ipl-logo

Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

1982 Words8 Pages

The Meaning of the Mockingbird Innocent people, expunged by the viciousness of the world. Starting to develop empathy for others is something that goes along with your maturity level, but a lot of people fail to learn it. In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the moral of the story was to show that the mockingbird symbolizes innocence and a lack of empathy. “Killing a mockingbird is a sin” (119). This basically means that harming something or someone that doesn’t do anything wrong, is a sin. In the book, cruelty and vehement behavior were more visible when someone not deserving of being attacked, is attacked. The mockingbird had its own beauty that shouldn’t be messed with. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy” (119). The aggression of the story was due to the fact that people didn’t have empathy …show more content…

Since Atticus was teaching not only his children, but also his enemies empathy, people started to change for the better. After the trial, people started to see what Bob Ewell was truly capable of, and he lost the little bit of respect the town had for him. People started to empathize for Tom Robinson, realizing that he was actually innocent and that he didn’t deserve the punishment he received. For example, Tom Robinson pitied Mayella and it added to the reason of why he was convicted. Being a black man, it was wrong for him to pity someone “above” him, even if she was a squalid, poor white girl. Miss Maudie showed empathy towards Scout, Atticus, and the black people. She stays loyal to Atticus’s side throughout the trial and doesn’t let anyone change her ideas, even though people try to convince her otherwise. When she is comforting Atticus after the trial, she makes a valid point. “The jury took a couple hours. An inevitable verdict, maybe, but it usually takes ‘em just a few minutes” (297). Since the jury took so long, it meant that some white men actually believed Tom was

Show More
Related

  • Comparing 'To Kill A Mockingbird And Twelve Angry Men'

    883 Words  | 4 Pages

    In tom’s ruling was built on the testimony of two people, the plaintiff was the town’s white trash, while the defendant was a hard working black with a good background, but the ruling, rather than being swayed by background, as a modern court might be, the ruling was hinged on race. The boy’s ruling came down to the story, with no evidence on either side, congruent to Tom’s story, but as juror four put’s it “His entire story is flimsy. He claimed he was at the movies. That’s a little ridiculous, isn’t it?” (TAM 4 act one)

    Read More

  • Examples Of Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird

    719 Words  | 3 Pages

    Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. To me the word empathy in “To Kill A Mockingbird” means “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.” Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” suggests that empathy is a universal feeling, but everyone experiences it in different occasions and in different ways. Many people empathize through real life experiences. Scout is one of those people.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Sympathy Analysis

    1212 Words  | 5 Pages

    Not only can we learn from the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird, but also in the poem Sympathy because we can relate to what the author is talking about. Through these examples, it is clear that authors can best create empathy in their readers by developing strong characters that go through problems that the reader can relate to or learn

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus Compassion Analysis

    622 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the character Atticus possesses the most compassion out of the other characters. Atticus is a man of profession, however, his compassionate heart can not be overlooked. Atticus tells Jem to "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 81) to display his compassion for those who are innocent. Compassion is the concern for the suffering or misfortune of others.

    Read More

  • How Is Boo Radley Portrayed In To Kill A Mockingbird

    822 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee many characters are victims of the harsh conditions of Maycomb County. Often those who are seen to be metaphorical mockingbirds are punished the most. A mockingbird is one who only wants and attempts to do good. Characters such as Boo Radley, Jem Finch and Tom Robinson are exemplars of mockingbirds in Maycomb. In the novel it is explained by Atticus that killing a mockingbird is a sin because they do not do anything to harm to us like nesting in corncribs, or eating up the gardens, they only sing for us.

    Read More

  • How Does Maudie Show Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1055 Words  | 5 Pages

    When certain situations happen to people with good morals, they feel empathy for those who do not understand people as easily. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, a respectable lawyer and his children are involved in many unique experiences that help them learn necessary life lessons about society during the 1900’s. Scout and Jem learn a particularly important lesson about racial injustice when their father takes on a life-changing case. Upstanding characters show empathy more than others since good morals lead to self-respect and happiness, it allows people to appreciate the good around them. Throughout the novel, exemplary characters like Maudie Atkinson, Atticus Finch, and Scout Finch demonstrate empathy for characters who don’t

    Read More

  • Theme Of Kindness In To Kill A Mockingbird

    864 Words  | 4 Pages

    Miss Maudie and Scout sit on her porch because Jem is off doing something else so they talk about life and look at the sky. “Our tacit treaty with Miss Maudie was that we could play on her lawn, eat her scuppernongs if we didn’t jump on the arbor, and explore her vast back lot…” (42). Miss Maudie lets Scout spend time with her so that she does not get sad that Jem and Dill went to play without her. A neighbour, Mrs. Dubose insulted the Finch Family all the time and yet Atticus is still kind to her because “she is sick and old”. Atticus tells Jem “Son, I have no doubt that you’ve been annoyed by your contemporaries about me lawing for niggers, as you say, but to do something like this to a sick old lady is inexcusable” (103-104).

