Empathy In All Summer In A Day By Ray Bradbury

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feeling of another, and if we lack empathy it could sometimes cause conflict and violence. In the short story, “All Summer in a Day”, by Ray Bradbury, expresses the lack of empathy with a young girl who is considered different than the other children, and isn’t being showed empathy in any way. There are many examples of lack of empathy towards others, which then causes violence. In page two, paragraph six, Bradbury states, “‘What’re you looking at?’ said William. Margot said nothing. ‘:Speak when you’re spoken to.’ He gave her a shove. But she did not move; rather she let herself be moved only by him and nothing else.” The quote shows how the kid, William, doesn’t show any type of concern towards Margot, and when she is doing nothing but standing he makes the unnecessary effort to make her feel like

This section of the story shows lack of empathy because the child is treating the little girl poorly for believing in something that many don’t understand. The kid doesn’t make any effort to talk to the girl and understand her point of view and her belief. Bradbury also shows lack of empathy in page three, paragraph thirteen, by stating, ”They surged about her, caught her up and bore her, protesting, and then pleading, and then crying, back into a tunnel, a room a closet, where they slammed and locked the door...Then, smiling, they turned and went out and back down the tunnel…”. This part of the story is about how the young girl, Margot, is excited to see the sun because it only comes every seven years, and these kids have never seen the sun. So, not knowing how the sun looks like the kids make Margot feel bad and physically grab her and lock her in a closet. Lack of empathy is expressed in this section of the story, because the antagonists are not attempting to see why the protagonist is delighted for