Atticus Finch Quotes

As Atticus decides to defend Tom Robinson, who is a black man. Many citizens of Maycomb don't understand his choices for doing so. Atticus is questioned by Scout, she asks him “If you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, then why are you doing it?” Scout says that to Atticus because people from Scouts school have been telling her that defending a black man is a negative thing to do. By asking Atticus this, it shows that others see black people as lower class compared to others. As the majority of Maycomb see them that way, they don't understand why Atticus should and would defend them. Atticus sees the whole situation as him just “Simply defending a Negro,” because he sees everyone nas an equal which everyone else should too. As the citizens of Maycomb don't understand why Atticus is defending Tom, some finally start to see the trial just like Atticus. In chapter 15, a mob is called upon Atticus for defending Tom. It is led by Mr. Cunningham, who has a son named Walter, which Scout goes to school with. While the mob is after Atticus because of him defending Tom, Scout is able to stop the mob. She stops the mob by telling Mr. Cunningham about his son and how Atticus has helped their family, which then calms him down to see the mob isn't right. As Scout’s kindness towards Mr. Cunningham helps him decide to call off the mobs, it also helps him to see Atticus is a good person for defending and helping Tom Robinson because Atticus did the same towards him. Atticus’ choice to defend and help black people is hard to understand for many, butin the end it is important to realise why he choses to defend

The whole town of Maycomb is racist, which makes Atticus’s job harder trying to defend Tom Robinson against the word of a white man.Tom Robinson’s case is unjust since he is black and the majority of Maycomb revert to the stereotype that all blacks are immoral and criminals. “Quote” shows that it is a situation where little is possible to do when defending a black man because the town of Maycomb is deeply affected by racism they tend to only make decisions based on the race and so immediately think Tom Robinson is guilty, that he did indeed raped Mayella when there was so much evidence to prove otherwise. This is challenging for Atticus, since he has to persuade everyone to pretend there is no stereotype about blacks and that they are human

Francis, Aunt Alexandra’s grandson, told Scout that Atticus was “nothin’ but a nigger lover” (Lee 94). This was said because during the time of the Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell incident, Atticus was seen as a betrayer to the white community for defending a black man. Many people did not grasp onto Atticus’s character because he was all about doing what was right, no matter the color. In addition to this, all blacks were seen as liars and untrustworthy people, especially Tom Robinson. The people of Maycomb already knew that Tom wasn’t going to win the case, specifically because of his skin color. During the trial, Atticus stated that people had the mentality that “all negroes lie, that all negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women” (Lee 232). This displayed how all blacks were pictured in society. When people are stereotyped based on their race, we don’t consider their individual

Embedded in the heart of America lives racism, prejudice, and severe oppression against people who fail to fit into the norm standards of society. In the 1930s, during the Great Depression Era, these traits of life were recurrent, especially in the South. Harper Lee recognized this and wrote what would become one of the most treasured pieces in the history of literature: To Kill A Mockingbird (1960). In small town, Maycomb County, located in Alabama lives Atticus Finch and his two children Jem and Scout. Jeremy “Jem” Finch is a young boy who spends his time playing games with Scout and their friend Dill Harris. They daringly venture by the residence of Boo Radley, the town’s asylum case, who hasn’t been seen by anyone in Maycomb for

The most interesting character from the book To Kill A Mockingbird is Scout Finch because she is very smart, she is curious, and is kind of like a tomboy.

“: "Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal." This quote shows how Atticus is defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of a crime that he didn’t commit but due to the culture of the setting, Maycomb Alabama, was not receiving a fair trial because of his skin color. This quote shows Atticus not caring about his color and loving him just because of who he is and wants to defend him from what he knows is an unfair trial.

