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Empathy leads to understanding
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view." -Atticus p39 chapter 3. Atticus portrays the theme of the book by telling scout this lesson. Atticus tries to show to scout that it's hard to understand someone, and not easier than she thought it was. He tells her this because of the fights she's gotten into lately. -
Scout following Atticus' Advice
"I tried to climb into Jem's skin and walk around in it." - Scout p77 Chapter 7. Scout decides to follow Atticus' advice of you don't understand another person until you consider things from their point of view. So when Jem starts acting abnormal and in a different way than usual scout tries to understand why Jem's acting like that , by considering things from his point of view. -
More advice from Atticus to scout
"Just hold your head high and keep those fists down. Try fighting with your head for a change. It's a good one, even if it does resist learning." -Atticus to scout p101 Ch 9
Atticus gives even more advice to scout about how to act in her life, which happens often in the book. Most of the town knows that Atticus is defending a black person in court, and all of the towns white people are disgusted by this, and make fun of scout by calling her father a negro lover. Scout gets very mad at this and -
More on more advice from Atticus to scout
Beats up the kids at her school who call her father that. Atticus tells her to fight with her head instead of her fists for a change because he doesn't want scout to be in physical fights. -
Scouts Provincial thinking
"I hope and pray I can get Jem and scout through this without bitterness, and most of without catching maycombs usual disease. I just hope Jem and scout come to me for their answers instead of the town." Page 117 In this qoute Atticus is talking to Aunt Alexandria, about "Maycombs Usual disease" which is racism. Atticus doesn't want Scout and Jem to be provincial thinkers, and be racist like the rest of maycomb is. -
A Persons Conscience Theme
"Tom robinsons case is something that goes to the essence of a mans conscience. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a persons conscience." -Atticus page 139-140 Chapter 11 Another theme is a persons conscience. In this qoute Atticus tells scout about Tom's case, why its wrong, and that a persons conscience, and descions shouldn't be decided by majority rule. -
Walter Cunninghams shoes
"You children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute." Page 210 chapter 16 Atticus explains to Jem and scout that they made Walter Cunningham consider things from Atticus's point of view the other night, and it stopped Walter from hurting Atticus or Tom Robinson in the jail. Walter realized what situation Atticus was in, and didn't want to give him anymore trouble than he already had. -
Mr. Cunningham
"He's a good boy a real nice boy. We brought him home for dinner one time. Maybe he told you about me, I beat him up one time but he was real nice about it. Tell him hey how me will you?" -Scout on Walter Cunninghams son. Page 205 Chapter 15. I think this is the quote that takes Mr. Cunningham out of the mob and convices him to leave Atticus, and Tom alone. Scout complements Mr. Cunninghams son and I think that not many people tell that to Mr.Cunningham, so he was happy that she did. -
Dolphus Raymond's Generous way of living.
" I try to give them a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason. It ain't honest but it's mighty helpful to folks." -Dolphus Raymond page 268 chapter 20. Another theme from Dolphus Raymond is If you give people a reason to think that your crazy or a drunk, it helps them, and gives them a reason to feel good about themselves, and look down at you. In this qoute Dolphus Raymond is talking to Dill, and Scout outside the courtroom, about how his portrayed life is not true -
Boo Radley is like the mockingbird.
" I never heard tell that it's against the law for a citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did." Page 369 chapter 30 Heck Tate tells Atticus that he won't arrest boo Radley for murdering bob ewell, because boo prevented the murder of Jem and scout. If he did arrest him it would be like killing a mockingbird, because boo has helped save two children's lives, and he would be getting punished for that.
