In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, though Atticus never preaches the Golden Rule stating, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," he does preach his own value that directly relates to the Golden Rule. We see him preach his own value to Scout in the third chapter:
You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-- ... --until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. (Ch. 3)
Atticus's value is directly related to the Golden Rule because we must feel complete, genuine respect for another person to be able to shed our own view long enough to see things from the other person's perspective. In feeling and showing respect for another person, we are following the Golden Rule
One example of Atticus following the Golden Rule within the first eight chapters of the novel can be seen when he treats Walter Cunningham Jr. with complete respect. As recompense for Scout needlessly picking a fight with Walter, Jem invites Walter to the Finches' home for lunch. During lunch, Scout feels surprised by their father's treatment of Walter, as Scout describes in her narration:
Atticus greeted Walter and began a discussion about crops neither Jem nor I could follow. (Ch. 3)
Atticus continues to show the utmost respect to Walter by continuing to converse with him as if he is an adult and forbidding Scout from saying anything rude to him. In treating Walter with the utmost respect, Atticus is following the Golden Rule of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
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