Atticus Finch’s conscious is what gets his two beloved children picked on. Maycomb’s townspeople are all aware of the case of Tom Robinson, yet everyone refuses to take it. Atticus is in a different mindset than the rest of Maycomb and does what he believes is morally right, even if it means putting his family in jeopardy. Therefore, Jem and Scout get taunted and discriminated by the xenophobic children at school such as Cecil Jacobs, who declares that “their father defends n****” . Although Atticus is aware of the consequences, he will face from helping this innocent man and is still willing to do it.
Atticus is a mockingbird for the Maycomb society. He has the correct attitude towards different races. In Tom Robinson’s case, he provides strong arguments Tom’s accusation and proves that Tom Robinson did not rape and harm Mayella Ewell. Even though Atticus failed to restore Tom back to Tom’s family due to racial discrimination existed commonly in Maycomb in 1930s, Atticus leads the society to take the first small step in the right direction in the battle against racial discrimination, according to the quote stated by Miss Maudie, “Atticus Finch won’t win, he can’t
Atticus is a wise father and helps his children accept people no matter how they look or act. This is evident when he says “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” (Lee 33). Throughout the novel, Jem and Scout mature at different paces. Atticus guides his children as they begin to grow and mature. “It ain’t right, Atticus,” said Jem.” “No son, It’s not right.” (Lee 243). When Atticus lost the case, Jem expressed how he felt. He had tears on his face. Here was a turning point for Jem because he was old enough to understand the case. Atticus comforted him and agreed it was not right. Atticus shows affection towards his children when they saved him from trouble with “the mob”. “As they passed under a streetlight, Atticus reached out and massaged Jem’s hair, his one gesture of affection.” (Lee 176). At first, Atticus may have been frustrated with his children being at the office. Then, their innocence saved him. Atticus has many characteristics and is a loving father. Atticus displays a valuable lesson about equality and fairness for his children.
Was the moral ambiguity of Atticus in Go Set A Watchman more effective in portraying the issues within racism than Atticus as an upstanding scrupulous character in To Kill A Mockingbird?
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a kind and brave man who treats everyone with respect. Throughout his life, Atticus Finch continually represents the values of respect, courage, and justice. In Maycomb, County Atticus lives with his two kids, Scout and Jem, and their housekeeper Calpurnia. He is a defense lawyer who believes segregation is wrong. First, Atticus shows respect by how he treats others. He Answers his children's questions truthfully, even if they're embarrassing. He does this because he thinks it is wrong to lie to a child. Also, he respects the Cunningham family. Atticus Treats Walter, Jr., as an honored guest at his dinner table. One time he even assisted Mr. Cunningham with an important legal problem.
Atticus’ children also learn the importance of recognising the innocence of others. Harper Lee has used the continuous motif of the mockingbird to represent innocence of several characters such as Jem and Tom Robinson. Atticus’ exclamation, “…Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” emphasises the harmless nature of mockingbirds, and to kill one would metaphorically be destroying one’s innocence. During the trial, guilt-free Tom Robinson is being punished for a crime he has not committed as Bob Ewell is creating lies to protect himself. During this situation, Jem discovers the evil of racism, damaging his faith in justice and humanity. Jem’s rhetorical questions, “If there's just one kind of folks, why can't they get along with each other? If they're all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other?” clearly start to show his coming of age and influenced behaviour from his father. Scout being younger than Jem, is able to maintain her basic faith in human nature despite Tom’s conviction, remaining naive to the injustice that surrounds her. Through the transformation of perspectives and the relation of the mockingbird to their lives, Jem and Scout learn that necessity to keep innocent things unharmed, teaching them values of respect and fair
The town gets word that Atticus is taking the case and takes it offensively. The kids at school would the other kids would taunt Scout causing her to get in fights. the character Cecil Jacobs says “Scout Finch’s daddy defends n*ggers.” Scout trying to protect her father starts attacking Cecil. When she gets home she asks her father why he's taking the case. Atticus is taking the case not only for himself but for his kids. To show them that you can't judge someone you don't even know. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view.” He's trying to set an example for his kids, Atticus thinks that if he doesn't take this case who would he be? What example would he be setting for his kids? Atticus is one of the most respected men Maycomb, and all he wants is for his kids to respect others the way he
Character and Moral Development To Kill A Mockingbird is an amazing story about children learning how awful and cruel the world can be to different colored people. One of the main characters is Atticus Finch, the father of these children. He also happens to be the lawyer for Tom Robinson, the man being accused of a crime he didn't commit. Atticus is a great father, as well as an amazing lawyer.
