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 To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus exhibits courage. Following the events of Jem being punished for his acts of ruining Mrs. Dubose’s plants, on page 112, Atticus tells Jem, “It’s [courage] is when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” This is foreshadowing for Atticus’s main role of defending Tom Robinson. On page 215, Miss Maudie tells Jem, “I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant …show more content…
Even though he knew Jem and Scout would find out on their own, he wants Scout to know in advance what he believes will be the outcome of the trial. Atticus knows of Scout’s presence when he is talking to his brother about how the outcome of the trial, and how the people of Maycomb will react. The last sentence of chapter 9 is Scout stating, “But I never figured out how Atticus knew I was listening, and it was not until may years later that I realized he wanted me to hear every word he said.” At the end of the book, after Bob Ewell attacks the children and is killed, Atticus believes Jem did it. Even though he wants to protect his own son, he knows the right thing to do is take it to court and tell the truth. All of these events convey
“It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.” (Mark Twain) In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee there are not many characters that show moral courage. One particular character that shows moral courage is Atticus Finch. This character always does what he believes is right. Atticus shows courage not by being aggressive or killing, but by standing up for what he believed in a sophisticated and determined way. Atticus whose moral courage is
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.
"Courage isn't an absence of fear. It's doing what you are afraid to do. It's having the power to let go of the familiar and forge ahead into new territory." ~John Maxwell. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout (Jean Louise Finch), Jem (Jeremy Atticus Finch), and Atticus Finch display acts of valor that contribute, and in some cases encourage their rectitude. Harper Lee demonstrates that acting courageously can lead to an improved, sustained, or newly developed personal integrity.
Bravery and cowardice are both significant to the overall development of To Kill a Mockingbird and the characters that it consists of. There were many brave characters in the novel that did a variety of things to display bravery and courage. Similarly there were also a couple of characters who showed cowardice in ways that would disgust readers. Mrs. Dubose Lafayette and Atticus Finch were two of the bravest characters in the book, while Mr. Bob Ewell was the biggest coward of the book.
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.
Courage is the ability to persevere with determination and bravery even when fear is present. Atticus Finch, a protagonist in To Kill Mockingbird, is a character that the most shows courage throughout the book. He exhibits courage by doing and saying what others don’t what to. He does what’s right despite others going against it or saying it’s wrong. In his town, he’s surrounded by wrong and bad morals, but still sticks to his own morals and decisions.
What does Harper Lee want us to learn about courage in his novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird”? Throughout the book, courage is demonstrated by many of the characters in different ways and in different circumstances. Atticus, a father and well-known lawyer in Maycomb, was the most courageous person in the book, and was the character that Harper Lee represented as “the heroic individual”. Atticus is courageous for taking Tom Robinson's case because in doing so he risks his families and his own safety; also, Mrs. Dubose is courageous for trying to stop her addiction to Morphine. With courage Atticus was true to his values.
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen”, Winston Churchill. Courage is shown within the characters of To Kill A Mockingbird in several situations. In this novel, the characters are willing to face danger without letting fear get in the way. The courage they present builds up their strength to continue towards their goal. Atticus, Scout and Mrs. Dubose define what courage is meant to be through the challenges they face.
Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is the story of two children coming of age and learning about their hometown and the whole world. The two children in the story are Jem and Scout Finch. Jem and Scout live with their father, Atticus, in Maycomb County. Throughout the story, many problems arise which teach both children about bravery. The three bravest characters in the novel include their neighbor Mrs. Dubose, a convicted black man named Tom Robinson, and their father Atticus.
In Harper Lee’ s To Kill a Mockingbird, The novel started as a flashback, because it’s started with the introduction of the Scout's brother, Jem tried to save the Scout to broke his arm. The characters in the novel have a brave spirit,they fight for the people they love and the people they care about. Courage comes from their responsibility, their love for their family, also their sense of justice. Scout, Jem, their father, Atticus, and Calpurnia all possess courage from a place of respect and responsibility. Atticus’s courage comes from responsibility and respect for all race and color.
Atticus Finch is a respectful man in the image of the town, but when he is brought to the court to defend a black man, Tom robinson, that picture is quickly changed. Although he is looked down upon for such an action he still acts no different than how he would for any other client and defends Tom in court. No matter
“It’s easy to stand with the crowd but it takes courage to stand alone.” When we go through life notice that courage does come in many forms. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee Atticus Finch, one of the main character in this book has to show that he has courage to the egoist people. Atticus notices that he has to show his children Scout and Jem that it takes courage to solve a few conditions. One important theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is that courage comes in many forms.
Most people fail to do what Atticus is saying. Also, people judge people on how they do things because they may do them different from others. But courage is one thing you will need, but there are many ways of having and showing courage. Overcoming obstacles in your life no matter what they may be is one way how courage is defined in this novel. Atticus wants his son to be a strong man with a power and that people can see he has courage in everything he does.
In this essay, I have chosen to write about the character Atticus Finch from the novel “To kill a mockingbird”; and why his character is important in the development of the story.