Hoan Huynh
Professor Name
English 1/2
15 May 2023
Empathy Essay
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.” Harper Lee”. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird a young child named Scout is going to find out how racist Maycomb is going to be. This novel takes place in Maycomb Alabama, 1935 during the Great Depression. Scout is a 6 year old child that lives with his brother Jem and his father Atticus who is a lawyer in Maycomb. Scout develops as a character in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird when she learns to empathize with others by learning more about the Tom Robinson case, Mrs. Dubose conduction and talking to Miss Maudie to know her a bit better.
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Atticus told Scout, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view”. Scout didn’t understand why Ms. Caroline got mad at Scout when she was trying to explain why Walter Cunningham wouldn’t accept her money. When Scout realizes Ms. Caroline's situation and instead of being mad, Scout shows empathy towards her.
Scout is a character who learns from her interactions with other characters, for example, when Atticus told Scout why he made her read to Mrs. Dubose and about her condition. Scout thought that Mrs. Dubose was a vicious and horrible person, but Atticus thought the opposite. Then Atticus tells Scout that Mrs. Dubose was addicted to morphine and how Scout's reading helps her with her addiction. Also, later on, Mrs. Dubose dies being off of morphine and Atticus says Mrs. Dubose was the Bravest person that he knew. After Scout learns about all of this, her opinion changes, and she feels empathy toward Mrs.
Justin Sun Gahagan Period 4 26 May 2023 Parenting Parenting that emphasizes empathy can directly impact a child’s ability to feel empathy for others. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Aunt Alexandra asks Atticus if “it was wise in the first place to let” Jem and Scout into the courtroom, as Jem cries about the trial of Tom Robinson (Lee 285). Aunt Alexandra tries to protect Jem and Scout from the trial of Tom Robinson and the prejudice of Maycomb. However, Atticus teaches Aunt Alexandra that the adults “made it this way for them, [and] they might as well learn to cope with it” (Lee 285).
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses point of view to show that empathy is developed from maturity and experience. The main protagonist Scout sees her neighbor Boo Radley as a malicious apparition. In the town of Maycomb where Scout and her family live there is rumor of a dangerous beast-like man called Boo Radley who lives near Scout and never leaves his home. Scout, Jem, and Dill are equally terrified of the Radley house and there are several rumors going around that the pecans from the Radley's tree are poisonous and that Boo watches people through their windows at night.
Harry Halvorsen Mr. Kanda Survey 1 12 November 2014 To kill a mockingbird final draft In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, many characters experience empathy in different ways.. The growth of the children in the book can be compared to a kindergartner and a college student.
Empathy. The ability to understand what someone else is going through by putting oneself in their place and situation. All throughout history, people have struggled with the concept of empathy. For example, Jews have been mistreated for hundreds of years on numerous occasions by those of an advantaged position, African Americans have been subjugated by the privileged White throughout much of American history, and this struggle is even seen today with the prejudice towards Muslims across the world. Harper Lee created a timeless piece of literature that has lived on for plenty of years because of its theme of empathy and the challenges that the characters face regarding it.
-until you climb into his skin and walk around it.” (Lee 33). Scout is upset that her teacher is treating her this way, and doesn’t give a second to look through her perspective. After talking to Atticus about her dilemma, she empathizes a bit more with Miss Caroline because she understands looking through things in different points of views helps her understand situations better. After all, Miss Caroline couldn’t know Scout in just one day, so she couldn’t help but not understand that Scout could read.
Understanding Empathy in To kill a Mockingbird After dinner Atticus & Scout go to the porch to read when Scout brings up her troubles at school. Atticus then advises Scout with a way to better understand people. Lee writes, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view–until you climb into his skin & walk around in it”(15). I believe this quote serves as a way for Scout to grow, for her to learn & understand the different levels of empathy she can share with someone. It’s also important as it speaks to the reader, we learn more on empathy through Scout as the story progresses.
The Power of Understanding Empathy Alfred Adler once said “Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another.” this relates to the story ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by making the characters understand empathy with being in someone else shoes. The story "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a novel that explores the theme of empathy through the experiences of its main character, Scout Finch. Set in the 1930s in a small town in Alabama, the story follows Scout as she learns about the unjust treatment of African Americans in her community and witnesses her father's efforts to defend a wrongly accused black man in court. Through these experiences, Scout develops a sense of empathy
Scout knows it would not be smart to just run away, so she goes up to Miss Caroline and supports her. Back in paragraph 7, it talks about how Atticus being the deadliest shot in Maycomb county changed Scout’s opinions toward Atticus. Scout would now respect Atticus more and not be so naive as to doubt Atticus’s skills. This also shows how kind Scout is, because Atticus still only does office work, which the entire town judges him for, and Scout still loves him for what he does and why he does it. Paragraph 8 goes back to Miss Caroline and how Scout could read, which Miss Caroline disapproved of.
The Mockingbird 's Songs “Mockingbirds don 't do one thing except make music for us to enjoy.” These famous words come from the equally famous work of literature, How to Kill a Mockingbird. The book is about a young girl, Scout, and her family who live in the racist southern town of Maycomb during the Great Depression. Scout grows up oblivious to much of the injustice around her and fascinated by the reclusive societal outcast Boo Radley. The book uses the mockingbird as a powerful symbol of innocence and is portrayed through several people and concepts.
(Lee 29). Scout is angry with Miss Caroline for telling her to stop reading with Atticus. Her and Miss Caroline don’t see eye to eye on many situations which causes Scout to
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.
The characterization of Scout reveals that she is very sympathetic and worried about Jem risking his life. This further heated the argument, leaving Jem feeling moody and silent. While trying to comfort her older brother, Scout is reminded of Atticus' advice, “As Atticus had once advised me to do, I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walk around in it” (77). The characterization of Scout highlights her mentality maturing. At the beginning of the novel, Scout has a difficult time understanding others until Atticus gives her important advice about sympathy.
When reading To Kill a Mockingbird a fiction novel by Harper Lee,there are atrocities that will cause the reader to empathy for the people,because the people are misunderstood and disliked , this going for almost every character in the book in their own ways To have empathy is to understand what somebody is going through, being able to understand because you probably have been through the same or similar things. I think that a man more so a child should never go throw some of the things that Tom Robinson and Walter Cunningham go through , there misunderstood by everyone,mistreated by the other folks, both live and are victims of poverty . Tom Robinson and I are both misunderstood , hurt and victims of poverty making him one of
Throughout the novel, Scout indicates change and maturity in her actions. She learns from Atticus to understand a person by considering their perspective. Furthermore, first day of school starts and Scout is already in trouble because she can read. Later that evening, Scout tells Atticus she is sick and cannot continue school anymore. He tells her that she is going and Scout tells him about the bad day and school.
Understanding and/or Empathy are the most impactful in this story. Atticus is always talking about stepping in someone else's shoes and trying to understand where they come from. Atticus gives the clearest explanation of understanding and empathy when he talks about, climbing in someone's skin and walking around in it. Understanding and empathy are important in my life because instead of judging someone I try to understand things like where they come from, why they’re doing what they are and the things they’re saying. I try and get to know them so I can understand what they’re feeling or experiencing.