Examples Of Atticus Being Afraid To Stand Up For What's Right

Throughout compositions of literature, it is usually natural for characters to stand up for their beliefs or to stand ground when their beliefs are being challenged. Like in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. One of the protagonists, Atticus, stands up for Tom Robinson a black man who was accused of raping a white woman. Atticus knows that Tom will not receive a fair trial because of the extreme prejudice of Maycomb Country. Atticus believes that every person despite their differences deserve equality. Also, he admits he cannot win the trial but must do what is right despite the probable outcome.It is not only because he wants to do what is right, he also wants his children to see him do what is right.

It took an unimaginable amount of courage for Atticus to take the Tom Robinson case knowing he and his children would be harassed by all the other townspeople. For instance, when “My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an' that nigger oughta hang from the water tank” (105). Also, Atticus knew he had a very low chance of succeeding in winning the case, but he took it anyways. He knows the town will think differently about him solely because he is defending a black man. He also knows that his children will be shown a lot of hatred. Even knowing this, Atticus takes the case and tries his best. Not only did he know he would take hatred, he also knew he would lose. But, he knew this case would define who he was “every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally”(96). While talking to the Judge he knows that he will most likely not win, but that does not change his mind. He knows just because Tom Robinson is black that he will not win. The Jury will see the white man who claims his white daughter was raped and believe him with no doubt. No matter what Atticus says to try to change the jury’s mind, he knows he can only try his best. To summarize, Atticus shows courage knowing not only that the town would hate him, but also that he would lose the

To Kill A Mockingbird’s main part would is the court case that Atticus is appointed to. When Atticus gets the Tom Robinson case, the town immediately starts to talk about him defending a colored man. Throughout all of the gossip, Atticus still goes through with defending Tom while on trial. He shows his bravery even though he knows he will be ridiculed for it. Bob Ewell was on the opposing side and was very upset at this news, so he threatened Atticus that he would “get him”. Atticus simply ignored Bob, which was brave of him. If he kept ignoring the threats Bob would just keep threatening him, but if he was scared of the threats then he would seem like a coward. Throughout all of this drama, Atticus is also

Harper Lee uses Atticus and Mrs. Dubose to communicate her theme that in order to be truly courageous people must follow what they genuinely believe is right.

In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, a character by the name of Atticus Finch explains to his child “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.” (128). Atticus is teaching his son an important lesson about courage, while using his own to take on a seemingly impossible task.

Atticus has moral courage when he defends Tom Robinson. Even though people critisize his choice, like when Mrs. Debose says “‘Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers”’ (Lee 101), Atticus perseveres and defends Tom as well as he would defend a white person. The lionhearted Atticus is willing to defend a black guy, who will likely lose the case, in order to uphold his morals. He also risks his physical health to go protect Tom Robinson at the jailhouse at night. He stands up to an armed mob whose intention is made clear when one guy says, “‘You know what we want… Get aside from the door, Mr. Finch”’ (Lee 151), to which Atticus synonym for courageously replies “‘You can turn around and go on home”” (Lee 151). Atticus puts himsels in mortal peril in order to save Tom Robinson which is remarkably audacious. Despite being an older father, Atticus Finch is by far the bravest character in the book To Kill a Mockingbird.

Moreover, every other character in the story can be said to have courage, especially Atticus. The book revolves around Atticus and how he has no fear to defend a black man. Atticus is a lawyer that always had justice and never accepts injustice. He defends a black man named “Tom Robinson” who is accused of rapping a white girl whose own father had infact raped. “I’m simply defending a negro his name’s Tom Robinson” “The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again” (Lee,100). These quotes show that Atticus is not afraid and is brave enough to hold his head up in town even if he defended Tom, an inferior in their society. It also shows how well educated and mature he is that he even connects his job to his kids and he always tries to be good to be the best in his kids’ eyes. He wanted his kids to get along with other people and for them to learn courage from them like Mrs. Dubose, for example.

Everyone hates Atticus. I shouldn’t really say everyone, there are very few people that actually like him because he’s sticking up for a black man. Tom is the man that Atticus is sticking up for. “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till the truth’s told… and you know what the truth is.” (page 146). This quote is saying that Atticus is sticking up for Tom and is going to until the end even though he already knows that it’s most likely going to be the death sentence for Tom. “The main one is if I didn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (page 75). Atticus is saying that he needs to hold his head high and never give up on Tom because he knows Tom’s innocence and why wouldn’t you stick up for what’s

Atticus's strong sense of morality and justice motivates him to defend Tom Robinson with determination, giving it all he has. He shows this when he says, "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try and win." (pg.82). He says this to Scout after she comes home from school angry at Cecil Jacobs for making fun of Atticus in the schoolyard. Atticus tells her to fight with her head instead of her fists. He wants the people of Maycomb to hear the truth about Tom, "That boy may go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told." (pg.159). Atticus is putting everything a man holds dear, dignity, respect, honor and status, on the line to protect Tom. He later shows more bravery when he goes to the jailhouse to

