To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, deals with many primal and basic lessons in human nature. The book exposes many issues that affect most people throughout their lives. Scout, the main character, was the one most affected by these lessons. During the book she was exposed to many profound experiences, which no doubt would leave a lasting impression. In the three years that the book took place, she may have learned the most important things she would learn over her entire life, outside of school.
One person that affected Scout’s life was Boo Radley. He brought wonder, fear and then finally relief to her heart. These are things she could not learn in school. At first kids thought he was evil. There were rumors that while he cut out the newspaper for his scrap book he "drove the scissors into his parent's leg."(pg.11) He had tried to kill both of his parents. Even though this may have been just a rumor, the kids were terrified of the Radley’s. They described Boo often as a monster "six-and-a-half feet tall" with "bloodstained" hands. He was said to eat "raw squirrels and any cats he could catch".(pg.13) During the rest of the novel, Scout and her companions tried to meet Arthur (Boo) and get over their fear of him. They did not succeed. He, however, showed affection for them by leaving items such as soap sculptures, old pennies, rusted metal, and gum in the tree in front of the Radley house as gifts of friendship. Finally, at the end of the book, he proved he was a good person by saving Scout and Jem's lives. In this instance, Scout may have found that to negatively prejudge someone is wrong. She also learned compassion. Once again, this was not something she could have learned in school.
Scout also learned about the ugliness of life, about death and pain. These lessons occurred when her brother had to read to a sick and dying old lady. This ladies name was Mrs. Dubose. She had been a morphine addict and had decided to go clean until her death. To die as a free woman, to die knowing she had won. Scout describes her as an ugly lady and during their reading sessions she would have some kind of spasm-fits. Her head moved side to side. She would drool. "Her mouth seemed to have a private existence of its own." (pg.107) After many reading sessions, with her having a fit each time, she died one day.
Probably, the most important person in Scout's life was the one who had set the best examples for her. This was Atticus. He taught Scout how to deal with people. One of his teachings was to be the bigger person. When Bob Ewell spit in Atticus's face and threatened his life, Atticus did nothing and walked away. All he had to say later was,"I wish Bob Ewell wouldn't chew tobacco."(pg.217) Atticus reacts with his brain, not emotions. He encourages Scout to do the same. This was not something which could be taught to Scout out of a book in a classroom. It takes actual incidents to teach things like this. Another trait which he taught her was respect. Respect for people who are different. People such as Boo Radley. The kids had been acting out a play which involved Boo's scissor incident. They also tried to give a letter to him so that he would come out to meet them. Atticus found out about both incidents. They were put in their place and told to, "stop tormenting that man." He then told them that, "What Mr. Radley did was his own business."(pg.49) Atticus also commanded respect for black people. He once told Jem that if a white man cheats a black man, "no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that man is trash." (pg.220) At the trial he also explained that there are bad and good black men as there are good and bad white men.
Scout had two more models who helped her out. The first was a valuable example set by Atticus. He had been told to defend Tom Robinson. The case was a lost cause because he was beat before he began, and it would bring hardship to himself and his family. He knew this, but did not give up. It was the right thing to do. As he told his brother Jack, "But do you think I could face my children otherwise"(pg.88) Scout heard this conversation and understood it in later years. Again, teaching this gives her a valuable example; Stick to what you believe in. A lesson in effort and commitment was also demonstrated by Mrs. Dubose. After finding out that she would soon die, she decided to kick the morphine. This was a very hard thing for her, or for that matter, anyone to do. "She was the bravest person I knew." said Atticus. He also again repeated that courage is when, "you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway".(pg. 112) This is, in fact, a mirror image example of what he was doing by taking on the Robinson case. Scout could not have learned what courage was in school. Yes, she could read a definition of it, but would she understand its true meaning? Doubtful, it takes contact with something like that to fully understand its meaning.
Finally, not so much a lesson, but a warning for Scout. The warning comes from Boo Radley, a man who keeps away from society as he seems to fear it. His life is a perfect testimony for all the bad and ugliness of our world. As Jem said best, "I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley stayed shut up in the house all this time......It's because he wants to stay inside."
It became apparent that the things which Scout learned are all very important. Some may have been the most important during her lifetime. This is why these may have been some of the most important years of her life. That, and all the experiences which she went through, were essential to her outlook of life in the future. Learning about morals and gut feelings were things she could not have learned in school. Therefore, what she learned was not something everyone understands. The importance of what she learned is something sure to stick with her her entire life, showing her right from wrong.