To Kill a Mockingbird is full of compassion. Harper Lee is letting us, the readers, see that compassion is so important in life. Atticus tries hard to make sure Jem and Scout learn to have compassion for others. He tells them this, but he also shows them, in the way he lives his life. Jem and Scout have a wonderful example of compassion in their father.
In chapter 3, Scout has started school, and she...
To Kill a Mockingbird is full of compassion. Harper Lee is letting us, the readers, see that compassion is so important in life. Atticus tries hard to make sure Jem and Scout learn to have compassion for others. He tells them this, but he also shows them, in the way he lives his life. Jem and Scout have a wonderful example of compassion in their father.
In chapter 3, Scout has started school, and she has gotten off on a rough start. She tries to help her teacher, Miss. Caroline, but her teacher does not see it that way. After embarrassing Walter Cunningham as school, Scout has to have him over for lunch at her house. While there Cal teaches her a great lesson on compassion. Later that night she tries to explain to Atticus just how horrible her day had been.
"First of all," he said, "if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin an walk around in it."
Atticus is trying to tell Scout that she needs to look at things from someone else's point of view sometimes. If she can do that, then she will have compassion for other people.
After the trial of Tom Robinson, Atticus had proven that Bob Ewell was the real culprit. When Jem sees Bob spit in Atticus's face, he questions his father about why he let him do that.
"Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of reliability at that trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I'd rather it be me than that houseful of children out there. You understand?"
Atticus shows great compassion for Mayella Ewell and the rest of the Ewell children. Although Mayella falsely accused Tom Robinson, Atticus still had compassion for her and didn't want her to suffer anymore. He even shows compassion for Bob Ewell. He tries to tell Jem that Bob had the right to feel angry.
At the end of the book, when Scout walks Boo home, we see the amount of compassion Scout has learned throughout the book. As she stands on Boo's porch she reflects on the past and how much she now understands.
Winter, and his children shivered at the front gate, silhouetted against a blazing house. Winter, and a man walked into the street, dropped his glasses, and shot a dog.
Summer and he watched his children's heart break. Autumn again, and Boo's children needed him.
Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley's porch was enough.
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