Living a life of virtuosity in today’s world is hard because what is right may not always be popular, and what is popular may not always be right. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a lawyer named Atticus Finch takes on a black man named Tom Robinson’s rape case in the segregated town of Maycomb, Alabama in the year 1930. During the trial, Atticus’ children Jem and Scout have their innocence taken away as they grow up and learn about the prejudice and inequality in society through the case and the events it brings. Individuals tend to be evaluated based on their standards and social principles: Atticus Finch puts his prestige and well-being on the line to attend to his moral and ethical code by showing empathy through looking at the world
In addition to Atticus working hard on the case, he also made sure his children are treating others with the best of kindness and respect. Scout and Jem have many encounters with children at school who have parents that are ashamed to know Atticus because of the Tom Robinson case. They have taught their kids that it’s a sin to help a black man, and Scout and Jem feel the effects from that. Despite those troubles, Atticus teaches his children to always hold their head high, and to turn the other cheek. Scout tries very hard to keep Atticus’s words true to her heart, and makes sure that she walks away when other kids try to pick fights with her. She struggles with not letting the things that people say about Atticus make her mad. “Promise you won’t tell Atticus about this. He- he asked me one time to not let anything I heard about him make me mad, an’ I’d ruther
Atticus Finch and the book To Kill a Mockingbird has served as a literary example of the Jim Crow South. This is of importance since Atticus Finch lived in the Jim Crow South, but he did not act so, he responded to the harsh realities of racism differently from the white southerners in the book and real life. Atticus Finch, although a fictitious character has sparked much debate between students, scholars, and those alike. Atticus Finch is what some such as Ann Althouse would call the epitome of justice and fairness. Others such as, Joseph Crespino would disagree and call him an ordinary, unexceptional lawyer. The question of Atticus Finch's character has been debated since the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird and is widely debated today.
In To Kill A Mockingbird, the novel’s author, Harper Lee, accentuates the differences in the characterization of Atticus Finch between members of the community of Maycomb and his own thoughts, words, and actions. As a lawyer, Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson, who represents the outcasts of Maycomb in this case, but Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, the Finch’s neighbor, disapproves of this gesture: “‘Your father’s no better than the n*****s and trash he works for!’” (Lee 135) This shows Atticus’s robust morals because he knows what he does corrects the negative segregation stereotype in Maycomb. Finch validates every person he meets, and does not care if one does not carry the same opinion. Atticus Finch also keeps a honest conscience, which tells
In To Kill A Mockingbird, many life lessons are taught to the main characters: Jem and Scout, as well as the readers. Three of the most significant lessons on Dealing with opposition, Optimism and Privacy are taught from three of the most respected people in town, Atticus, Miss Maudie and Nathan. The lessons are crucial in the childhood of Jem and Scout on how a person should behave and how other people should be treated. Throughout the novel, the case of Tom Robinson, a black person being wrongly accused of being a rapist in this racist southern town, being defended by Atticus Finch, the kids’ father, is one of the core issue. It is also an important case in Atticus’ career. What he does about this and how he deals with pressure from outside
In the words of Atticus Finch, “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do” (Page 112). A truly courageous person can rise to any situation and do whatever it takes to protect others. Courageous people are usually selfless, and they put others before themselves. The main character that fits this description in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, is Atticus Finch. Atticus is one of very few people who is not racist in Maycomb County, Alabama. Atticus Finch is truly a courageous character
Children are often told by their parents not to judge someone before they grow to know them, but maybe, adults need to value this too. The book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, takes place in the modest town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. Legions of families have lived here for generations, and everyone has a reputation known by all. Children are regularly taught to avoid certain houses, because of the people living there. For example, Arthur Radley was called Boo by countless neighbors, due to his introvert behavior. Later, when his character was further discovered, he was shown to be a selfless and caring person, but no one saw this since they never took the time to look. Another woman, Mrs. Dubose, who was vocally rude towards others, was later found to have been dependent on morphine and could not be held accountable for her actions, and died fighting her addiction victoriously. An abusive single father accuses Tom Robinson, an African-American man, of raping his daughter, leading to a trial sparking controversy among the town. One man, however, sees his innocence and stands as his lawyer during the trial, his name is Atticus. Atticus is moral compared to all other people of the town and raises his two kids, Jem and Scout, so. During the trial, despite the best effort of Atticus and overwhelming evidence against it, the defendant is made guilty because of his race. After the trial ends, true integrity and growth are prominent in their actions.
Scout is presented as a naive and idealistic character, making the reader understand just how young and innocent she is in contrast to the rest of Maycomb. Although Scout seems intelligent, the reader never truly knows how much she really comprehends regarding controversial social issues. In the book, Cecil Jacob provokes Scout by announcing to other children that “her daddy defended niggers” (Lee 79). Despite not even knowing what “niggers” meant, she is enraged purely because of the negative undertone. Scout even has to ask Atticus what it meant, not understanding just how racist and “common” it was (113). In addition, Scout notes how although people chastised Atticus for choosing to defend Tom Robinson, “people were content to re-elect him to the state legislature” (246). Scout is too narrow-minded and naive to grasp the concept that the people of Maycomb genuinely respect him even if they disagree with his actions. Scout, while clever, is