Every day people learn something new. Whether it be an arbitrary fact or a random skill. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Small Great Things, and American History X the main characters are subject to a constant onslaught of new information that has an effect on how they view others. The benefit of gaining a better understanding of others is creating an informed opinion of a person rather than an opinion based on assumptions.
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem and Scout gain a better understanding of others; as a result, they are able to make more informed opinions of others. Set in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows the lives of Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, her father, Atticus, …show more content…
Scout and Jem also see the circumstantial evidence that suggests that Bob Ewell had beat up Mayella for being with Tom. Scout is starting to understand why her father told her to see things from someone else's point of view, so she is able to listen to Mayella's sad tale and make an informed opinion of her. "It came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world." (Lee 256) Even though Mayella is accusing Tom of such a damming offense, Scout is able to see past this and judge Mayella based on what she has learned about her. Another example is Boo Radley. The children originally view Boo as a man to be feared, "Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall… dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch… his hands were blood stained… There was a long-jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his …show more content…
American History X tells the story of a former neo-Nazi skinhead, Derek, trying to prevent his brother, Danny, from going down the same path that he did. While Derek is in prison he gets a job folding laundry. At this job, he meets an African American man, Lamont. Originally Derek thinks that Lamont is idiotic, inferior, and uneducated, but as time passes Derek starts to laugh at his jokes, and engage him in deep conversations about regular life. Derek learns the circumstances surrounding the imprisonment of Lamont and realizes that he really does not belong in prison. Derek also later learns that the only reason he was able to stay under the radar and survive prison was because Lamont was protecting him. Derek, with a better understanding of his new friend, makes the informed opinion that Lamont is a smart, interesting, and kind man (Kaye). Another example of gaining a better understanding is after Derek and Cameron, the leader of the white supremacists. Derek originally thinks of Cameron as a mentor, but while in prison Derek learns that all the things Cameron had taught him were poisoning his mind. Cameron, trying to calm Derek, reminds him that he has also done jail time and that he just needs some time to cool off. But Derek knows that Cameron's "Prison time" consisted of only two months, then "rolling over on two kids" (Kaye). With new information
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem and Scout gain a better understanding of others; as a result, they are able to make more informed opinions of others. Set in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows the lives of Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, her father, Atticus, …show more content…
Scout and Jem also see the circumstantial evidence that suggests that Bob Ewell had beat up Mayella for being with Tom. Scout is starting to understand why her father told her to see things from someone else's point of view, so she is able to listen to Mayella's sad tale and make an informed opinion of her. "It came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world." (Lee 256) Even though Mayella is accusing Tom of such a damming offense, Scout is able to see past this and judge Mayella based on what she has learned about her. Another example is Boo Radley. The children originally view Boo as a man to be feared, "Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall… dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch… his hands were blood stained… There was a long-jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his …show more content…
American History X tells the story of a former neo-Nazi skinhead, Derek, trying to prevent his brother, Danny, from going down the same path that he did. While Derek is in prison he gets a job folding laundry. At this job, he meets an African American man, Lamont. Originally Derek thinks that Lamont is idiotic, inferior, and uneducated, but as time passes Derek starts to laugh at his jokes, and engage him in deep conversations about regular life. Derek learns the circumstances surrounding the imprisonment of Lamont and realizes that he really does not belong in prison. Derek also later learns that the only reason he was able to stay under the radar and survive prison was because Lamont was protecting him. Derek, with a better understanding of his new friend, makes the informed opinion that Lamont is a smart, interesting, and kind man (Kaye). Another example of gaining a better understanding is after Derek and Cameron, the leader of the white supremacists. Derek originally thinks of Cameron as a mentor, but while in prison Derek learns that all the things Cameron had taught him were poisoning his mind. Cameron, trying to calm Derek, reminds him that he has also done jail time and that he just needs some time to cool off. But Derek knows that Cameron's "Prison time" consisted of only two months, then "rolling over on two kids" (Kaye). With new information