In the drenching hot heat of Maycomb county there is a stale feeling of resentment faced toward the African American people. Maycomb isn't the model city of Alabama, it has it problems and that problem is communication; the people are unwary of the African Americans and what they do because they fail to communicate their issues. To better understand the text Harper Lee includes several different themes to better recognize the importance of empathy. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird uses several different themes including the coming of age of several characters, individuals versus society, and prejudice to portray the importance of empathy. Harper Lee uses the main characters Jem and Scout coming of age to help understand their perspective in how others are treated. “I was far too old and too big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold in, the better off everybody would be.”(Lee 74), explained Scout. The quote …show more content…
“They’re certainly entitled to think that, and they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions,” declares Atticus, “But before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience” (Lee 140). Since Atticus has taken the Tom Robinson court case several people in town are calling Atticus names and do not approve of what he is doing. Atticus is taking it upon himself to defend Tom no matter what other people think of him, for this reason Atticus is showing his empathy for Tom through defending him and hearing Tom’s side of the story out. Sometimes it is hard to go against what other people are saying, for the one person they have to stay true to their word and stand by it and let no one change their minds; Atticus is that one person who has sympathy to help Tom out and he doesn't care what other people