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To Kill A Mockingbird Empathy Analysis

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The quality of empathy allows the good side of human nature to shine through. In the case of Scout, the young protagonist in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, empathy plays a crucial role in her moral development as she navigates the evils of a closed-minded Southern society. By following her father Atticus’s advice, she manages to resist the influence of hateful attitudes in her town. Without her ability to empathize, Scout is just as much at fault as the prejudiced and unaccepting residents of Maycomb for overlooking hypocrisy and prejudice. Empathy, the capacity to vicariously experience the ordeals of another person, is a fundamental part of what constitutes a moral person and is essential in having the capacity to understand and forgive others, which Harper Lee portrays through Atticus’s advice to his children, the children’s changing perception of Boo Radley, and Atticus’s forgiveness of people in Maycomb. Atticus Finch serves as a voice of morality and reason and a guiding hand in his children’s development, educating them on the importance of empathy. The clearest example of presents itself when Scout returns home disappointed by her teacher and upset from her first day at school. This prompts Atticus to offer her advice on how best to handle the situation, telling her, “‘If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. … until you climb

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