preview

Atticus Finch Hero Essay

Decent Essays
Open Document

Father. Lawyer. Hero. These are just a few words that can be used to describe the person Atticus Finch is in To Kill a Mockingbird. Whether or not Attcus is a hero has been disputed since the publishing of the novel. He possesses both positive and negative qualities which bring his moral values into question. Despite many claims that he is too aggressive in court and is sexist to his daughter, Atticus Finch in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird is clearly a hero figure as shown by the many notable qualities he possesses which include his positive social values that he passes on to his children, and his progressive views on his case with Tom Robinson.
It is clear by the actions of Atticus in terms of the trial that he makes his best effort to …show more content…

People describe his actions in court in relation to Mayella Ewell as too aggressive and not gentle enough considering the circumstances. However, this is not true. The point of cross-examination in the court system is to prove a witness unreliable. Atticus uses his training in this field to his advantage and acheives his goal. He is a good lawyer attempting to protect his client, It has also been argued that he treats Jem better than Scout because of their gender difference. Atticus tells Scout that she should preserve the “gentle breeding” tradition practiced by so many Finches before her. However, this does not prove anything. Atticus was clearly acting in a humorous way and was being sarcastic only to please Aunt Alexandra and her traditional Southern values. Scout questions Atticus when she says, “you really want us to do all that? I cant remember everything Finches are supposed to do...” (Lee 179) Soon after he explains to Scout, “I don’t want you to remember it. Forget it” (Lee 179). Atticus Finch has many progressive views that are far beyond the comprehension of many of the southerners in the 1930s. He treats Scout not as he would a boy, he treats her like he would any person. Atticus Finch wants his daughter to grow up to be who the person she wants to be and not the person society wants to force her to

Get Access