To Kill a Mockingbird is story with many experiences the characters go through and the lessons they learn along with them. Harper Lee masterfully shows us what we can learn from everyday life, through the eyes of two children and experiences with other characters. Lee shows us that empathy is very important for the children to see other’s perspectives. As well as showing us how precious life is, that all should be respected regardless of physical qualities. Courage is also a very prominent factor, the children go through much and courage is what helps them get through it. The children’s interactions with people different than themselves teach them valuable lessons, which help them make more mature decisions later on.
Scout is taught a very
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important lesson of perspective from the people of Maycomb.
After interactions with people from Maycomb County Scout learns what empathy and perspective is. Scout returns from school feeling very sad and annoyed with her new school, she tells her father, Atticus about the misfortunes that she faced during her day at school, especially the ones including Miss Caroline. Atticus seeing the nature of her argument tells her about a trick that would help her in life, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" (Lee 39). Atticus changes her view on Miss Caroline’s actions, she begins to understand how important perspective and empathy is. She now sees that she cannot simply judge one on how they are put out to be, she must put herself in their skin and see how it is from their point of view. This allows Scout to see that Miss Caroline is still new to Maycomb, that she cannot be expected to know the customs of Maycomb county. She understands that she should not have judged Miss Caroline so harshly and quickly. Later, when Jem and Scout are attacked by Bob Ewell and are saved by Boo Radley, she sees the discomfort Boo feels and helps him get home, finally seeing the world through his eyes, “Atticus was …show more content…
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 porch was enough” (Lee 374). By standing on Radley’s porch and looking through the world and her life through Radley’s eyes, Scout demonstrates empathy later even talking about how they had never given him anything even though Boo had given so much to them. Scout has learned empathy through the lesson taught by Atticus in her early childhood, and applied it with Boo Radley after he saves their lives. This has shown how much Scout has grown and matured, showing how interactions with others have taught Scout about how important empathy and perspective are to making better decisions in the future. Scout learns about respect, a very key lesson to know to further herself in life, learning this lesson from both Atticus and Miss Maudie.
Miss Maudie when talking about shooting birds with Atticus and Scout explains to Scout that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird:
“Remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird…I asked Miss Maudie about it. ‘Your father's right,' she said. 'Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird'” (Lee 119).
Miss Maudie tells her that those who do not harm society or the people living in it should not be harmed, for they have done nothing wrong. Miss Maudie is attempting to explain to Scout that those who only wish to bring happiness into the world do not deserve to be harmed. At first Scout is confused by this phrase, but later begins to understand it, that life is precious and those who do nothing but good should not be harmed, but be respected. She also realizes that this phrase is incomplete, that letting a mockingbird die is much worse than killing one. This allows Scout to understand why Atticus has taken the Tom Robinson case. Atticus is attempting to stop the death of Tom Robinson a very prominent and obvious
mockingbird: “Tom had been given due process of law to the day of his death; he had been tried openly and convicted by twelve good men and true; my father had fought for him all the way. Then Mr. Underwood's meaning became clear: Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case.” (Lee 323). Scout understands that Tom was a respectable man and no spec of evidence presented in the case could prove him guilty, however when it came down to it, the white man’s word would always be accepted. Scout begins to see the prejudice, and racism that occurs in Maycomb County and realizes that good moments are very rare and those who wish only good should be respected and protected. It does not matter whether they are of colour or different gender, it only depends on the actions and decisions they make. Throughout a mixture of different experiences with other people the children learn different and important lessons allowing them to make better and more informed decisions in the future.
“I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after the birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird.” Atticus Finch recites these lines to his two children, Jem and Scout after he gives them air-rifles for Christmas. Scout is curious, as this is the first time that she has ever heard her father refer to anything as a sin, Scout asks Miss Maude what Atticus meant by this. Miss Maude tells Scout that mocking birds don’t rip up people’s garden’s or annoy them in any way, all they do is play beautiful music for us to listen to.
In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, empathy is demonstrated throughout the novel. Empathy can be defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Atticus tries to explain to Jem and Scout about what he experiences and the things that are happening in Maycomb County. Several characters learn empathy and understand how they feel about certain things and understand the experiences of others. This plays a major role in the novel.
In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus tells Jem and Scout to, "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird," he is referring to the notion that a mockingbird is a harmless creature and does nothing but sing and bring happiness to the world. Harper Lee takes the title for her novel from this passage because the imagery of the mockingbird is analogous to the characters of both Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. These two characters are "harmless songbirds" who are sinfully destroyed.
Scout first learns to show compassion and tolerance by refusing to go to school because she hates Miss Caroline. Atticus tells her that, 'First of all, if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along 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 and walk around in it'; (30). When Atticus told her this, she began to accept Miss Caroline as well as other people's differences and opinions.
