Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

To Kill A Mockingbird Empathy

You can’t just open a book and judge the story on the random chapter you happened to end up on, you start from the beginning and read the full story. Empathy is just like that. Empathy is like reading someone else’s story: being one with the characters and events and feeling the emotions of the main character, observing, listening, and understanding. When you read someone’s story is when the solution of racism and prejudices within communities is really possible. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird the author, Harper Lee, shows empathy is the solution to the prejudice and racism that has unfortunately afflicted America throughout its history. These characters include Scout, Atticus, Miss Caroline, Boo
Radley, Jem, Mrs. Dubose, Tom Robinson, the Ewells and the Cunninghams. Scout is the main character, as she is a child as well as naive and innocent. Jem, who is no longer innocent, is Scout's brother and Atticus is their father. Their town, Maycomb, has a legend of Boo Radley and this legend initially lead Scout and Jem with the help of their friend Dill, to get more involved with Boo, his house, his story, etc. and learn more about Boo. From here the author showed empathy within their relationships. Through the novel’s main characters, the author shows in Part I that empathy is the solution to racism and prejudice.

Jem and Boo’s relationship is filled with empathy that is the solution to prejudice.
Boo Radley has a reputation of being this monstrous creature and as Jem stated previous to having empathy for Boo, “Boo was about six-and-a half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained-if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.” (Lee 16) This is what everyone thought of Boo. The residents of Maycomb are frightened of Boo because they make no effort to learn more about him and see things through his eyes. Once Jem had empathy he had lost the prejudice toward Boo, he lost whatever judgment he had on just the page he walked in on. The day Jem fully had empathy towards Boo was when he lost the prejudice he had. As author stated, “When we went in the house I saw he had been crying; his face dirty in the right places, but I thought it odd that I had not heard him.” (Lee 84). Jem was crying because at this point he finally realized all the rumors weren't true. As he matured, he understood all the clues Boo was dropping for communication. From the gifts in the knothole to Boo giving Scout a blanket the night of the fire. From here, he understood Boo’s perspective and how he's actually living a genuinely sad life. Feeling how Boo felt made
Jem cry. If everyone were to have this empathy towards Boo Radley such as Jem does, the prejudice would be solved because empathy would allow people to see that Boo Radley really isn't a monster and that from there would eliminate all the stories of Boo, therefore eliminating the community’s prejudice. If the community had empathy from the beginning, then Scout, Jem, and Dill wouldn’t have mocked his life in the form of a game. The community wouldn’t have gossipped and told stories about him. They might have even come over and helped Boo by becoming his friend or communicating with him, though that isn't very much, it would be enough for Boo to not be so ashamed of himself. Though Jem represents an empathetic character he can only help Boo to a certain extent. Jem can’t necessarily help Boo directly but Jem’s understanding created a guide for the end of prejudice towards Boo. If others were to empathized Boo they would have lost their prejudice towards him. They could've maybe communicated with him so he wouldn't be so ashamed and though may not seem like much, it is a lot in comparison to his current situation. Empathizing Boo wouldn't solved all prejudice and narrow mindedness that the residents of Maycomb, Alabama showed, but it would solve the narrow minded and prejudiced against Boo, and any loss of prejudice, even for one person, is a step in the right direction. Because of this, because of what would have happened if the community had empathy, it is clear that it would be the solution to prejudice.

To clarify, Tom Robinson is an African American man who Atticus will be defending in court, and a lot of unempathetic people think this is very wrong of Atticus. Yet the only reason they believe this is because of racism and prejudice, which would be eliminated if they had empathy like Atticus does. Harper Lee states “‘Then why did Cecil say you defend niggers? He made it sound like you were runnin’ a still.’ Atticus sighed. ‘I’m simply defending a Negro- his name's Tom Robinson… there’s been some high talk around town about defending this man. It’s a peculiar case…’’If you shouldn't be defendin’ him, then why are you doing it?’ ‘...if I didn't I couldn't hold my head up in town. I couldn’t represent this country in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again.’” (Lee 100) Here Atticus is explaining his situation to Scout, and as we can see he doesn't have any racial prejudice against Tom Robinson, and that is because he has empathy, and he is teaching that to Scout. Atticus wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't give Robinson a fair trial. Empathy is related to the idea that all human beings are fundamentally equal. This is what enables people to put themselves in other people's shoes (empathize). This passage is showing us that Atticus has this value that all people are fundamentally equal, of equal worth and value, because of this he rejects racism. Regardless of what others say Atticus is going to fight for what's right because he knows Robinson's story so he has empathy for him because Atticus is able to see things from Robinson’s perspective, and that is having empathy. If the community had empathy towards Tom Robinson from the beginning then there wouldn't be this entire dispute in the trail and it would be clear that he is innocent. The community having empathy would've changed the storyline. This empathy would have caused there to be no racism to Tom Robinson or his family and from there he would have a fair trial and he would be acquitted. Helen, Tom’s wife, is currently having trouble finding a job, solely because the community believe she is married to a criminal, Tom Robinson. If the community of Maycomb put themselves in Robinson's shoes, they’d be able to get rid of their racism and give Robinson and his family the fairness they deserve. Thus, with this empathy it allows people to see the truth and be fair which then solves the racism and prejudice.

