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How Does Lee Use Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Recommended: Essay on quote analysis about empathy in to kill a mockingbird by Harper lee

“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

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While one of the main themes of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is understanding another human’s perspective. Scout Finch, the story’s protagonist, shows growth and maturity as she learns to deal with the injustice of a prejudiced society. Scout is a young girl from Alabama whose father, Atticus Finch, is asked to defend an African-American man who is charged with rape. The southern way of life during the Great Depression would not allow Tom Robinson a fair trial, and Scout and her brother Jem are forced to deal with a county’s ignorance and racist attitudes. While in the beginning of the book Scout seems to be an innocent, naive little girl, she matures as time goes on and ultimately learns the lessons her father wants her to understand.

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"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.

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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.

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