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How does Jem show empathy in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird?

There are several scenes throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird that portray Jem showing empathy. Early on in the novel, Jem displays empathy for Walter Cunningham Jr. by stopping Scout from beating him up on the playground. He tells Scout to let him up because Walter's smaller than she is, and then shows compassion by inviting Walter over for dinner. Another scene where Jem displays empathy takes place in Chapter 23 when Alexandra calls Walter Cunningham "trash." Jem can easily see that Scout is upset, and he displays empathy by grabbing her by the shoulders and leading Scout into his bedroom. When Scout walks into his bedroom, Jem tries to cheer his sister up by offering her a Tootsie Roll and showing Scout the barely visible hair on his chest. At the beginning of Chapter 25, Scout is poking a roly-poly bug and Jem says, "Don't do that, Scout. Set him out on the back steps" (Lee 319). Scout continues to play with the bug and is about to smash it when Jem begins to scowl at his sister. Scout asks Jem why she wasn't allowed to mash it, and Jem says, "Because they don't bother you" (Lee 320). After witnessing Tom's wrongful conviction, Jem understands what it means to treat innocent beings with respect. He shows empathy for the roly-poly bug by stopping Scout from smashing it.

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