A Walk to Remember is about 17 year old Landon and Jamie living in North Carolina, 1958, who have an unconventional love story. Landon is the kind of guy who cares a lot about what people presume of him. When Jamie comes into the picture, he cares only about being with her. Things were going tremendously until Jamie announces that she has Leukemia and is dying very soon. The book ends when Landon remembers that Jamie’s only dream for the future was to get married, so Landon marries Jamie to make not only her happy but also himself.
One of the themes of A Walk to Remember is having empathy for each other. At the beginning of A Walk to Remember, Landon judges Jamie only by what he sees on the surface. He says “Jamie didn’t care much about outward
…show more content…
appearances, because she was always looking for those things like ‘inner beauty,’ and I suppose that’s part of the reason she looked the way she did” (17) and calling her plain. He also judges Jamie for her actions. He adds “Jamie didn’t spend any time hanging out at Cecil’s Diner or going to slumber parties with other girls…” (18). Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Throughout the book, Landon is compelled to do a play with her and quickly reveals and understands the qualities most people don’t know about her. He learned that the bible that Jamie gets made fun of for carrying around is her dead mother’s. Jamie says “It just gives me a way to… be a part of her.”(102) While Landon and his classmates should have given more empathy no matter what, this was important for Landon to hear. It allowed him and Jamie to open up to each other and cause a relationship to form. Having empathy for each other also caused Landon to do something unthinkable when Jamie was sick. When he proposed to her, he wasn’t only doing it for them, but for the parents and the whole town to remind them of Jamie. She was leaving a piece of herself and her love in Landon for everyone to enjoy in the tough times. Thus when Landon had empathy for this weird girl named Jamie, it changed the story and the town forever. The theme empathy is not only limited to A Walk to Remember, but also To Kill A Mockingbird.
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus has empathy for the African Americans in Maycomb. "Atticus's eyes filled with tears. He did not speak for a moment. 'Tell them I'm very grateful,' he said. 'Tell them-- tell them they must never do it again. Times are too hard..." (286). He could have just been grateful for the food but instead he felt guilty that they paid money for him. They are less fortunate than the Finch’s and Atticus saw that and felt terrible. Both of the book’s main characters acknowledged that they should be more gracious towards the less fortunate. The only difference is the empathy in A Walk to Remember isn’t as intense or needed as much as in To Kill A Mockingbird, but it is still appreciated. Nicholas Sparks had the main character gain empathy for someone over time whilst Harper Lee gave the main character empathy to begin with, it was just amplified. Another contrast is that Nicholas Sparks’ empathy is harder to find in the book while in To Kill A Mockingbird, it’s more effortless. One of the quotes Atticus said that is easily empathy is, "He meant it when he said it, 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 …show more content…
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," (292). The theme of empathy can also be involved in many real life situations.
There was a situation which could have ended poorly for me if I didn’t have examples of empathy. Two of my best friends, Nicole and Kenzie, were in a fight when I found caught myself in middle trying not to cause drama. We had all attended a graduation party soon after their fight and I was spending more time with Nicole than Kenzie. Later that day, I received a text for Kenzie saying “Why were you acting so weird to me today?” Instead of telling her that I enjoyed being with Nicole and causing a scene, I showed empathy. I told her there was no weirdness but most importantly I told her I was sorry she felt that way. There was a miscommunication between us but I showed her compassion during an emotional and sensitive time. In A Walk to Remember, Landon misinterpreted Jamie but shows compassion towards her in the end. Just like Kenzie and I, there was a miscommunication between the two characters. To resolve both issues, there would need to be conversing. In both scenarios, it caused a better relationship among them and less tension. The one difference between them is that in the book it caused a romantic relationship. “She smiled at me and I smiled at her and all I could do was wonder how I'd ever fallen in love with a girl like Jamie Sullivan.”
(132).
In the 1930’s, turmoil has erupted in Maycomb, Alabama all because the young lady Mayella Ewell has accused African-American Tom Robinson of raping and sexually assaulting her. Yet, Mayella Ewell has no power because of her race, class, and gender. At the time, Maycomb, Alabama was at the peak of segregation against African-Americans. Mayella Ewell may be white, but that does not mean her class, gender, nor her race give her power.
It's about sunlight. It's about the special way that dawn spreads out on a river when you know you must cross the river and march into the mountains and do things you are afraid to do. It's about love and memory. It's about sorrow. It's about sisters who never write back and people who never listen.” -pg. 85
“To Kill a Mockingbird” is a novel by Harper Lee, that teaches many themes, one of which being very important is courage. Many people think that courage is a man with a gun in his hand, but Lee’s definition is much different. She thinks that courage is when you know that you’re beaten before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. The first quote I have to further explain this is early in the story when Atticus tells Jem and Scout about the court case he is handling. “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” (Lee 101). Atticus knows he won’t win the court case, but he still tries his best and doesn’t falter whatsoever. Many people scrutinize him for defending a negro, but he ignores them like he should, and shows maturity and courage.
