Life Lessons

In the book, I think that the life lesson that is taught to Scout and Jem is to not take advantage of people who are completely helpless. This occurs when Mr. Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of raping his daughter, Mayella. He knew that it wasn't true but still accused him because he knew that his word over an African Americans word would win a case in Maycomb any day. I think that Atticus taught this lesson to Scout and Jem because he had the same thing happen to him when he was younger. He was the best deadshot of Maycomb but stopped shooting because he knew he was taking a life who had no chance to defend itself. Atticus brought this up when he said, "I have nothing but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state, but my pity does not extend so far as to her puting a man's life at stake, which she has done in an effort to get rid of her own guilt."
This relates very well to my life lessons growing up. My father has a mentally diasabled brother (my uncle) who was picked on a taken atvantage of when he was young. I was taught that it is wrong to take advantage of anyone who can't help themselves. I think that it is really wrong to take atvantege of people in those kinds of situations.