Kill a Mockingbird-Scout, Lessons

As we grow older, we learn valuable lessons. Such lessons as the evil of prejudice, the true nature of courage, and on the dangers of judging others before "...climbing into their skin and walking around in it." The novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, explores different themes and contains many important messages. One of these lessons is empathy and understanding which is introduced to the main character through Atticus Finch who says "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view". By following Atticus' advice, Scout begins to understand many different characters such as her brother Jem, Miss Caroline Fisher and Arthur "Boo" Radley.

Upon going to school for the first time, Scout has a few misunderstandings with her teacher Miss Caroline Fisher. Instead of going back to school and facing the problem, Scout would rather hide from it and not return to school again. Scout later confides in her father telling him "... she said you taught me all wrong, so we can't ever read any more, ever. Please don't send me back." Atticus' response was to tell Scout that running away from the problem is not an option. His advice was for her to try and see things from another's perspective. Looking at the days events with a different view, Scout begins to understand that Miss Caroline Fisher really didn't mean any harm and she "could not expect her to learn all Maycomb's ways in one day."

Scout used the same advice the next time there was a misunderstanding, this time with her brother Jem. After Jem went to the Radley house by himself, he stayed silent and moody for a week. Instead of trying to get Jem to talk to her, or play with her, Scout uses the advice that Atticus gave her. "I tried to climb into Jem's skin and walk around in it: if I had gone alone to the Radley place at two in the morning, my funeral would have been held the next day. So I left Jem alone and tried not to bother him." This proves, that again Scout better understands others well, by using the advice given to her. This growth in character continues throughout the novel and is again demonstrated in the meeting of "Boo" Radley.

Towards the end of the story, Scout empathizes and understands Boo Radley, a character she had once feared and avoided. She learns how unfair she had been to him, believing all the horrible