Examples Of Sympathy In To Kill A Mockingbird

Showing compassion towards someone may be difficult, especially if one has a preexisting bias against that person. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee explores this topic, including how to decide if one is worthy of compassion. The citizens of Maycomb can be quick to judge anyone who is “different”, without fully understanding that person’s backstory. Mayella Ewell is one character who is often subject to this judgment, specifically during Tom Robinson’s trial. During this eventful period, she gains lots of negative attention and is shown no compassion. Because the people of Maycomb see in “black and white”, they are unable and unwilling to fathom that there is another side to the story, thus depriving Mayella of the sympathy she deserves. Mayella Ewell is worthy of compassion because her father is abusive, she does all of the work at home, and she does not deserve her family’s poor reputation.

Scout does not like all of the prejudices in the town, and world, all shows a lot of empathy for how young she is in this quote, “I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks,” (304) Atticus, Scout, and minor characters show the importance of empathy. Atticus always thinks about how people feel, scout shows empathy throughout the novel, especially at the end, and some minor characters show some empathy. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee demonstrates the importance of empathy.

In conclusion, To Kill A Mockingbird has many examples of how characters show empathy to other characters. In this novel, one of the main themes or lessons Lee tries to teach the reader is empathy for others. To judge a person, you must walk in his “shoes” or “skin”. Throughout the novel, Atticus, Jem and Scout Finch mature and start showing empathy more and more and to more and more people. If it weren’t for empathy, no one would have defended Tom Robinson. A wise person told me many of our lawyers today as kids they decided to be lawyers because of Atticus Finch’s heroic

Empathy can be defined as making a connection to someone during a situation. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, empathy is a main part in some of the characters’ lives. Without empathy, the novel would lack many components that make the main characters, Jem and Scout, who they are.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel which deals with many themes; the most dominant of these is empathy, as it is crucial in the relationships between characters as well as in their learning experiences. The way Scout finally learns how to use empathy to see things from Boo Radley’s point of view was very moving to the reader, and the reader can

Throughout Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, empathy is learned and demonstrated in the characters lives. It is one if the novels defining themes as Lee’s character, Atticus teaches it to his children, Scout and Jem. His children are also taught it by Tom Robinson, a person that Atticus is defending in law.

Lee uses experiences Jem faced and overcame in the novel to develop her theme compassion. As the oldest Jem faced more character building experiences than Scout. He could understand the meaning behind Atticus and his lessons. This resulted in Jem fully understanding compassion, but resenting it as well. “Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute”(292). Jem doesn’t want to stand or think about anything related to Bob. Atticus is teaching him that compassion doesn’t come easy. In a passage with compassion, Scout and Jem experience a life changing moment. “Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you”(96). This happens to Scout and Jem at the time finally realizes that Atticus was right about Boo. Boo Radley expresses his compassion towards Scout. This shows that what Atticus said about stepping into someone’s shoes works. Now Scout and Jem understand what compassion means and how it works.

One major theme in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is that empathy can change how one reacts to his surroundings. In chapter three, protagonist Scout has a bad day at school. She asks Atticus, her father, to homeschool her after she has disagreements with both Burris Ewells and Walter Cunningham. However, Atticus tells her that “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” (39). Atticus says this to Scout so she can reevaluate the situation and have a more realistic view, however, what he said can be applied to everyday life. To understand the feelings of another is to see the world through their eyes. Only through this can true connection be developed. Empathy creates bonds and friendships between individuals, and when Atticus says

Many characters in To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrated empathy throughout the novel. Atticus strived to understand what other people were going through in all situations.

1) Atticus is an empathetic person who tries to make sure people are treated equally, and in the case of his children, that people should grow up and make a positive difference. Atticus shows his empathy by telling Scout to try to understand what Miss Caroline is going through. Harper Lee is trying to show that with empathy, everyone benefits, and there would be less hate and injustice. Atticus says, “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). Atticus is telling Scout to look at the world through Miss Caroline’s eyes, to see why Miss Caroline reacts the way that she does. Atticus believes that if Scout can see how scared Miss Caroline is, with teaching a new school in a new way, then Scout can understand what makes Miss Caroline act the way that she does. When Scout asks Atticus why he is angering the town by defending Tom Robinson, he says that he must, or else he would no longer be reputable. Atticus says, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” (Lee 101) Atticus leads by example, and that if he did not hold himself to the same standard that he wants Scout and Jem to be at, then he is no better than the rest of the town. He knows that he is going to lose, but wants to show his children that it is important to do the right thing no matter the consequences or result, and

Throughout the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses Scout’s changing understanding of empathy to show growth and maturity in Scout. She uses empathy to better understand the feelings of others. Especially in difficult times, to understand the world from another person’s perspective. She uses her father’s advice to guide her through tough times, and be a better person overall.

One of the characters that shows empathy is Jem Finch. Jem is growing up to be a fine young man who learns how to put himself in others shoes or empathy. “Atticus is a gentleman just like me”(Pg.131). As Jem is coming of age he finds that he prefers to do things the way Atticus does. He likes the way Atticus thinks-logically, fairly and justly. As he starts to do things the way Atticus does he begins to understand why Atticus does the things he does. He realizes that with so many racists and harmful people in the world let alone Maycomb county there should be someone who should set a good example for others and how humans should act around eachother no matter how different they are. Jem wants to be fair and set a good example for Scout to also be fair. Jem shows empathy toward Walter Cunningham. For example, “Walter looked as if he had been raised on fish food...he fingered the straps of his overalls, nervously picking the metal hooks.”(pg.30) Jem had to rip Scout off of Walter after scout blaming him for making scout have a bad impression on the new teacher the first day of school. Jem looks at walter and sees him for more than the cunningham boy who smells and doesn't eat lunch. Jem looks at him and thinks, wow look at this boy who did nothing wrong and this girl is beating him up for no reason. These are only two examples of empathy from the character Jem Finch.

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird empathy is a major theme and is expressed by many characters. Empathy is demonstrated when Dill relates to Boo Radley, Jem understands why Boo Radley does not leave his house, and when Scout sees life from Boo Radley’s point of view. Several characters show empathy, one being Dill when he gets an understanding of why Boo Radley does not leave his house. Dill and Scout are talking about why Boo Radley may have never ran away and Dill provides his thoughts of, “Maybe he doesn’t have anywhere to run off to…” (144).

According to Merriam Webster, the definition of sympathy is an affinity, association, or relationship between persons or things wherein whatever affects one similarly affects the other. Sympathy is shown all throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by, Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in a small, lonely town called Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. To Kill a Mockingbird is about two kids named Scout and Jem. Scout and Jem’s father, who they call Atticus, took a case to defend a black man. The black man named Tom Robinson was accused of raping a girl named Mayella. Throughout the novel, Tom is treated unfairly because he is black. Tom does not get a fair trial and is later accused of raping Mayella, even though all the evidence pointed to her father, Bob Ewell. During this novel, Scout and Jem learn that the world is not as innocent as they thought. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird sympathy is shown through putting yourself in someone else’s situation. The characters that sympathy is shown to are Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mayella Ewell.

In to Kill a Mockingbird harper lee demonstrates to the reader the importance of empathy mainly through the action and advice of Atticus. An example of this would be when Atticus said "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around it" to scout (33). This quote teaches students the basics of empathy and how to look at things at others point of view. In addition, the advice Atticus gives in this quote is direct, easy to understand and is crucial towards student understanding on how to develop a good relationship with someone. Empathy can