Black Ballon and to Kill a Mockingbird Comparitive

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The Black Balloon and To Kill a Mockingbird both show empathy throughout the text. Both these texts show empathy in very different ways. They are both similar in that part of the empathy is shown through discrimination and from a child’s perspective. The B.B is set in Australia and is about a 16 year old boy whose mother becomes pregnant and is forced to take on more responsibility of looking after his brother who is autistic and has ADHD. To Kill A Mockingbird is set in Alabama in the American town of Maycomb In the 1960s. It is focus on a six year old girl named scout with an older brother named Jem and her father Atticus. Atticus is appointed to the court to defend a black man named Tom Robinson accused of raping a young white woman. Although the town doesn’t give Tom Robinson a chance Atticus defends Tom In court. Both the texts are themed around a character who is discriminated against. The Black Balloon explores empathy through role of Tom Mollison a young 16 year old boy forced to take on more responsibility when his mother falls pregnant. Maggie: “He's your brother!Thomas” Mollison: “He's a freak!” Maggie:” Your brother will never be able to do the things you will. He'll never go to work or start a family, so we have to look after him. He's staying with us forever.” This quote is near the beginning of the movie when Tom has just met a girl named Jackie who he really likes. She is standing at the front of his house and Charlies (Toms brother) has just rubbed poo into the carpet. The next day Jackie and Tom talk about it and Jackie says she won’t tell anyone because she believes it doesn’t matter. Jackie is being empathetic towards Tom by understanding how he feels about having a disabled brother. Tom’s parents teach Tom about how he needs to be more accepting of Charlie and has to deal with having a disabled brother. Quote Simon (Toms dad):” All I

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