"Civilized In Their Hearts"

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In To Kill a Mockingbird two children named Jem and Scout learn an important lesson, the characters Atticus Finch and Dolphus Raymond teach them what it means to be “civilized in [their] hearts” through the course of the novel.

Atticus Finch, Jem and Scouts father is a civilized man and sets the standard for the children. His life is an example of being civilized in your heart, and what it means to be a 'good person' and really believe in it. Atticus teaches Scout this when she explains she doesn't want to attend school, disliking it enough to pretend to be ill. Unhappily she informs her father that her teacher forbid him to continue to teach her to read, instead of harshly criticizing her teacher and starting a parent teacher battle Atticus wisely explains to her that, she'd get along better with people if she understood how to see their point of view, “until you climb into [their] skin and walk around in it.” Through this Atticus explains to Scout that being civilized in your heart sometimes requires you to compromise, being able to see both sides of a opinion. Atticus loves hi...

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