In addition, Scout learns about morality from Atticus after she is taunted at school. Cecil Jacobs begins giving Scout trouble at school because Atticus is defending a black man. Scout isn’t sure what he means by that or why it is such a bad thing, so she consults Atticus to learn more about the matter. Atticus explains to Scout that he is defending Tom Robinson, a black man, in a trial. Atticus says he has to do it although he knows he isn’t going to win, he says “‘ If I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t this county in the state legislature. I couldn't even tell you and Jem not to do something again’’’ (100). Atticus wants to fight for what he believes is right, even if there is almost no chance of him winning. In addition, Atticus asks Scout not to fight when someone makes comments about him or this case. Through Atticus actions, Scout learns to have integrity, even if it means making tough decisions. For example, Scout walks away from a
There are some people in this world that can truly understand, or try to understand people and their feelings. They can relate to them on some sort of level. Then there's is plenty of people in this world who have no empathy at all. They don’t feel for people or even try to understand. That's exactly why everyone should read To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The book is about a little girl named Scout and her older brother Jem, who is going through some changes as they grow older in the racist south where their father, a lawyer has a case about a black man raping a white woman. Over the course of the book, both characters grow in great measures. Their father is always teaching them in little ways what’s right/wrong, and what’s good/bad.
Throughout the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch demonstrates himself as an honest lawyer, a loving father, and a symbol of righteousness through his beliefs that he instills in his children. Atticus Finch values empathy, respect, and bravery, and he proves himself as a moral compass by teaching both Jem and Scout these values in the form of life lessons.
Scout always listening to the knowledge of her teachers when she was younger makes her innocent and naive. First, Scout’s constant obedience to her teachers and lack of retaliation for her beliefs express her naiveness: “Now tell your father not to teach you anymore. It’s best to begin reading with a fresh mind. You tell him I’ll take over from here and try to undo the damage...Your father does not know how to teach. You can have a seat now” (Lee 23). This quote expresses how Scout was belittled by her teacher for reading outside of school. This aggravates Scout, however she holds in her anger, like any child, and she is forced to sit down at the command of her teacher, Miss Caroline. Also, Scout couldn’t defend herself when she explained to
The quote by Zora Neale Hurston, “There are years that ask questions and years that answer,” shows that coming of age is a tricky project that takes time and effort. In Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird, she writes about Scout Finch, the narrator, reflecting on her past and the challenges she went through in her hometown, Maycomb, with her brother Jem and childhood friend Dill.. Harper Lee uses the young characters in the novel to show experiences, their role models, and conflict help shape a person from child to adult.
Empathy is used to create change in the world by reaching out to the emotions of people and attending to them. It is used to help others learn and decide on matters that would not be reasonable without feelings attached to them. Empathy helps bring together communities that would have long ago drifted apart, but instead welcomed all who were different. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. This attribute of human-beings really allows us to not only attend to situations as if they were our own, but it allows us to feel most of what others feel because humans are very much alike in some ways. In many of the articles and novels that we have read this quarter, characters from different pieces of context have portrayed empathy whether it was toward
The novel to kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, focuses on "Maycombs usual disease", but also shows the compassion and wisdom that can exist in the is most bleak areas. The prejudice throughout the novel comes from the fear to change what they have grown up with, and the lack of knowledge of Maycomb.
Courage is not something that we are born with, it is a skill that takes time to learn and only a few are lucky enough to have it. To Kill a Mockingbird is not only about life in a world full of hate, it is about standing up for anyone’s beliefs being brave enough to do it. In this story, Harper Lee says “Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do” (Lee 112). In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates courage through Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose, and Arthur Radley.
Have American’s lost the ability to show empathy? Although a novice reader may struggle to see how a book written over 50 years ago bears any connection to our modern world, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird could not be any more relevant. The citizens of fictional Maycomb County acknowledge their flawed legal system and unfair social castes as unfortunate truths of life, of which all you can do is accept it as fact. The sole exception is lawyer Atticus Finch, who is in charge of defending the accused in court. After seeing all too many men receive a sentence simply because of the color of their skin, Atticus embarks on a quest to teach Jem and Scout, his children, that prejudice can be fought. By understanding and exposing ourselves to different people, we can free ourselves from prejudice.
Do you not believe we need more compassion and tolerance in the world? Why can we not be like Atticus, Jem or Scout from To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee? These characters show great compassion and tolerance throughout the novel despite the society they live in. They have the courage to stand up for what they believe in.
a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but
“The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy.” –Meryl Streep Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. This particular skill requires one to walk around in someone else’s shoes. It is a very valuable emotional skill that develops in many characters during the course of the novel. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, empathy is consistently present whether it’s Atticus being empathetic, Atticus teaching the kids to empathize or them empathizing themselves in certain situations.