Deceiving Appearances In To Kill A Mockingbird

people and see things from their point of view. Scout learns and understands this lesson firsthand

Furthermore, as Atticus is seen as a role model he is challenged by Scout. Atticus is challenged as Scout is determined to find out if he is a good father who doesn’t only do things for the well-being of Maycomb County, but also does things for her by being an ideal father. At times, this has an effect on both Atticus and Scout, as Atticus starts being honest with his daughter. This honesty also leads to Scout having faith and trust in her father. The qualities and characteristics that Atticus and Scout have, enhances’ the relationship between them as they both learn that they need each other’s support to overcome difficulties and hardships.

Halfway through the novel, Scout encounters complications when she visits her relatives at Christmas and becomes entangled in a fistfight with her cousin over Atticus defending Tom Robinson. This is where Scout gets the first inklings of the idea that she, Atticus and Jem, do not belong with the social standards that the rest of the family follows. Further obstacles arise when Aunt Alexandra starts living with the Finch’s. Aunt Alexandra, more of a hassle than a help to Scout, attempts to bring her up to be a ‘proper young lady’, much to Scout’s displeasure. Scout does not feel as though she belongs to the societal standard of growing up to become a lady. The Finch’s family life is then juxtaposed with the life of the black population of the town. The black community has a lower social class than the white

We know stereotypes exist, because we control how people view us. However, we often create false images of ourselves in order to avoid prejudice. In Harper Lee’s Novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is a lawyer and father to Jem and Scout, who are ages six and nine in the beginning of the story and end at ages nine and twelve. The story is all based around this small family and their town Maycomb dealing with a rape case with a black male and a white female. Throughout this Novel many characters put up a front to hide who they truly are so that they’ll be judged on that rather than what they really are. We see this on a daily basis with people whom put on a smile everyday, but we also see this with Mrs. Dubose, Tom Robinson, and Mr. Dolphus Raymond when he hides behind his “alcohol” so that it gives the public a reason for his lifestyle.

In Maycomb County, Atticus Finch is not protected from social and legal codes, the town of Maycomb and close family of Atticus treat him with poor respect because of his choice to defend a black man. Atticus is thought for bringing disgrace to his family by the other white residents of Maycomb for protecting and supporting Tom Robinson. Sheriff Tate warns Atticus that there were men who were angry about Atticus representing Tom. To extend, Scout experiences a lynch mob ( a band of people who want to

Rickey Williams says, “I don’t think people change. I think the essence of what I am today is the same as when I was five years old. It’s just maturity.” (Ricky, Williams). In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the characters face many challenges in their society and experience lessons that made them different, than from the beginning of the book. Atticus, the father of Scout and Jem, is a lawyer in Maycomb County during the 1930’s. Atticus is given a special case where he has to defend a black man, which creates many problems for him and his family against their town, dealing with racism. In the novel Atticus, Scout, and Jem are all wise people that symbolize a mockingbird.

Atticus Finch, the father of Scout and Jem and a lawyer in Maycomb, is a compelling character in To Kill a Mockingbird. He catches the eye of many readers because of his honesty, courage, and his ability to be a outstanding father. We witness these qualities when Atticus defends Tom Robinson, helps his children grow, and the way he conducts himself with the angry white folks of Maycomb, AL. Atticus Finch is one of the main characters in this book portraying a role of a lawyer defending a black man, in a small-town with a majority of white supremacists. This essay will provide examples of the previous three traits to display how Atticus is a compelling character.

In Maycomb County, the residents live in a world of racism and injustice, so much so that even young children are affected by the results. Through standing with Atticus and his decisions, Scout undergoes constant indirect racism when her cousin says, “I guess it ain’t your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I’m here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family-” (Lee, pg. 94). Even with family, Scout begins to understand that not everyone shares her close family’s views, and that she may even be discriminated against for protecting her and her father’s beliefs. To add, Atticus always stands his ground, though the things and the people he defends cannot always win, such as when his only evidence is “a black man’s word against the Ewells’” (Lee, pg. 100 ). Atticus can believe in someone regardless of their skin color, yet the majority of his town is filled with racists who won’t believe him, even with

