Harper Lee uses many examples of empathy throughout her story, To Kill a Mockingbird. The author’s use of empathy helps develop the idea that no one person can fully understand somebody else until they put themselves in their shoes. Through the use of characterization and conflict, the author expands on the idea of understanding others. Harper Lee includes an example of characterization to show how Jem is starting to mature and listen to Atticus’s advice to understand Boo Radley, as he explains to Scout: “Scout, I think I’m beginning to understand something. I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time…it’s because he wants to stay inside.” (Lee 231). Jem is understanding that Boo Radley
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The first instance of conflict is when Scout is explaining to Atticus that she did not like her new teacher, and that her new teacher doesn’t understand anything. Atticus further replies with, “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.” (Lee 30). This is an example of man vs himself, which shows that Scout must overcome her prejudice in addition to understanding empathy. Atticus taught this life lesson as a way to survive in their unfair town of Maycomb. Another use of conflict occurs after Mrs. Dubose, a sick old lady, had said rude things to Scout and Jem, which led Jem to tearing up her garden, and ripping up her camellias. Consequently, Atticus sent Jem and Scout to read to Mrs. Dubose after school every day for a month. Then one day Atticus went to tell Jem and Scout that Mrs. Dubose had passed away. He elaborated on her condition by explaining, “Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict,” said Atticus. “She took it as a pain-killer for years. The doctor put her on it. She’d have spent the rest of her life on it and died without so much agony, but she was too contrary—” (Lee 114). Atticus explains to Jem and Scout that by them reading to her, it helped her cope with her addiction, so that when she died, she would not be addicted to morphine. Later on, Jem had come to conclusion that he had actually helped
The first instance of conflict is when Scout is explaining to Atticus that she did not like her new teacher, and that her new teacher doesn’t understand anything. Atticus further replies with, “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.” (Lee 30). This is an example of man vs himself, which shows that Scout must overcome her prejudice in addition to understanding empathy. Atticus taught this life lesson as a way to survive in their unfair town of Maycomb. Another use of conflict occurs after Mrs. Dubose, a sick old lady, had said rude things to Scout and Jem, which led Jem to tearing up her garden, and ripping up her camellias. Consequently, Atticus sent Jem and Scout to read to Mrs. Dubose after school every day for a month. Then one day Atticus went to tell Jem and Scout that Mrs. Dubose had passed away. He elaborated on her condition by explaining, “Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict,” said Atticus. “She took it as a pain-killer for years. The doctor put her on it. She’d have spent the rest of her life on it and died without so much agony, but she was too contrary—” (Lee 114). Atticus explains to Jem and Scout that by them reading to her, it helped her cope with her addiction, so that when she died, she would not be addicted to morphine. Later on, Jem had come to conclusion that he had actually helped