He does not back down at the sight of a loss, and defends Tom Robinson to the best of his ability, even though in this town, a black man has never won against a white man in the court of law. He speaks the truth with courage, and genuinely walks through life. The readers see the example of Christ in his actions. How Atticus humbles himself by protecting the person no one likes, and how he willingly bore the punishment of him and his family scoffed and mocked. Atticus not only did not kill the mocking bird, but he defended the mocking bird of Tom Robinson. When he knew he would lose, he still did his best to advocate for Tom. To win, or to lose, Atticus's perseverance resounds in many

Atticus Finch is remarkably courageous throughout the novel. Atticus does not retaliate when Bob Ewell spits in his face, goes to Tom’s cell knowing there would be a mob, and does his best in court to exonerate Tom. Firstly, Atticus does not retaliate when Bob Ewell spits in his face. Atticus says “ ‘...if spitting in my face saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take’ ” (Lee 218). Atticus is being disrespected in one of the worst ways by a man he could destroy, but knows that he was helping a victim of abuse, Mayella, so he does not make things worse by retaliating. Secondly, Atticus knows there is a mob coming, but nevertheless goes to Tom Robinson’s cell to defend him. Atticus knows the possibly dangerous mob is coming, with Scout observing “He seemed to be expecting them” (150). However, Atticus recognizes that he is Tom’s only hope, and utilizes his immense courage to face the mob. Thirdly, Atticus does his best to defend Tom in court. As Scout tells us, “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (241). Atticus knows from the beginning he has next to no chance to win the trial, but still tries for Tom’s sake, for the other black people in the community, and for the chance he could appeal it and change laws for the good of African Americans. Atticus is an amazing example of courage in the face of adversity for his actions in To Kill A Mockingbird.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, one of Atticus Finch’s most significant qualities, courage, impacts the story. Throughout the book, Harper Lee portrays courage as doing something out of your comfort zone, for the greater good or a good cause. The first example shows how Atticus’s quality of courage impacts the story. Atticus is sitting in front of the jail cell where Tom Robinson, the African-American man he is defending, is being kept. When Mr. Cunningham and the rest of his followers confront Atticus, he stays strong, keeps his ground and doesn’t let anything happen to Tom. The interaction starts with Mr. Cunningham approaching Atticus, “He in there, Mr. Finch? He is, and he’s asleep. Don’t wake him up. In obedience to my father. There followed what I later realized was a sickeningly comic aspect of an unfunny situation: the men talked in near-whispers. You know what we want. Get Aside from the door, Mr. Finch. You can turn around and go home, Walter. Heck Tate’s around somewhere.”(171-172) Atticus stops Mr. Cunningham and his men from harming Tom before his trial. It took courage to stand up to men who are usually cordial with him resulting in Tom not being killed and allowing the trial to continue. In the second example, it shows how Atticus’s actions reflect what how Harper Lee believes courage looks like in everybody. Atticus is brought to a tough decision in whether or whether not to defend Tom Robinson. When Scout asks him about the case and why he decided

Atticus was like a wise owl, he continuously strived to teach his children the way he taught himself how to deal with daily conflicts in life. When the father of the girl who was raped spit in Atticus’ face, he said that he would take getting spit in the face as many times as it saves the girl from getting beaten by her father. Another scenario, is that when men rioted at the jail the night before they moved Tom, he said although they were mad they were still good people. Atticus symbolized a hero; he always wanted to give everyone else the benefit of the doubt. He always looked for the good in everything.

A significant representation of courage is seen within Atticus.  Within To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus speaks of the Tom Robinson trial as a trial all lawyers fear.  He must face a court case that will have a profound personal effect upon himself and his family.  Atticus summons the courage to recognize that there is a need for justice and that it is his duty to achieve this.  Maycomb is a town tainted with stereotypes and racism.  Atticus has the courage to overcome the fear of other peoples' dislike.  He must face the fear of straining the lives of his two young children and family name.  The courage Atticus embodies stems from his "satisfactory" character.  Atticus is righteous and unable to turn his back on those who truly rely upon his ability to show empathy.  He overcomes the heartless comments of those around them, to see the necessity of his involvement.

Atticus shows true courage by trying every way to help others who were in the need of it. First of all, it is courageous of Atticus to take the Tom Robinson case. Even his own family disagreed of taking the case because of the bias. He takes many risks when taking the Tom Robinson case. He risks the chance of critization by the people that live in the Maycomb County. Mrs. Dubose criticizes him when she said, “Atticus is a Nigger lover!’’ (100). With many prejudice people living in Maycomb County Atticus also risks the chance of not being re-elected for legislature. Secondly, it is