Atticus tries to explain to Scout the importance of empathy, and she gets a chance to test it out with Mrs. Dubose. Mrs. Dubose is a mean old lady, but Scout and Jem have to try to understand what she is going through. Mrs. Dubose insults them and their father, but he tells them to think about her condition.
“Easy does it, son,” Atticus would say. “She’s an old lady and she’s ill. You just hold your head high and be a gentleman. Whatever she says to you, it’s your job not to let her make you mad” (Chapter 11).
When Jem destroys Mrs. Dubose’s flowers because he is tired of her insults, Atticus has him go to read to her daily. Scout accompanies him. At first they do not know the purpose of these visits. Mrs. Dubose is still pretty horrible to them. Atticus tells them later that she was sick and kicking a morphine addiction.
She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine. . . I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is. . . It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what (Chapter 11).
This is an important lesson for Scout and Jem because Atticus is fighting an uphill battle with his defense of Tom Robinson. He knows that, like Mrs. Dubose, his battle might be a losing one. He still feels he has to try his best.
As Jem grows up, Scout finds it harder to understand him. He is older than her, and going through adolescence. She feels isolated from him, and Calpurnia tells her to give him his space. Scout is frustrated by his “maddening superiority” (Chapter 14).
When Scout and Jem go to First Purchase African-American Church with Calpurnia, they get a glimpse into what life is like for African Americans in Maycomb. There are very few African Americans in Maycomb who can read. Some African Americans feel threatened by Scout and Jem's presence at their church. Scout learns Tom Robinson’s family is struggling because of the Ewells' accusation, and the First Purchase Church community is trying to help the Robinsons.
When it came to Aunt Alexandra, it was difficult for Scout to put herself in Alexandra’s skin, but Atticus tried to do so. Knowing that it was important to his sister, he tried to explain the importance of the Finches’ place in the social heriarchy of Maycomb to his children. It was a disaster.
“She asked me to tell you you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are. She wants to talk to you about the family and what it’s meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you’ll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly” (Chapter 13).
This speech and the sentiment behind it were so unlike Atticus that it made Scout burst into tears, and he told her to forget it. After all, Atticus tried to teach Scout to get inside other people’s skin. That doesn’t mean putting yourself above other people.
When Dill shows up unexpectedly under Scout’s bed, she learns he ran away from home. His new father did not turn out to be what he expected. He tells them he wasn’t wanted. Scout empathizes with Dill’s situation, even though she has a father. She doesn’t tease Dill, and is upset when Jem tells Atticus where he is.
Empathy also allows Scout to jump into the middle of a lynch mob and break it up. She sees Walter Cunningham's father and remembers something her father said about his farming business and tries to strike up a conversation.
“Entailments are bad,” I was advising him, when I slowly awoke to the fact that I was addressing the entire aggregation. The men were all looking at me, some had their mouths half-open (Chapter 15).
The members of the mob are so surprised at Scout's behavior that they leave. The calm intervention of a little girl brings them to their senses.
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