Atticus said “Simply because we were licked 100 years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win”(Page 101). He is saying that no matter the circumstance you should do what is right. Atticus says “I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness and most of all without catching Maycomb's usual disease Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up...”(Page 117). This is saying that Atticus believes that people should not be judged by skin color and that he hopes his kids don't become racist. Due to atticus believing that you should always do the right thing he should defend Tom

Describe your subject’s identity. Atticus was a quiet, strong minded person. “Atticus was a feeble man” (Lee, 115) The quote shows how quiet Atticus really was. Jem thought he wasn’t cool because he didn’t play football or didn’t shoot guns. Throughout the beginning of the book, Atticus was viewed as this nonchalant character that seemed boring.

Throughout the story, Tom Robinson is continually faced with the issue of inequality due to racism. During the trial, Mr. Ewell declares, “---I seen that black nigger yonder, ruttin’ on my Mayella!” (Lee 196). This demonstrates how people talk to blacks, they speak to them like they have no worth, almost like they are animals. In this example, Mr. Ewell seems to be assuming the worst, just like the rest of the court, mainly because Tom is black. Tom and Atticus have all the evidence that he is innocent, but it is all overlooked because of racism. This led to Tom dealing with the consequences of something he did not do, which eventually led to his death due to trying to escape prison. His death was really due to trying to escape the racism that Tom could no longer put up with. Tom

In Tom Robinson’s case, Atticus defends the accused man to the best of his ability, ignoring his skin color. Scout questions why Atticus is defending Tom Robinson and he answers with, “‘For a number of reasons,’ said Atticus. ‘The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t even represent this county in legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.’”

This young, African American man is accused of rape by Bob Ewell, but in reality he had done nothing that was inhumane or unlawful. The majority of the white community in Maycomb automatically believe that he is guilty just because he's black. In Atticus's eyes, Tom is innocent and deserves the same justice and support as whites do. In the court case, he tries to make the audience in the courthouse set aside racism by saying, "[T]he truth is that some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women—black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men" (ch. 20).

“To Maycomb, Tom's death was typical. Typical of a nigger to cut and run.” (Lee 173). Tom Robinson is the last and major case of prejudice in the novel. Near the start of the story, Harper Lee introduces Tom Robinson as a black man who’s being accused of rape. The person that’s he’s being accused of raping is Mayella, an Elwell. Since the story is based in the deep south, it’s common for there to be racism. While there’s no proof that Tom actually did rape Mayella, in the end Tom Robinson is convicted. Atticus, a white man and father to Scout and Jem, represents Tom in court. Although this goes against all beliefs at that time, he still did it because he knew it was right. The judgement that was convicted on Tom is all based on the opinion of the community then. This prejudice leads to an eventual death of Tom Robinson that nobody really cares about. Harper Lee really used Tom as a big theme in this story That racism will essentially never die unless the people want it to die.

Many people in the town, Maycomb, were very doubtful and/or despised the fact that Atticus was defending a negro. Scout one time questioned why Atticus was doing this case, and complained about the obscene children at school. Atticus explained that one day when her and Jem are older that they will understand, he said ‘“Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man’” (Lee, 104). Atticus could not live with himself if he backed down on this case simply because of Tom’s skin color. Even with neighboring people in the town pestering down his neck, Atticus really pulled through at the trial and gave that case his all because it was his

Due to a child’s curious nature, Scout questioned his father about the case. Atticus simply replied, ‘I (Atticus) couldn’t hold up my (his) head in town, I (he) couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I (he) couldn’t even tell you (Scout) or Jem not to do something again’ (page 41). Despite other people's racist opinions about his client, Atticus believed that everyone deserved a fair trial, no matter what race or gender they were. For this reason, Atticus chose to defend Tom Robinson.

“It's not who I am underneath but what I do that defines me” Christian Bale. It doesn't matter what whether you’re black, white, male, or female it is your actions that define you. To most people of Maycomb it doesn't matter of your race, if you were black you were considered immoral, liars untrustworthy. Atticus had to defend his client (Tom Robinson) from these same judgments that were plaguing the black community. Atticus tried his hardest, but in the end it didn't matter. The jury didn't judge Tom on the facts that were given, nor did they judge Tom on his character, but they judged him on the sole fact that he was a black man.