Theme Of Compassion In To Kill A Mockingbird

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In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tells a story of Scout and Jem Finch growing up in Alabama during the 1930’s. Scout and Jem learn lessons and the truth of the residents of their own town, Maycomb, themselves, and even their own father. There are many themes Lee demonstrated in this novel, such as prejudice, empathy, hypercity, love and many others. Harper Lee, illustrates compassion in To Kill a Mockingbird through the use of Jem’s hospitality, Scout’s compassion, and the black community's generosity
. One way, Harper Lee demonstrates the theme of compassion is through Jem, Scout’s older brother who matures throughout the story. Jem sees Scout fighting with Walter Cunningham at the playground. Jem breaks up the fight and acknowledges Walter has no lunch. Jem suddenly grinned at him “Come on home to dinner with us, Walter,” he said (Lee, 30). Walter is unsure because he doesn’t want to owe them anything. “We’d be glad to have you,”Jem said(30). Walter finally agrees and eats as much as he can. This shows how Jem understood Walter had no food and had enough compassion to offer him some of his own. Jem’s actions are certainly compassionate, and Walter is grateful for the dinner. …show more content…
When Atticus Finch took the Tom Robinson he knew it would be difficult. He knew people would talk about him and would threaten his family. Even though the townspeople would treat Tom Robinson with such disrespect he still worked his hardest. The morning after the trial, Atticus was because of the verdict. The black community showed compassion through the use of bringing food to the Finch family. “The kitchen table was loaded down with enough food to bury the family: hunks of salt pork, tomatoes, a jar of pickled pigs feets” (Lee, 286). The black community was very grateful of Atticus and wanted to show their support to him. The black community demonstrated compassion through rounding up food and showing their support of
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