Steve Maraboli once said, “A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” A kind gesture can truly make a difference in someone’s life, even if the gesture isn’t necessarily a desirable action to the deliverer. Pulitzer Prize winning book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which has made its way onto almost every top ten books chart, shows how serving another person, no matter the task, can make a difference in someone’s life. Her approach to tackling tough topics of the time has intrigued many. Set during the Great Depression in Maycomb, Alabama, the Finch family faces the challenges of the town together. Throughout this book, Harper Lee uses her characters to show how doing what’s undesirable must be done for the benefit of others. While Scout and Jem try to get the …show more content…
Scout must control her temper as she faces the backlash of kids at school who hear about her father’s decision. When confronted by a fellow classmate, Scout was able to swallow her pride and hold back. “After my bout with Cecil Jacobs, word got out that Scout Finch wouldn’t fight anymore…” (p.119). Even though every ounce of Scout wanted to fight Cecil and stand up for Atticus, she also knows that her dad doesn’t want her to fight; fighting won’t solve any problems, and goes against what Atticus wants his children to grow up to be. Another way Harper Lee shows her characters working to benefit others is when she has the notorious Boo Radley lend a hand to Scout. “ ‘[Scout] You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when [Boo] put the blanket around you’ “ (p.96). Boo, known for malevolent actions like stabbing his father with a pair of scissors, was kind, compassionate, and willing to risk the repercussions of