Why Is Empathy Important In To Kill A Mockingbird

Everyone has met or is acquainted with a person that always appears as though they are having an unpleasant day. As human beings, we are misguided into believing that this person is simply dismal, anti-social, and depressing. The notion that something may be awry in this person’s life occurs to few of us. This is where empathy comes in. Empathy is the ability to not only understand, but to also share the feelings of another person. In order to truly feel empathy for another individual, you must be able to put yourself in their position. You must truly imagine, or even experience, what they must be going through. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around …show more content…
As the novel progresses, various events occur to the siblings that teach them the importance of empathy. One event that teaches Jem empathy is the tragic death of Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose. At the time, this event is not very harrowing to Jem, as Mrs. Dubose would relentlessly taunt Jem about how Atticus helping Tom was wrong. After her death, Atticus describes to Jem that Mrs. Dubose had been suffering from a morphine addiction, and she wanted to conquer this addiction before she perished. Atticus refers to Mrs. Dubose as a great lady, and Jem asks him if this is his true opinion after all of the vile things she’s said about him. Atticus replies, “She was. She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe…son, I told you that if you hadn’t lost your head I’d have made you go read to her. I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew”(Lee, 116). This teaches Jem not only the definition of true courage, but also empathy because it allows him to put himself …show more content…
Atticus, Miss Maudie, and Tom Robinson are prominent examples of displaying empathy. Their ability to understand and comprehend the feelings of others allow them to help these individuals in the most beneficial manner. Mr. Cunningham was able to pay his entailment to Atticus in a method that was more convenient for him, and Mayella Ewell was able to save money by seeking Tom’s assistance. Both Miss Fisher’s intentions and Boo Radley’s mental state were also cleared up for Scout by Atticus. Scout and Jem also were able to feel the benefits of empathy by learning it throughout the course of the novel. In the end, Jem and Scout were both able to grasp the aptitude of sharing and comprehending other’s feelings. Jem was able to understand and respect the late Mrs. Dubose, and Scout finally was able to connect with Boo Radley. Yet, empathy does not merely have to exist in the pages of novels. As Daniel H. Pink once said, “Empathy is about standing in someone else’s shoes, feeling with his or heart, seeing with his or her eyes. Not only is empathy hard to outsource and automate, but it makes the world a better place” (brainyquote.com). So the next time you see that dismal person, step into their shoes and use empathy to help them overcome their woes. Maybe, this process will slowly help to make the world a better