How Does Miss Maudie Show Empathy In To Kill A Mockingbird

In 1960, author Harper Lee wrote a book titled “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which has become a well-known classic. The main theme of the story, represented various times, is the significance of empathy for others as well as recognizing evil and fighting against it. Jem and Scout both learn that their hometown is not as pleasant as they once thought, and that no one is truly evil unless if they make an attempt to change themselves.
In the first few chapters, Scout goes to school for the first time. She encounters Miss Caroline, who tells her to tell Atticus to stop teaching her how to read so she can “undo the damage” (17). In addition, she meets Burris Ewell, who only comes to school for the first day each school year. She and the rest of the

Scout and Jem got to experience snowfall for the first time, and build a snowman. Later that day, Miss Maudie left a fire for her plants in her kitchen, and her house burned down as a result. Instead of being sad or angry that she had lost all of her possessions, in response to Scout’s question of whether she was grieving or not, she replied, “Grieving, child? Why, I hated that old cow barn. Thought of settin‘ fire to it a hundred times myself, except they’d lock me up.” (75). Jem and Scout’s initial response to the fire was horror and pity for Miss Maudie, but she surprised them by saying this. In addition, Miss Maudie claimed that she would “have the finest yard in Alabama” and that “those Bellingraths’ll look plain puny when [she got] started.” (75). This made the children see that some people had varying outlooks on different

In the speech, he implores the jury (of all white men), who all likely oppose Tom, to do the right thing, accept the evidence, and free Tom, who clearly did nothing wrong (his hand had been caught in a cotton gin). Atticus is making a final effort to win over the jury, and he sees, along with Scout, Jem, and Dill, that Tom is about to be convicted. He ends his speech with “In the name of God, do your duty.” This scene was important because it showed that racism was prominent in the area at the time, and the futility of all the evidence that had been produced during the trial, as well as the obvious lies of Mayella and Bob Ewell in an effort to punish Tom. The children also learn that the citizens of Maycomb are more racist than previously thought. After the verdict, Jem is shocked that people could be so cruel and he loses his faith in humanity. Atticus reassures Jem that “If [he] had been on that jury...and eleven other boys like [him], Tom would be a free man.”