Suffering In To Kill A Mockingbird

John Green once said, "The only way out of a labyrinth of suffering is to forgive." In the award-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the labyrinth of suffering is symbolized by injustice between the black and white communities. The young narrator, Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, learns to express compassion towards those who are in need of it the most in order to escape the views of the world she lives in, by carefully observing the conversations around her, and learning from both her failures and her successes. Throughout the novel, she learns to see the world from another point of view, by learning to walk in the shoes of others. In Harper Lee 's To Kill a Mockingbird, six-year old Scout learns to understand the significant role

Other than Atticus ' teachings of compassion, Scout learns to be compassionate from her failures as well, through the more sensitive times of her childhood. On Scout 's first day of school, she explains to her teacher why Walter Cunningham, a boy in her class, does not have a lunch. Scout says, " '[The Cunninghams] never took anything off of anybody, they get along on what they have '" (Lee 26). One year, Atticus did a job for Mr. Cunningham and Scout asked Atticus how he could afford to pay him back. Atticus responded, " 'Not in money, but before the year 's out I 'll have been paid '" (Lee 27). The Cunninghams were farmers, and would pay favors back with the crops they grew on their farm. This topic was sensitive to Walter, because he did not want the entire class to know about his financial situation, even though everyone in Maycomb already knew everyone’s business. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Novels for Students, writer Darren Felty displays his connection to the events on Scout’s first day of first grade, “[Scout] cannot understand, for instance, her young teacher 's lack of familiarity with the town families and their peculiarities, such as the Cunningham children 's poverty and pride. Later, Atticus explains to Scout that she must put herself in others ' places before judging them, one of the many lessons she learns by making mistakes” (Felty 287). Felty expresses how Scout 's age affects her judgement of the people around her. She disregards Walter 's pride and confidentiality, showing little respect for his family 's situation. Throughout the novel, she learns to view the world through the eyes of others before judging them on how they live their lives. This lesson of showing compassion towards others is a lesson learned by Scout throughout the many years of her childhood. Failing to be compassionate towards Walter in school taught Scout what life was like for