Theme Of Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird

Maturity is a lesson provided from experiences. As children age they’re faced with more challenges to overcome and can experience a new reality. In chapter 12 of To Kill a Mockingbird in which Calpurnia takes Jem and Scout (both white) to the “First Purchase African M.E. Church”, author Harper Lee uses dialogue and imagery to develop the theme of empathy to understand what it’s like to be judged based on the color of one's skin.
For instance, by witnessing the dialogue between Calpurnia and Lula, Scout and Jem begin to realize the true feeling of unwelcomeness. In the novel Luna argues,”’You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here-they got their church, we got our’n’” (136). With this aggressive message the writer can better illustrate

This moment displays the racism Tom Robinson is undergoing. They truly understand how it is to feel like an outcast from places and feel inferior to others. The children aren’t accustomed to these types of churches and are not sure as to what goes on inside of the church. As the children enter the church they begin to grasp how different the church is from their own. Scout, being at first nieve, has the following conversation with Calpurnia:”’Cal,’ I whispered, ‘where are the hymn-books?’ ‘We don’t have any,’ she said” (137). This conveys that Scout does not understand the full extent of segregation. Back then, the different races also had different resources. Due to racism and segregation, Calpurnia’s church did not have access to the same basic essentials provided in Jem and Scout’s church. Calpurnia seems to be aware of the lack of assets and is trying to open Jem and Scout’s eyes to what it is like for her and her peers. Jem and Scout come from a privileged white background, they

Scout begins to notice how poor this church is compared to the one she attends. She describes the church:”First Purchase was unceiled and unpainted within. Along its walls unlighted kerosene lamps hung on brass brackets; pine benches served as pews”(136). This interpretation provides further context of the conditions of the church. With the little knowledge Scout and Jem have on the racial injustice taking place in the world, they struggle to realize what it is like for those who are not white and that they do not have the same assets as them. Scout also understands they do not acquire the same necessities as a church she is known to would have. She notices,”There was no sign of piano, organ, hymn-books, church programs-the familiar ecclesiastical impedimenta we saw every Sunday”(136). In this instant she begins to pick up on the financial status of the church in contrast to hers. At Jem and Scout’s church money is not a constant occurrence but they soon learn of others struggles when the church asks for money to purchase hymn-books and to help Helen Robinson. It was hard to comprehend how they would do such basic religious studies without the hymn books as they never had to worry about not having them before. They begin to feel a sense of sympathy for the suffering church and for the family of Tom Robinson as they see the church’s compassion for the family. This