    Read More

  • Theme Of Right And Wrong In To Kill A Mockingbird

    2376 Words  | 10 Pages

    Every human-being started out innocent, with a clear mind set, and from that view everything was simple; the line between right and wrong was clear, good and evil, equality and inequality, justice and injustice. However, as time went on this simple way of thinking changed, innocence was lost, and black and white became a million shades of gray. This common coming of age moment everyone experiences, whether it is for the better or worst, is shown within the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Therefore, the book represents the theme that children possess the ability to see people for who they are, without any prejudice or racism, because of their innocence and clear judgement, showing true knowledge of right and wrong, unless tainted by

    Read More

  • Symbol Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    232 Words  | 1 Pages

    The mockingbird in To Kill A Mockingbird is symbolic of innocence. Early in the novel, Atticus, the father tells the children Scout and Jem that it is a "sin to kill a mockingbird". Later Scout asks Miss Maudie what he meant by that because she has never heard her father say anything was a sin. Miss Maudie explains his reasoning by saying that all mockingbirds do is provide beautiful music. They do not harm anyone, they don't bother anyone, and they "sing their hearts out for us."

    Read More

  • A Sin To Kill A Mocking Bird Analysis

    855 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the novel of To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many references and symbols that reflect the concept of innocence. In this book, Harper Lee uses a snowman, a mockingbird, and Boo Radley to represent innocence in an attempt to portray the fact that innocence can be corrupted and mistaken as corrupted. Harper Lee uses the concept of killing a mockingbird as a way to symbolize innocence. Innocence can be easily corrupted by society’s view of certain issues, as shown in this book. Harper Lee states, “Atticus said to Jem one day, ‘I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the back yard,

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Theme Essay

    715 Words  | 3 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird is a book mainly about the coexistence of good and evil. The book stresses and emphasizes on the exploration of moral nature in humans. There are many themes in this novel including courage, innocence, racism, femininity, etc. However the most prevalent theme in the book is innocence. Not just innocence in itself but the danger and harm evil poses to the innocent.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Point Of View Essay

    614 Words  | 3 Pages

    In society, there are very few people who have the unwavering dedication to stand up for what they believe. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, a black man was convicted and accused of a crime he didn 't commit, raping a white women, which is not in anyway tolerable in society. In Harper Lee 's To Kill A Mockingbird, the author used point of view and symbolism to acknowledge how the the several social divisions which make up much of the adult world are shown to be both irrational and extremely destructive. To begin with, the short story To Kill A Mockingbird, used point of view to show how the many social divisions in the world are irrational and destructive. Scout; a first grade student at the time, was telling the story from her point of view and what had occurred from her childhood perspective.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Good And Evil In To Kill A Mockingbird

    638 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the story, the innocents are destroyed by evil, the “mockingbird” comes to represent the idea of innocence. Thus, to kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Such as when Atticus says “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (103). Another example could be when Boo stabs Bob Ewell to save Jem and Scout, which sheriff Tate decides to say that Mr.Ewell fell on the knife, so Boo won’t have to go to court.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Sin Analysis

    721 Words  | 3 Pages

    The saying “to kill a mocking bird is sin” is a common saying back then, maybe until now it’s still being used. The saying says “killing a mocking bird is sin” because mocking birds doesn’t really do any harm they just sing out with their hearts a tune. The book refers to this saying meaning that the innocence are taken away intentionally by the the accusers or townsfolk. In the book there are two or three “mockingbirds” they were misunderstood, accused, or just fighting for justice but the townsfolk just turned their backs on them.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

    1144 Words  | 5 Pages

    The mockingbird in the title of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," symbolizes a number of characters throughout the novel. In order to fully understand why these characters symbolize killed mockingbirds, one must first understand what the title represents and why it's wrong to kill a mockingbird. The idea that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird was first mentioned by Atticus Finch (the protagonist's, Scout, father) when he saw the children shooting things with BB guns. As he knows that soon they will go after birds, he tells them: "Shoot all the Blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird”. As Miss Maudie (the Finch's next-door neighbour) explains to Scout, it's a sin to kill a mockingbird because

    Read More

More about Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

Open Document