Throughout Harper Lee’s fantastic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, many characters show compassion towards Arthur Radley, but most do not. Set in the 1930s, the drastic social hierarchy is at its peak. Racism, inequality, and superstition occur throughout the book, but a select few begin to look past these simple minded thoughts. Compassion is not only the sympathy for others, but a care; perhaps a form of love. Scout, a young girl who has yet to experience the classes of society, and the ways of life in Maycomb, is one fine example of compassion in this piece of literature. On the other hand, Mr. Heck Tate, county sheriff, knows the law, understands the hierarchy, and still chooses to express such sympathy for others. Miss Maudie as well sees …show more content…
Arthur Radley. Tate was county sheriff of Maycomb. Being very aware, as well as understanding of the law, Mr. Tate chose throughout the novel to put the law aside, taking action for what was right, not necessarily legal. Moreover, Bob Ewell, a cruel scum-bag was after Atticus Finch’s children, Jem, and Scout. Halloween night, the Finch kids were on their way home from the school pageant. Passing in front of the Radley Place a figure lurked in the shadows: Bob Ewell. Stepping when they stepped, stopping when they stopped, the shadow attacked. Arthur Radley could not bare to watch his children get hurt. He stabbed Bob Ewell, and left him by the Radley tree to die. Boo has been isolated his whole life, and Heck Tate knew it. After the crime had been committed, Atticus was certain that his own son, Jem had killed Ewell. Knowing the truth, Heck chose to twist it. Arthur Radley had murdered Mr. Ewell with his kitchen knife, but no one in Maycomb would know that story: the true story. Instead Heck Tate told Atticus, “Mr. Finch, Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself.”(Lee 366). Furthermore, this statement was a drastic bend of the truth. Tate knew Boo was outcast in society, and preferred to stay that way. Bringing Arthur into the light of the citizens would destroy him. Tossing him into the light would either bring Boo praise as a hero, or prosecution as a murderer. Heck did not deem this …show more content…
Radley. Throughout the years, Boo was always there to assist, care for, and watch over the children. Yet he lurked in the shadows, keeping his distance, and remaining unseen. Draping a blanket over the freezing kids as they watched the blazing flames engulf Miss Maudie’s house, leaving tiny gifts in the Radley tree, stitching up Jem’s pants, and saving `them from the wrath of Bob Ewell, these were all generous actions Boo carried out for the Finch’s. Scout was beyond grateful, but felt guilty she had not given back to Mr. Radley. Moments after Heck Tate explained to Atticus the story he was prepared to tell Maycomb about Ewell’s death, Scout reached out for Boo’s arm. He was to escort her to his home. Never would she escort him home, he was the gentleman, and the people needed to know this. As Scout stood on the Radley porch, facing the street she had gazed at her whole life, she finally understood. So many events had occurred in plain view from Boo’s house. Thinking that she, and Jem had never given back, was a wrong assumption. From the comfort of his segregated home, Arthur lived through the children, continuing to only be there when they needed his aid. Jem, and Scout had given Arthur life, exciting moments to observe, and someone to care for. Scout realized this, and felt a sense of pride, as well as compassion. Scout had thought deeply about the events
This explains how Boo had to get out of his comfort zone of staying in his house to do the heroic service of protecting Scout and Jem, risking the unveiling of his shy ways to the Maycomb community. After both children are safe and Atticus thanks Boo for his children, Scout takes him by the hand and leads him back to his house. As he releases Scout’s hand and shuts the door, never to be seen again, Scout describes him, stating that “He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good luck pennies, and our lives.”. (320) This illustrates how Boo Radley had acted as a guardian angel for the children; socializing with them but also defending them when necessary. Boo demonstrates courage when he chooses to protect the Finch children; resulting in having to murder someone and risk exposure after being a recluse for many
Without compassion the world would be a dark place, there would be no such thing as love and there would be no one to lend a helping hand. Even in society today, people approach situations with no compassion, humans discriminate against others because of differences in color or appearances. In the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" the author, Harper Lee, writes about a town that shows no compassion towards people of color even when there are lives at risk. In the book, we learn that "[you 'll] never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. "(Lee
Exposing Boo’s heroic actions would bring him to be the center of the public eye and it would truly be the end of his happiness. Mr. Tate knew this and had no reason to hurt Mr. Radley, and even wanted to reward him for his
Arthur Radley, also known to Jem, Scout, and Dill as “Boo,” is a mysterious character. He’s the Finch’s neighbor and he never comes out of the house, though there are numerous rumors about him. Arthur raises curiosity in Jem and Scout and they try to communicate with him to understand why he stays in the house all the time, but they’re not successful. One day on their way home from school, Jem and Scout found a ring case in a tree. They found two old Indian-head coins inside that have been polished and taken good care of.
