Characterization

The children learn a plethora of good morals from quite a few of Maycomb's citizens, but Atticus Finch teaches them specifically about respect. Atticus uses the quote "you never rally understand a person till you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" (30). He uses this quote to show the children that they need to respect and honor other people in spite of things they may do or how they may act. Scout uses this quote in 3 major situations to both gain and show respect.
Scout thinks about Atticus' saying to diffuse a potentially deadly situation. One night Atticus leaves the house without saying anything and takes the car. Scout finds this odd, so Jem, Dill, and Scout follow to see what ol' Atticus is up to. Scout comes upon a crowd of people who had intentions of hurting Tom Robinson. They find that this is the reason their father left the house. He went down the jail to stick up for Tom and thwart the lynch mob that so dearly wanted to remove him. Scout doesn't quite understand what is going but she understands that her father needs her and she goes to his aide. She walks up to Mr. Cunningham and puts herself into his position. She starts to talk to him about things that he cares about in order to get him to leave Atticus alone. "He squatted down and took me by both shoulders" (154). Scouts kind and honorable behavior gained Scout respect from Mr. Cunningham and some of the other men that were there. She thought about what Atticus said for her to do so she could truly understand him and what he is doing. Without the use of this advice from Atticus both Tom and her father may have been hurt or killed.
Scout also used Atticus' advice to better understand their neighbor, Boo Radley. At the end of the book Scout walks up to his porch when she takes him home. From this vantage point she looks around to the world and she realizes why he stays inside, why he doesn't come out to see people. "Just standing on the Radley porch was enough" (279). When scout stands on his porch she puts herself into his shoes. She sees all the hurt, and suffering in their little town of Maycomb and then, only then she truly understands why her neighbor doesn't come out. She realizes that he isn't the odd one, but that the rest of the world perceives him to be so because he doesn't want to see all of the hurt and suffering.
The third situation that Scout uses Atticus' quote in is when Jem destroys Mrs. Dubose's flowers.
Jem goes into her yard and ruins all of her flowers because she was mean to him and his father. Because of these actions Jem is forced to go to her house and read to her. Jem and Scout go to her house and even though they don't like itc they read to her every day until she falls asleep. After over a month Jem is allowed to discontinue reading. Mrs. Dubose passes away just days after. It is only then that Scout and Jem discover that she was addicted to morphine, and that this is the reason that they read to her. Scout thinks about this and then she understands why the old hag was so bitter. She also understands why she may have been so mean to others, because she knew that she was dying. Had Scout not been respectful of her the situation could have been way more tense.
There were several situations that Scout Finch uses Atticus' advices about kindness and respect. She used the quote that he gave her so that she could better understand Mrs. Dubose, Mr. Cunningham, Tom Robinson. Without this advice to respect everyone and get along with them she may not have been able to really understand these people.