Although the people of Maycomb view Dolphus Raymond as a disgraceful man, Scout learns that his true personality does not match what others think of him. Once she discovers that Mr. Raymond actually drinks coke, she asks why he still pretends to be intoxicated, and he replies by saying, “it’s mighty helpful to folks. Secretly, [...] I’m not much of a drinker, but [..] they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live” (268). Through fathoming the reality of Dolphus Raymond, Scout learns that there is more to a person than what meets the eye. She is enlightened of the fact that Maycomb’s citizens are not like Atticus. They “could never, never understand that” Mr. Raymond wants to live among the coloured people. Due to their inability to “really understand a person”, a man who is “not much of a drinker” must allow “folks” to think that his behaviour is due to being intoxicated. Scout’s conversation with Dolphus Raymond furthers her comprehension of empathy and leads her to learn that it is important to understand everyone, even those who are seen as sinful by society. Scout is also capable of instructing others to be empathetic, such as Uncle Jack. After being punished by Jack for fighting with Francis, Scout says, “you don’t understand children [...] you never stopped to gimme a chance

Atticus Finch tries to defend Tom, but in doing so, Atticus becomes a victim of prejudice. People in Maycomb lose respect for Atticus because he is defending a black man. In Maycomb, it was imbecilic to defend a black man against a white. Atticus is also gossiped about, by Mrs. Merriweather. “I tell u there are some misguided people in this town…folks who thinks they’re doing right…not for me to say who…but all they did was stir ’em up (Lee, 232). ”

In Life, there are many important stages, though few are as demanding or rewarding as parenthood. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, the character Atticus Finch provides a sterling example of how to raise children in a modest fashion, instilling in them creditable and upright values to live by. One such child in the book is Scout Finch, the feisty main character who is the daughter of Atticus Finch. Growing up in the small town of Maycomb in the Southern state of Alabama, Scout has had to deal with racial issues as a component of her upbringing. Fortunately, she had her family and friends to help her through the crucial life stage of childhood.

" To which he replies, " 'don't say [ni--ers] Scout. It isn't polite" (Lee 122). Although Scout realizes that Atticus has indirectly answered her question, she is still undecided as to whether or not she should subscribe to Maycomb's intolerance, since she is still quite impressionable, and contests Atticus's decisions. Furthermore, her impressionability, apart from its derivation from her gender, undoubtedly forces Scout and her generation to become the key towards social change, and right the wrong that injustice imposes upon various individuals. Scout's age and gender encumber her ability to form her own opinions throughout the novel. Yet, Atticus conveys the importance of morality and equality by demonstrating a level of acceptance towards his client and his client's ethnicity. It is not that Scout underestimates her father, but rather, that she is very young, perhaps too young, to understand his motive and the prejudice that is attached to his case. Likewise, the Finch's neighbor, Arthur "Boo" Radley, serves to teach Scout the harm in discrimination during three separate summers. Although Boo is made the subject of games that involve him as a murdering maniac, he becomes, "a compelling enigma […] that also represents Scout's most personal lesson in judging others based [solely] upon surface appearance" (Felty 299). For her entire life, Scout has always

Scout Character Analysis Essay In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, understanding Scout’s genuine self and kind heart are a critical part of realizing the significance of her character. She expresses her thoughts and feelings through both her actions and words. She is never afraid to let someone know how she feels, so it is easy to pick out her character traits. She handles all of the hard times that she is faced with, with a brave and good attitude.

Along with her brother Jem, Scout learn numerous life lessons from Atticus Finch, the main character and Scout and Jem’s father. He serves as a role model for his children as he defends a black man, falsely accused of rape. Harper Lee is effective in depicting

The sentimental and thought-provoking story begins by establishing the nucleus of the film, the Finch Family, lead by the father Atticus Finch, who is the quintessential father, strong, honest, intuitive, and spoke with wisdom; whose character was consistently imparted to his children through small teachings on life as it unfolds. One such example shows Atticus hugging Scout as they swing back and forth on the front porch, He tells her, "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." In another scene after being teased at school for her father defending a Negro, Scout questions her father as to why he chose to take the case. He states that if he didn't he would be unable to "hold his head up high", or even tell his children what to do anymore. Given the standard of that day, Atticus was risking his reputation and even the safety of his children by defending a black man. These phenomenal displays of impeccable character are so rare that it causes the credibility of the role to come into question; Atticus, at times seems too stoic to be