To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee uses the Maycomb educational system to teach Scout the importance of seeing things from a different perspective. On Scout’s first day her first-grade teacher Mrs. Caroline introduces herself and tells the class she is from Winston County. When Scout is listening to Mrs. Caroline’s story about cats she thinks that “Mrs. Caroline seemed unaware that the ragged denim-shirted and flour sack-skirted first graders were immune to imaginative literature” (Lee 22). When the thought occurred to Scout she dismissed it as Mrs. Caroline’s foolishness. Then later during the school day Mrs. Caroline offers Walter Cunningham a quarter for lunch and at the moment Scout tries to explain to Mrs. Caroline that Cunningham’s never took what they could not repay. But instead this episode got her in trouble and Mrs. Caroline told Scout “You’re starting off on the wrong foot, in every way my dear” (Lee 28). The remark from Mrs. Caroline made Scout angry and during recess she had a brawl with Walter Cunningham which ends in Jem inviting Walter Cunningham over for dinner. During dinner Scout who is oblivious to the Cunningham’s lifestyle impulsively states that “Walter has gone and drowned his dinner in syrup” (Lee 32) the remark led to Calpurnia scolding Scout and telling her that Walter is her company and she needs to be more respectful. The kitchen incident leads to Scout complaining about Calpurnia to Atticus. At this moment Atticus tells her that everything is easier if “you climb into someone’s skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). Atticus’s lesson to Scout clears up the confusion and hatred she had of Mrs. Caroline. Scout realizes that had she put herself into Mrs. Caroline’s shoes she would have seen why she did what she did. And the lif...

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Scout Finch learns many important life lessons after attending school, witnessing the unjust verdict of Tom Robinson and having Boo Radley come out. Scout learns the importance of seeing things from a different perspective which help her get rid of the one minded think that everyone is supposed to think the way she thinks. She learns that it doing something right, regardless of the outcome is always good and the life lesson helps her understand when to stand up for what she believes. But while keeping the life lesson in mind she also learns that it helpful at times to just turn a blind eye because turning a blind eye can be equally helpful and right as defending someone and their rights till you die. Scout Finch helps us remember the things we did as kids and that even after growing uo the life lessons learned as a child are always going to be helpful.