Scout becomes curious to why her father says it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, so she asks. Atticus tells scout, “Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…but sing their hearts out for us”(Lee, 103). Atticus gives a clear explanation of why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbirds do not cause any harm to anything or anyone and this is why they are the symbol of innocence in the
Atticus taught Scout about empathy after she was complaining about “starting off on the wrong foot” on her first day of school. Further into the book Scout starts to demonstrate empathy: “I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walk around in it: if I had gone alone to the Radley Place at two in the morning, my funeral would have been held the next afternoon. So I left Jem alone and tried not to bother him.” Scout is trying to show empathy towards Jem and succeeded. This is only one occurrence of Scout’s growing empathetic nature. During the trial of Tom Robinson Scout thought about Tom’s testimony and concluded that Mayella “must have been the loneliest person in the world.” As the novel progressed Atticus thought it is a good idea for Aunt Alexandra to visit. Scout does not appreciate Aunt Alexandra’s presence, however she said she “would like it very much” because “one must lie under certain circumstances and at all times when one can’t do anything about them.” With Scout growing older through the novel her empathy develops and her attitude changes for the
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (p.90) Miss. Maudie, one of the main protagonists in To Kill a Mockingbird, warns the young girl Scout that mockingbirds should not to be killed or hunted down because they represent those who are kind and innocent. So, on a broader spectrum, the term “to kill a mockingbird” symbolizes cruel and improper behavior towards people with good hearts and intentions. In the town of Maycomb, unethical behaviors, such as prejudice and gossip, are most commonly used against the “mockingbirds”. Three of those “mockingbirds” that are featured in this novel are Arthur “Boo” Radley, Tom Robinson, and Atticus Finch. Due to the depiction of the mockingbird symbol in the novel, the reader understands the consequences that immoral attitudes have towards those who are innocent and kindhearted.
In the same day, Jem stopped his sister from fighting Walter Cunningham who was from a very poor family and when Jem asked Scout about the reason of the fight, she told him that she was trying to express to Miss Caroline why Walter didn’t bring his lunch with him, but Miss Caroline misunderstand Scout and patted her with a ruler in front of all the students in the class. After that Jem sympathies with Walter and grinned at him. "Come on home to dinner with us, Walter" said Jem. "We'd be glad to have you" (Lee 30). Eventually, Scout learned how to respect others and not judge them before she look at things from the other person's point of view as Atticus told her "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."(Lee 39). In the meantime, since Atticus was a lawyer, he accepted to defend Tom Robinson, who was a black
She asks Miss Maudie. why Atticus has said it is wrong and she replies with the explanation. Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't mess with corncribs, they don't do. one thing but sign their hearts out for us.
Consider Atticus Finch a mockingbird; helping those in need, exemplifying how to be a role model to various people in the town. Atticus Finch teaches Scout the importance of empathy. When Scout has a bad day at school and does not want to go back, Atticus gives her advice and says, “ ‘You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view’ ... ‘until you climb into his skin and walk around in it’ ” (33). Atticus gives this advice to help Scout be more empathetic. He teaches Scout that we should see other’s perspectives before saying harsh words. Additionally, Atticus teaches the town, especially Scout, that mockingbirds represent good and innocence. He teaches the town that mockingbirds are harmless and killing them is wrong. When Jem and Scout learn how to use their new air rifles; Atticus tells them, “ ‘Shoot all the bluejays you want’ ... ‘but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’ ... [Scout] asked Miss Maudie about it. ‘Your father’s right,’ she said. ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us’ ... ‘they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us’ ” (104). When Atticus tells Jem and Scout that killing mockingbirds is a sin, Scout takes it as a metaphor. She relates it to Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, people who only sing for us but are shot, destroying their innocence. Atticus teaches the town that only guilty people should be punished and innocent people should be left alone. Equally important, the town of Maycomb learns that racism is unacceptable with the guidance of Atticus Finch. Atticus makes the town agitated when they discover that Atticus aims to defend Tom (186). When Atticus’ goal is to defend Tom and win the case, it makes the town displeased because they believe that Atticus should not fight for Tom because he is a Negro. Instead, Atticus believes that everyone should get a fair chance in court teaching Maycomb how we should conduct oneself toward others.
In conclusion, when Atticus and Miss Maudie say that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, they mean it is a sin to harm innocent creatures. The innocent creatures or ‘mockingbirds’ they are referring to are: Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. In general, it is not right to give harm to any person or animal in life because of these examples and they are just plain on innocent. They give you no harm, so you should give no mischief back.
"I 'd rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you 'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it 's a sin to kill a mockingbird."
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird the little girl, Scout, and her older brother, Jem are told that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird by their father, Atticus. Later, the kids ask Miss Maudie, one of their kind neighbors who is motherly to them, about the mockingbird. She says, “They don’t eat up peoples gardens, don’t rest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird.” (Lee, 119)
In addition to mentioning the name of the novel, this passage just goes to show the similarities between Atticus and Miss Maudie. Both agree that it is nothing but a sin to kill a mockingbird. The mockingbird could be symbolic of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, both have done nothing, neither has caused any kind of harm, and have so far only proved to have pure
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus tells his children that it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird and in the story many characters are portrayed as mockingbirds.