It is possible to believe that just Atticus does not represent the community’s solution as a whole, to believe that just because Atticus’s empathy solved his own prejudice doesn't mean that the community having empathy with solve the general prejudice. However, the basis of this argument is logically flawed. Having empathy solved prejudice in Atticus's case because he came to the realization of the issues at hand, he was able to read Robinson's full story and see from Robinson's perspective from there. So if everyone in the community were to do this they would lose their prejudice, just as Atticus did. Though each person who has empathy still won't have the exact same opinions, everyone who has empathy will see things similarly, similarly enough that they'd be unanimous on not being racist or having prejudice. For example, Aunt Alexandra is racist, does have prejudice and believes in serotypes, she is arguably one of the more prejudiced members of Macomb. But if she were to think in Tom Robinson's shoes she'd realize, what if she was accused of a crime she did not commit and most didn't believe she was innocent, solely because the color of her skin. If she thought this way she wouldn't have this prejudice against Tom and she'd realize how she thinks isn't fair. Once she puts herself in his shoes she’d understand, and this is what empathy is. She is solely one example of how even people who have a lot of prejudgment on others can lose this way of thinking with empathy. That being so, empathy within the communities is the solution to racism and prejudice.

One may make a case stating that since Scout fights people she doesn't really have the empathy Atticus is showing her, but in reality Scout has been working on it and it is the community’s fault she doesn't have complete empathy yet. Atticus has even acknowledged this issue and spoke to Scout about it multiple times while simultaneously teaching her empathy. For instance on page 116 Atticus said “Jem’s getting older and she follows his example a good bit now. All she needs is assistance sometimes.” (Lee 116). Here Atticus explains to Uncle Jack how Scout’s progression and improvements empathy wise, and though others may argue Scout likes to start fights, she’s been working on it and she's been learning to be more empathetic. Then from here she will lose any prejudices with anyone, such as the one against Francis, when he called her father a nigger lover, but then later, after speaking with Atticus, Scout somewhat understood that this was solely because of the communities impact on him. These examples give further proof that Scout is improving on her empathy and that is helping her eliminate her prejudices.

A time in which empathy solved prejudice is with the Ewells.
The Ewells are a family that act like animals and don't act like everyone in maycomb. Mr. Ewell has a drinking problem and his kids have to deal with that. The Ewells were in this bad situation and it was the county's empathy that helped them out. “It’s against the law, all right… and it's certainly bad, but when a man spends his relief checks on green whiskey his children have a way of crying from hunger pains… he’ll never change his ways. Are you going to take out your disapproval in his children?” (Lee 41) Because of the Ewell’s situation the community as a whole decided to give them a leeway and allow the Ewell’s children go to school a minimum one one day per year in order for them to be able to hunt and have food. In this case the community had empathy, which did not necessarily solve prejudice, but it allowed there to be some solution that helped as a whole. On the other hand, some may counter the Ewells’ situation is just a minor solution and does not represent the solving of prejudice as a whole. This is not true. Though this is a minor example in order to solve something and create an impact, you start with small steps. Empathy helped the Ewell’s situation even if it wasn't a predominate solution to the prejudice against them, it helps and any help is beneficial in the prejudice
solution.

Last but not least, empathy is the solution to prejudice, and this is most predominantly seen Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose is one of Maycomb's people who is known for being a loudmouth and talking bad about everyone. Most people had a prejudice against her, they think she's such a rude old lady, even Jem and Scout thought so. Harper Lee states “‘A lady?’ Jem raised his head. His face was scarlet. ‘After all those things she said about you, a lady?’” (Lee 149) This quote shows Jems prejudice against Mrs. Dubose. However, once Atticus had explained to the kids, they started to gain empathy towards her and then they lost any prejudice they had. “‘I wanted you to see something about her- I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting this idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand… You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won… She was the braces person I ever knew.’” (Lee 149) This example is so important because it completely shows how just putting yourself in someone's situation can change your view on them. Mrs. Dubose was young through a lot of things they didn't know about and once they found out, once they read her story and put themselves in her skin, they understood and lost their prejudice. This is shown by Jem playing with the Daisy given to him by Mrs. Dubose after her death, “He [Jem] picked up the camellia, and when I went off to bed I saw him fingering the wide petals.” (Lee 149). If Jem were to have empathy from the start, he would've have ended up destroying her camellias and the plot of the story would have changed and maybe Jem would have began to read to her or become her friend voluntarily, So, because of what would've happened it shows that if there was this empathy there would be an even greater solution to prejudice. That is how empathy in Mrs. Dubose situation solved prejudice.

Others may argue that empathy wouldn't really anything about how the people of maycomb viewed Mrs. Dubose since regardless she was still a mean old lady. However, this is incorrect. Of course they might’ve thought that the things she said were off call because they were, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't have lost their prejudice. They wouldn’t have lost the idea that she was evil and cranking, but with empathy they then realize why she said the uncalled for things she said, even if they disagreed with her opinion, and that demonstrates they're empathy. This empathy would have helped them realize the reasons behind what she does and that would've solved prejudice. As the text states “She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe… “ Atticus explained the situation to Jem and Scout and now even if they think she's a little mouthy they know why. And that gets rid of prejudice. They're a perfect example of empathy being the solution to productive with Mrs. Dubose specifically. That is how empathy, especially in Miss. Dubose situation solves prejudice. In closing, the author shows in Part I that empathy is the solution to racism and prejudice. Empathy within communities is the solution to racism and prejudice. Readings someone's full story and putting yourself in their shoes is the solution, because you know people's reasons of things and from there you lose whatever you might have against them, though it may not be a definite solution because you may not agree with their views or values, you know why and that is important. If communities had empathy prejudice and racism would stop and the author Harper Lee makes that very clear in To Kill A Mockingbird. She does this through the characters. These characters include Scout, Atticus, Miss Caroline, Boo Radley, Jem Miss Dubose, Tom Robinson, the Ewells and the Cunninghams. That is how the author shows empathy is the solution to racism and prejudice in Part I.