scout lives in the county of Maycomb with her family, Atticus, Jem, Aunt Alexandra, and Calpurnia.
In “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee a girl named Jean Louise Finch learns the truths of her town when her father, Atticus Finch, is appointed to defend a Black man. Jean Louise, nicknamed Scout, and her brother Jem make many friends and uncover the importance of many things through her father defending a Black man named Tom Robinson. One of these friends being Charles Baker Harris, nicknamed Dill, who is immensely infatuated with the town’s so-called lunatic, Boo Radley. Her brother and herself learn most of the important things from Atticus and Calpurnia, their caretaker. Everything else that they learn about is most likely from and situations they’ve found themselves in throughout the novel.
Empathy Empathy is shown in To Kill A Mockingbird by Atticus standing up for Tom Robinson, Jem realizing that Arthur Radley is not crazy; he is just antisocial, and Scout feeling remorse for tormenting Arthur throughout her childhood. Atticus shows empathy throughout the whole book, from promising Scout that they will read every night, to taking on Tom Robinson’s trial, it’s hard to find a more genuine character. While Atticus knew that the trial may not end well, he still believed he should stand up for what is right, regardless of anyone’s skin color. Atticus was willing to fight a large group of burly men to protect Tom Robinson, it could be that he thought about what he would want others to do if he were in that situation.
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee explores the theme of empathy through the eyes of Scout Finch, a young girl growing up in the 1930s in Maycomb, Alabama. The novel begins with the memorable quote from Atticus Finch, Scout's father, who states, "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. " This sets the stage for the overarching message of the novel, which is that it is wrong to harm innocent beings, like the mockingbirds, who bring joy to the world. Through Scout's interactions with a cast of diverse and strongly opinionated characters, Lee demonstrates the power of empathy and its ability to bring people together and break down barriers.
One day, on his way home, Atticus is spit on by Bob Ewell. Atticus refuses to retaliate when Bob Ewell spits in his face. Later, at home, Jem wants to understand why Atticus isn’t afraid. Atticus replies, “Jem see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with.
Roger Ebert once stated, “I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilization.” Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings of others. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird possesses empathy and the impact the trait can have on everyone. This story shares the life of Scout as she faces difficult events and finds a way to empathize with the people around her. In Harper Lee’s
Empathy Unveiled: A Study of To Kill a Mockingbird Empathy is critical in developing interpersonal relationships and fostering understanding and compassion between individuals. It is often seen as a tool for overcoming prejudice and promoting social justice. However, despite its potential for positive change, applying empathy in the face of racism and misogyny is a complex and challenging issue. In a world where systemic inequalities and ingrained biases persist, truly understanding and empathizing with those different from us can seem daunting. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, through the lens of Scout Finch, the novel presents a nuanced portrayal of the challenges and obstacles that individuals face in trying to understand and empathize
Atticus gives her a tip to understand why people do the things that they do after she has some issues with her first grade teacher at school. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (39). Atticus tells Scout this to help her get along with others better. This takes place early on in the novel, but later in the novel Scout remembers this lesson.
In the drenching hot heat of Maycomb county there is a stale feeling of resentment faced toward the African American people. Maycomb isn't the model city of Alabama, it has it problems and that problem is communication; the people are unwary of the African Americans and what they do because they fail to communicate their issues. To better understand the text Harper Lee includes several different themes to better recognize the importance of empathy. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird uses several different themes including the coming of age of several characters, individuals versus society, and prejudice to portray the importance of empathy.
To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Plan Thesis: The three main protagonists of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (Scout, Jem, and Dill) both learn and demonstrate empathy through the story. Directional Statement: The characters demonstrate empathy to Boo Radley both after the trial and after Scout walks him back home, and they learn about empathy during Tom Robinson's testimony. Body Paragraph 1: Point: Jem demonstrates empathy towards Boo Radley after Tom Robinson is convicted of raping a white woman. Proof: Right after the trial, and Tom Robinson has been convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, Jem starts to understand why Boo Radley doesn't come out of his house: "I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all the time...
Scout admits she feels fine and Atticus asks her what is wrong. She tells him that her teacher, Miss Caroline, says that they cannot read together anymore because she is too advanced for her age. Atticus responds with, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,”(Lee 39). Though Scout does not fully understand the concept of this lesson, it slowly comes to her as the book advances. She is able to make many connections using what Atticus taught her, and she truly understands the meaning of standing in another person’s shoes.
Cunningham Scene A person’s ability to put himself in another person’s place and understand why that person may act the way they do, shows one is able to be sympathetic and compassionate towards others. Atticus Finch, a father of two and a lawyer, explains to his daughter, Scout Finch, that “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 30). She doesn 't understand the meaning of it all at first, but as she matures throughout the novel, she is exposed to the true meaning of Atticus’ words.
Not only can we learn from the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird, but also in the poem Sympathy because we can relate to what the author is talking about. Through these examples, it is clear that authors can best create empathy in their readers by developing strong characters that go through problems that the reader can relate to or learn
Did you know the name of the book “To Kill A Mockingbird” is a direct reference from a famous saying “To kill a mockingbird is a sin? Well now that you know that reference in the book this is exactly how they explain how innocence in this book is stolen away and a sin is committed. Theoretically there are mockingbirds in the story but they are people. These are some of the ways that empathy is directly quoted and showed in the book “To Kill A Mockingbird”. Empathy is what Atticus Finch had for a boy named Tom Robinson he was trying to save him from the death penalty.
A person cannot call themselves a noble person if they can’t understand others. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is told in first person by Jean Louise Finch or by her nickname, Scout a 6-year-old. Harper Lee, depicts Atticus Finch as a proficient father to his two children, Scout and Jim, 10-year-old. Atticus teaches his children life lessons, one being it 's a sin to kill a mockingbird.