Sympathy In To Kill A Mockingbird

To live with sympathy and to understand others are two major keys in to trying to figure out or getting to know someone. This statement ties in with the quote in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, once said by Atticus, “You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.” The quote was said to Scout because she isn’t quite old enough to understand the world and people’s feelings yet. By the end of the book she starts to understand it all and puts all the events together to finally comprehend the meaning of actually knowing someone. Through the use of symbolism and point of view Harper Lee proves that people aren’t always what they seem. Symbolism proves that not until “you stand in his shoes and walk around in them,” don’t judge anyone or anything by things you hear or actions you see. Boo …show more content…
For example, Scout stated, “Jem and I hated her. If she was on the porch when we passed, we would be raked by her wrathful graze, subjected to ruthless interrogation regarding our behavior, and given a melancholy prediction on what we would amount to when we grew up, which was always nothing “(Lee 83). As they would pass, they would get hateful words from Mrs. Dubose every single day. Little did they know Mrs. Dubose wasn’t what she seemed. “Atticus had reached down and picked up the candy box. He handed it to Jem. Jem opened the box. Inside, surround by wads of damp cotton, was a white, waxy, perfect camellia” (Lee 93). After this, Atticus then explains how Mrs. Dubose was battling her addiction and letting Jem know he did a good deed for her by reading and helping with her addiction. She dealt with both Scout and Jem and managed to quit her addiction right before her death. According to Atticus, “She was the bravest person I ever knew” (Lee 93). Jem after this, realized that she wasn’t really what he thought she