The Use Of Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Empathy is a crucial skill parents and parent figures must teach children at a young age. It is hard to develop, as shown in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. To Kill a Mockingbird shows the reader several main themes: prejudice, empathy, courage, racism, etc. It is about 2 children, Scout (the narrator), and Jem Finch, and their struggles with racism and how they cope with it as they mature.. In to Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee revealed that empathy is a learned trait, and it is hard to rid old ways. This is exhibited through 3 important characters in the novel; Atticus Finch, Bob Ewell, and Jean Louise Finch (Scout.) Atticus, Scout, and Bob Ewell are all very important examples of people who empathy has affected the most. Atticus shows how necessary of a skill empathy is in the book, and teaches it to the whole town; even his enemies. Scout originally did not have the skill to empathize, but thanks to Atticus, earns it. Had Scout not honed in on this skill, the end of the book, and the message would have been affected. Bob Ewell is a very unempathetic man and did not teach his children the skill. Bob Ewell is so unempathetic, that in fact in the novel, he was referred to as a low down skunk. His children particularly Mayella, have been affected by this lack of empathy, and have developed it as well. After Bob had just saved Scout and Jem's lives, Atticus and Mr. Heck Tate were talking about Mr. Ewell. "He has guts enough to pester a poor coloured woman, he had guts enough to pester Judge Taylor when he thought the house was empty, so do you think he'd met your face in daylight?" (Page 269) - Mr. Heck Tate (on why Bob Ewell went after Scout and Jem). This quote shows how Bob Ewell has no empathy skills whatsoever. He did not consider any of his victims feelings, and he still does not understand why Atticus was feeling vulnerable and depressed because of
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