The Importance of Empathy in Life
Empathy is the most essential quality that people need to understand the feelings of others and be able to empathize. The ability to recognize the suffering of others and deal with it with understanding is crucial for people who work in social skills and communication. Thus, empathy and compassion can become essential for understanding other people. A sincere desire to relieve the suffering of another person is necessary to be able to understand how hard it is for others, for example, in times of slavery.
Empathy is a parameter that can bring people together and improve their communication. If a person feels the mood of others and distinguishes their emotions, this can affect interpersonal communication. This is partly related to ethical standards, which are observed much better if a person has empathic qualities. Ethics play an important role in preventing the exploitation of others and in promoting social justice. Thus, we can say that the desire to help people reflects the desire of a person to need help.
Empathy can come in many forms, but one of the most famous is helping people in their predicament. Such behavior can bring significant benefits to society as people become more united and responsible for the lives and well-being of others. Thanks to this approach to social activity, society can improve by acquiring more conscious behavior. This, in turn, may affect all segments of the population as the economy begins to develop more actively by reducing the number of poor people. Freeing enslaved people, for example, and helping them is a sign of compassion shown after realizing injustice.
Empathy in Literature
Frederick Douglass’s Story
Frederick Douglass’s story contains many stories of enslaved people that can evoke various emotions in readers, such as empathy and compassion. One of the things that touched me was how the main character describes compassion: “I was hungry, and he gave me meat; I was thirsty, and he gave me drink; I was a stranger, and he took me in” (Douglass 114). This display of kindness and understanding allowed him to continue his struggle and showed how determined he was to survive in the future. The protagonist’s understanding in the story can also be enhanced as he “was made to drink the bitterest dregs of slavery” (Douglass 63). The writer fully shows this throughout the story, which evokes a deep sense of compassion in the readers.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
This story allows readers to understand how difficult the lives of enslaved people were. One of the strengths of the story is its portrayal of the plight of Eliza Harris, whose son was sold into slavery despite her lifelong efforts to be the best mother she could be (Stowe 43). The author shows all her pain and thus can evoke compassion and a sense of empathy that mothers can understand. This had a strong effect on readers, inspiring them to contribute in every possible way to social transformation.
“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”
Compassion and empathy are a significant part of this story, as Ambrose Bierce talks about how unfair and cruel life can be. This is shown about Peyton Farquhar, who supported the rebels but was sentenced for slavery. The story is compassionate as the reader is shown as “He closed his eyes to fix his last thoughts upon his wife and children” (Bierce 1). This helps to understand the inner nature of the character Farquhar, who would like to see his family for the last time and died with the thought of them. This representation gives people a pleasant feeling as the character is an enslaver. However, along with this, the writer shows all the good in him, creating compassion.
“My Last Duchess”
The poem My Last Duchess by Robert Browning shows how people can lack compassion and sympathy and how harmful it is. Duke is the most striking character who demonstrates a lack of sympathy and empathy. This is shown in how he talks about his previous wife, stating “She had A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad, Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er She looked on” (Browning). This explains Duke’s attitude towards his wife and how much he despised her. His lack of compassion contrasts with previous stories in which the characters evoked empathy and had that quality.
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
In this sermon, Jonathan Edwards shows a complete lack of compassion for the unbelieving Israelites. This is manifested in his belief that they “are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another” (Edwards para 3). This narrative can be traced throughout the sermon, in which there was never a word of sympathy or empathy. Thus, this can be contrasted with how other works consider that a feeling of sympathy arises for all people.
Works Cited
Bierce, Ambrose. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. American Literature. n. d. Web.
Browning, Robert. My Last Duchess. Poetry Foundation. n. d. Web.
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave: Electronic Edition. Murrey Atkins Library. 1999.
Edwards, Jonathan. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. A Sermon, Preached at Enfield, July 8, 1741.
Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. H. Altemus Company. 1900.