Scout's Empathy
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view" (Lee 39). Atticus' quote in the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee teaches Scout to not judge a person because of their actions until you have put yourself in their shoes. Various examples in the book show how people react in a situation that they may not understand or agree with. For example, when Miss Caroline doesn't understand that Walter is poor and when Scout watches Walter pours molasses all over his food. Experiences can teach a person to react with empathy rather than judging them incorrectly.
After understanding Atticus' way of thinking, Scout thought of examples in her life. She realizes that Miss Caroline was not to …show more content…
Calpurnia was enraged at Scout's dislike of Walter's actions and educated Scout that not everyone eats as well as her family. After viewing the situation from Walter's point of view, Scout better understood Walter's actions. Atticus teaches his children to be compassionate because judging a person before thinking about what you would have done in their situation makes it hard to have sympathy for someone.
In order to be a compassionate and sympathetic person you must put yourself in others' shoes. Scout was angry with the ways Atticus had been treated and the names her classmates called her father. "This time we aren't fighting the Yankees, we're fighting our friends. But remember this, no matter how bitter things get, they're still our friends and this is still our home." Scout learns that she had been judging the kids at her school, for making fun of her dad, before understanding that she probably would have done the same thing if she was raised similar to them. She then realizes that they are her friends and to treat them with respect and compassion. Scout's use of empathy expresses her sympathy and compassion for
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view" (Lee 39). Atticus' quote in the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee teaches Scout to not judge a person because of their actions until you have put yourself in their shoes. Various examples in the book show how people react in a situation that they may not understand or agree with. For example, when Miss Caroline doesn't understand that Walter is poor and when Scout watches Walter pours molasses all over his food. Experiences can teach a person to react with empathy rather than judging them incorrectly.
After understanding Atticus' way of thinking, Scout thought of examples in her life. She realizes that Miss Caroline was not to …show more content…
Calpurnia was enraged at Scout's dislike of Walter's actions and educated Scout that not everyone eats as well as her family. After viewing the situation from Walter's point of view, Scout better understood Walter's actions. Atticus teaches his children to be compassionate because judging a person before thinking about what you would have done in their situation makes it hard to have sympathy for someone.
In order to be a compassionate and sympathetic person you must put yourself in others' shoes. Scout was angry with the ways Atticus had been treated and the names her classmates called her father. "This time we aren't fighting the Yankees, we're fighting our friends. But remember this, no matter how bitter things get, they're still our friends and this is still our home." Scout learns that she had been judging the kids at her school, for making fun of her dad, before understanding that she probably would have done the same thing if she was raised similar to them. She then realizes that they are her friends and to treat them with respect and compassion. Scout's use of empathy expresses her sympathy and compassion for