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The Theme
To Kill a Mockingbird's theme is empathy, considering someone else's point of view and undertsanding thier situations. -
"you never really understand a person until you comsider things from his point of view... Until you climb into his skin and walk areound in it"
Pg. 39 Ch. 3. This is a quote that Atticus says to Scout explaining why she has to go to school. This quote is an example of the theme because it explains why empathy leads to understanding. That's why you should consider life in someone else's point of view instead of jumping to conclusions. -
"as Atticus had once advised me to do, I tried to climb into Jem's skin and walk around in it: if I had gone alone to the Radley's at two in the morning, my funeral would have been held the next afternoon.So I left Jem alone and I tried not to bother him
Pg. 77 Ch. 7. Scout uses Atticus's advice when Jem was moody after he found his pants mended and folded at the Radley house. She took Jem's point of view into consideration and understood that going to the Radley house was not a good idea. -
"If you shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?"
Pg. 101. Ch. 9. Scout asks this to Atticus about the Tom Robinson trial. Scout is being a provincial thinker because she is being narrow minded about the fact that even though racism is a huge issue, her father still agreed and went through support Tom Robinsons case. -
"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience"
Pgs. 139-140. Ch. 11. Atticus is speaking to Jem about Mrs. Dubose. -
"I go to school with Walter."
Pgs. 204-205. Ch. 15. Scout says this to Mr. Cunningham when she realized talking about his entailment do weren't working out. So she decided to mention his son. I think this quote connects with the theme because Mr. Cunningham soon realizes that he has kids just like Atticus does and that he puts himself into Atticus's shoes and thinks about the children. -
"You children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute"
Pg. 210 Ch. 16. Atticus says this to the kids after the mob scene. This quote relates to the last quote. Walter considered Atticus' pount of view my outing himself in his shoes. Realizing Atticus had a lot to loose and he didn't want to do that to the kids. -
"One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough."
Pg. 374. Ch. 31. Scout was looking back and said this to herself. When scout used the theme, walking around in someone else's shoes and understanding, she understood Boo Radley. Her knowing everything about him and standing on that porch was enough for her. -
Atticus says, "I hope and pray I can get Jem and scout through this without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb's usual disease. I just hope Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town"
Pg. 117 Ch. 9. Atticus is talking to Uncle Jack about the "disease" which is racism. This connects with the theme because understanding the issues of racism and the answers to the questions the kids have are important and need to be said by someone like Atticus.
