Empathy

Nicole Thomas

English Paper

Empathy is a skill you learn which is developed throughout a persons life by

defining influences of the people around the individual.Throughout the novel, To Kill A

Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the characteristic of empathy is ever present. In the

beginning the main character, Scout, starts out to be a very immature child. As the story

goes on she gains knowledge around her, kids accusing her dad of being a "nigger

lover". Scouts dad, Atticus, is a criminal defense attorney only doing his job and not

discriminating against this man. Her dad was being courageous of a black man being

falsely accused of raping a white girl. Throughout the novel, empathy is the main key.

This unique quality of empathy is developed through Scout, Jem, Atticus, and Heck Tate.

One characteristic shown of Jem and Scout is their ability to empathize or

“….climb into their skin and walk around in it.” (pg 31). During the novel Jem develops a

sense of emotional intelligence that allows him to understand the situation of others. The

reader first discovers this characteristic about Jem when he stops Scout from bashing up

Walter Cunningham in the schoolyard and invites him over for dinner. “I (Scout) stomped

at him (Walter) to chase him away, but Jem put out his hand and stopped me.” (pg 24).

Jem stops Scout bashing Walter because he knows the ordeals Walter and his family

face every day. To make up for Scout, Jem invites Walter over for dinner. Scout develops

her empathy from this example when Calpurnia takes her into the kitchen and explains the Cunningham’s situation. “Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunningham’s but it don’t

count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em….” (Page 26). Through the course of

events involving Walter Cunningham, both Jem and Scout learn to climb into the skin of

Walter and enhance their ability to empathize.

Another example of empathy in the novel To Kill A mockingbird is through Atticus.

Atticus is a character who displays empathy towards others in the novel, and he is a

primary example of the importance of this theme in the novel. Harper Lee writes about

empathy and the ability to feel empathetic to others even in a situation where another is

obviously in the wrong. After the trial Bob Ewell spits in Atticus's face and tells him he will

seek revenge, even if it takes the rest of his life. Atticus says to Jem "Jem, see if you can

stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility 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." (pg. 218) Atticus really puts himself in

Mayella’s shoes to see how she felt and if Bob spitting in Atticus’s face meant one less

beating for her, he felt maybe it’s worth getting spit in the face.

Heck Tate, the sheriff of Maycomb, is another example of how Harper Lee writes

about empathy in the novel. Heck Tate's official role is maintaining law and order, but at

the end of the novel you see him be empathetic to Boo Radley. After the trial is over and

Bob Ewell tries to hurt Scout and Jem. Boo Radley, the neighbor who has never stepped foot outside his house, becomes a hero by saving the children killing Bob Ewell. Heck

Tate says to Atticus “Bob Ewell fell on his knife - he killed himself. There's a black man

dead for no reason; now the man responsible for it is dead. Let the dead bury the dead

this time, Mr. Finch.” (pg 369) Tate is saying that the "black boy,” is dead and the man

who killed him is dead, so there's no point in pursuing the matter.Boo never saw the point

of stepping outside of his house and Boo never did anything to anyone so why should he

try to drag him out into the public by telling people the truth that Boo killed Bob.