In response to this, Heck Tate says “There's a black boy dead for no reason, and the man responsible for it’s dead. Let the dead bury the dead'' (Lee 369). Heck, Tates wants to protect Boo’s peace as he doesnt want Boo to get in trouble for something he didn't intentionally do. Bob Ewell also sent Tom Robinson to death, so
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the worth of compassion persists as a relevant theme. Throughout their childhood, Jem and Scout encounter many people who do nothing to earn any compassion. But as they mature and endure countless moral conflicts, compassion evolves from a form of pity into a determining and necessary moral factor. Even though people often act deceitful and immoral, everyone deserves compassion.
As the story unfolds, Scout matures and learns kindness. In her old, immature mind, scout would’ve fought everyone who made ignorant statements about her family, or pushed her buttons. As she grows up this is not an issue anymore, and instead of fighting she controls herself and begins to act more like her father. Scout receives many different forms of advice and life lessons from influential people in her life. This encourages her to grow up to be a kind and generous person.
Innocence is a time in one’s life of carefreeness and peace. In youth, children have yet to experience the harsh realities of life, and when they do, it is often hard to cope with. In her novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee portrays Maycomb’s prejudiced ways through an unfair trial of an innocent man, and through the treatment of certain members of the community. The young narrator, Scout, and her older brother, Jem, experience growth and learn compassion when the trial exacerbates Maycomb’s intense intolerance. In this novel, Lee uses the characterization of the Finch children to demonstrate that innocent children who have been exposed to their community’s prejudice, often have trouble adjusting, but need a mentor figure to help them mature.
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. To me the word empathy in “To Kill A Mockingbird” means “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.” Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” suggests that empathy is a universal feeling, but everyone experiences it in different occasions and in different ways. Many people empathize through real life experiences. Scout is one of those people.
Even in a society that, overall, is diverse, people with similar ideas and experiences tend to congregate in small groups, where they are comfortable. It is much easier to remain in homogenous groups, among those who understand each other. When different groups combine, many different life experiences and points of view will be present and will potentially clash. Misunderstanding is bound to occur in some form when individuals of different backgrounds interact. When misunderstandings occur, people tend to respond with violence, fear, or stereotyping.
While Scout and Jem are heading home after a Halloween pageant, they get attacked by Mr. Ewell. Suddenly Boo radley saves Scout and jem and brings them back home. When Mr. Tate arrives he discusses with Atticus about what will happen to Boo Radley. “Maybe you’ll say it’s my duty to tell the town all about it and not hush it up. Know what’d happen then?
If not for the major characters, the minor characters have played an equally important role in Maycomb with their contrasting views. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is mainly about Jem and Scout growing up under the difficult situations created in Alabama during The Great Depression. Stereotypes and discrimination are major problems in Maycomb. Scout and Jem Finch are raised by Atticus, with the help of Calpurnia, their maid. In the first part of the book, Scout, Jem and Dill are fascinated by Boo Radley because of the rumors they hear about him, and they try everything to make him come out of his house.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is the story of a small town named Maycomb Located in Alabama, highlighting the adventures of the finch children and many other people in the small town. The people in this town are very judgemental and of each other and it often leads to people being labeled with stereotypes and people think they know everything about that person however that is not reality. It is not possible to know the reality of a person 's life by placing a stereotype without seeing it through their own eyes and experiencing the things they experience. This happens often throughout the story with many people in the town. People are labeled as many things such a “monster” a “nigger” and many other things that seem to put them in their
Throughout the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” written by Harper Lee, the readers can see how Scout changes her view about Boo Radley. Because of their nosiness, Jem, Scout, and Dill try to drag Boo out his house and to the outside world. Their innocent actions combined with Boo’s actions changed the image of Boo, in their minds, from “a malevolent phantom” (10), a person who kills cats and eats squirrels to a neighbor they can trust, who saves them from Bob Ewell. Scout says at the end, “Boo was our neighbor” (373). The readers can see a great change in their relationship.
Boo Radley represents one of the “mockingbirds” in the book, and a mockingbird is someone that is pure and innocence in the world. He is a good person that is hurt by the evil of mankind. In a lot of ways, Boo Radley might have have wanted to stay shut up in his house after seeing some of the awful acts that the townspeople have committed. But after seeing the Finch kids being attacked by Bob Ewell he had no choice but to leave the comfort of his own home that he has been enclosed in for so long to come out and save them. All though it would have been easier for this man to stay in his house rather than leave and then be drug into court, he did what he knew would be right and rescued the