In To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus told Scout, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” What does it truly mean to walk around in someone else’s skin? How can anyone truly understand a person and know how they are feeling? That is why we have empathy. Empathy is what makes the world a better place. It is what makes people want to live another day. Empathizing with another person may be challenging, but it will make a tremendous difference in the end. Empathizing with someone else makes their life easier and helps them to feel better about their situation. Empathy is essential, helps us to learn to not be judgmental, and makes the world …show more content…
In To Kill a Mockingbird there were numerous cases in which empathy was displayed such as when Atticus did not revile Bob Ewell when Bob spit in his face but instead tried to understand where he was coming from. A while later, Atticus told Jem to, “stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute” reminding Jem that he had made Bob Ewell feel like a fool in front of the entire court. Atticus is an ideal exemplar of empathizing with others. After the court case a lot of the Negroes had sent Atticus food in order to thank him. In response to this Atticus said, “Tell them I’m very grateful. Tell them they must never do it again. Times are too hard.” Atticus was completely aware that the Negroes had fallen on hard times and couldn’t afford to send him food. Atticus was able to empathize with these people and therefore treat them accordingly. Another example would be at the end of the book when Scout is on Boo Radley’s porch contemplating everything that has happened and she states, “Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.” Scout was finally able to understand Boo Radley unlike the town folk who judged him wrongly. She knew that the reason why Boo Radley stayed inside all of those years is because he didn’t want to be part of a cruel and hateful