Empathy has always been needed in our society. Day to day people go around judging others for the way they act. What they do not know is that those people are acting the way they do because of an event that happened to them. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that is about racism, social injustice, and mainly empathy. The protagonist, Scout, is a 6 year old girl in the start of the novel that lives in a town called Maycomb. Maycomb is a place where all of the neighbors care about each other, and all have different beliefs about other townspeople. In more detail about empathy, in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, many characters do not understand another person until they consider things through their point of view for the characters …show more content…
A main character in the book that needs empathy is not only Mrs. Dubose, but also Boo Radley. In more depth, Boo Radley committed a crime when he was very young (he is in his thirties now), and instead of jail, his father decided for him to live inside of his house for the next few years that follow without taking a step outside. By Boo Radley doing this, he feels as though he is paying off the crime he committed. To illustrate, he stabbed his dad in the leg with scissors when he was young and has “never” gone out of his house according to Jem, Scout, and Dill. To get into more depth about why Boo got locked up in his house in the first place and the details for how he stabbed his father the text says, “According to neighborhood legend, when the younger Radley boy was in his teens he became acquainted with some of the Cunninghams from Old Sarum, an enormous and confusing tribe domiciled in the northern part of the county, and they formed the nearest thing to a gang ever seen in Maycomb…. One night, in an excessive spurt of high spirits, the boys backed around the square in a borrowed flivver, resisted arrest by Maycomb’s ancient beadle, Mr. Connor said he knew who each and every one of them was, and he was bound and determined they wouldn’t get away with it, so the boys came before the probate judge on charges of disorderly …show more content…
Specifically, Francis was saying mean things to Scout about Atticus defending a person of a different race. To illustrate, Francis saw Scout at her house for Christmas and called Atticus an n-word-lover because he is defending Tom Robinson in his court case. Scout then hit him in the mouth because he was saying this, and then this caused Scout to get in trouble and everyone took Francis’ side because he is the one who got punched in the face. To describe how Scout teaches this to Uncle Jack Harper Lee writes, “Uncle Jack put his hands on his hips and looked down at me. ‘And why do I not understand children, Miss Jean Louise? Such conduct as yours required understanding. It was obstreperous, disorderly and abusive--’ ‘You gonna give me a chance to tell you? I don’t mean to sass you, I’m just tryin’ to tell you.’ Uncle Jack sat down on the bed. His eyebrows came together, and he peered up at me from under them. ‘Proceed,’ he said.”(113) This quote helps enhance the reader's information about Uncle Jack because it provides a deeper understanding for how Scout taught Uncle Jack a meaningful lesson in life. Uncle Jack conveys that even if you are mature and are an adult, you can still be learning new things every day. The reader learns from Uncle Jack’s point of view that you have to listen to both
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the theme of “empathy” is frequently apparent. Throughout the novel, the mockingbird is used as a symbol, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy….That ’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 103). The mockingbird relates back to the theme of empathy because it represents the people who were innocent, yet treated unjustly.
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses indirect characterization to show how Scout learns the lesson of empathy. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee the character Scout initially sees Boo Radly as a terrifying monster that causes trouble. But this was when Scout didn't understand the concept of empathy. This story takes place in a small old southern county called Maycomb. The main character whose nickname is Scout is explaining a rumor to a new friend Dill with her brother Jem about a monstrous being called Boo Radley.
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.
"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.
That is the motive had to help her, empathy. Tom Robinson displays empathy at his own trial while on the witness stand when he confesses that he felt sorry for Mayella Ewell, whom he is accused of raping. Mayella is the lonely, abused daughter of Bob Ewell in the story. Mayella is a lonely young girl who has to take care of the house and her many siblings alone and by herself. This shows how the “felt sorry for her” is considered and how unexpected it is for a member of the black community to pity a member of the white community.
In the story, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem and Scout begin to understand other people’s lives. They start to realize everyone’s survival is different, and everyone deals with unlike situations, and these 2 characters begin to demonstrate lessons of empathy more and more as the book progresses, and there are many places in the book where they show this. In the text, Jem and Scout learn the importance of showing empathy toward others. Throughout the book, there are many pieces of evidence that support this idea.
Francis says, “If Uncle Atticus lets you run around with stray dogs, that's his own business, like Grandma says, so it ain’t your fault. I guess it ain’t your fault if Uncle Atticus is a -lover besides, but I’m here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family-” (Lee 110). This indicates how racism in Maycomb is installed into the town. Francis, a young kid was not born with racist thoughts, he picked them up from the community he is being raised in.
Imagine living in a society that had no empathy for individuals that have become outcasts. Where the individuals suffer the characterization and effects of the society because they lack empathy for how they live. A society that has a unwritten rule but can not apply the rule to the individuals that apply. This society is in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird is told from the perspective of a young girl, Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch, who lives in a quiet town in Maycomb, Alabama.
Empathy provides a way to bridge this gap, allowing individuals to connect with and understand the struggles of others. However, this process is not always straightforward. Empathy requires a willingness to challenge one's beliefs and confront how privilege and power have shaped one's perspective in a society where systemic inequalities and deeply ingrained prejudices are prevalent. Through Scout's journey, To Kill a Mockingbird highlights the importance of empathy in fostering understanding and promoting social justice and the challenges that must be overcome to truly understand and empathize with those who are different from
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.
The children must be aware of varying social place in their town of Maycomb, Alabama. Atticus devotes his efforts to teaching his children to always be empathetic regardless of their higher status in society being
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. To me the word empathy in “To Kill A Mockingbird” means “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.” Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” suggests that empathy is a universal feeling, but everyone experiences it in different occasions and in different ways. Many people empathize through real life experiences. Scout is one of those people.
Many people in this world cannot have empathy. Empathy is the ability to share and understand someone’s feelings. In the story "To Kill a Mockingbird,"presents the theme of empathy. Characters in this book show almost little to no empathy, as they are seen acting discriminatory, racist, and can make hostile comments. However, some characters in To Kill a Mockingbird many people in this world cannot have empathy.
In Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, empathy is at the heart of the story. It is represented in different events and characters. This literary piece is an effective example of demonstrating understanding towards others. Empathy can be seen in many different characters throughout the novel such as Scout, Atticus, and Tom Robinson. They gain wisdom and show sympathy to the people that deserve it.
Through this experience, the children begin to have empathy and show a deeper understanding of Mrs. Dubose. This understanding prompts Scout and Jem to have empathy towards Mrs. Dubose, seeing how her struggles have shaped her worldview. In the end, this teaches them the importance of compassion and empathy. The quote “...and he would gaze at Mrs. Dubose with a face devoid of resentment” (pg 128) show how over the weeks the children spent with her their hatred started to lessen for the cancerous old