Is Atticus Finch Honorable

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee presents Atticus Finch as a principled lawyer, committed but single father to Scout and Jem, and a law-abiding citizen. Atticus is a respectable gentleman in society and a role model for his children. Throughout the book we see evidence of his honorable intentions, though he doesn’t seem to reap the rewards. He is morally upstanding, even-keeled, and daring. Because of these things, Atticus is a man who deserves great respect and admiration.

“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

Our world suffers with many issues such as racism, sexism, hate and prejudice, and society needs people that are strong enough to take a stand. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, courage is displayed in several different forms, especially through three courageous characters. Lee introduces the concept of honorable courage through Mrs. Dubose, a woman who demonstrates that real courage comes from within. Another brave character in the novel is Tom Robinson. He shows everyone how difficult it is for a black man to be both honest and kind no matter the situation. The most courageous person would be Atticus Finch. Atticus is an important character that fits into his own definition of what "real courage" is and demonstrates it in numerous ways throughout the novel, as he goes against most people’s beliefs in order to do what he believes is morally right. Through these three brave characters, Lee tries to reshape people's stereotypical view of courage.

“Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” Atticus Finch. This quote is proved to be true in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee as it demonstrates the true definition of courage. The book takes you along the journey of young girl, Scout Finch, during a time where colored people are thought less of. She experiences this first hand as her father, Atticus Finch, has been assigned to defend a colored man who has been accused of raping a white female. Scout along with her elder brother Jem, learn the definition of courage through some of the characters and how they act to the events that occur before and after the trial. In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, many characters are great examples of trusting yourself when all odds are stacked against you. Throughout the novel the characters that display courage are Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.

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 is one of the characters who proves that courage is about thinking long and hard about what's right instead of relying on personal prejudice or gut reaction, and then doing what's right whether you win or lose. 2Throughout the whole case Atticus supported Tom Robinson; he went against the whole town just to help an innocent man. 3Atticus did everything he could do to defend Tom Robinson, but when he failed it really hurts him. When Aunt Alexandra told Atticus that he would ruin the family name, he still refused to change his mind. Throughout the whole novel Atticus still fought for what he believed in. Atticus told Jem that "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it-whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash" (page 233). Atticus stood up to Aunt

The goal that Atticus is striving for is to get the white, male jurors to do the right thing. This is a hard task he has set for himself because as a good Jim Crow liberal he dare not challenge the foundations of their privilege. So instead Atticus does what lawyers for black men did in those days. He encourages the jurors to swap one of prejudice that of race for another prejudice, social. (Harvard Law Review, web)

Also to use your words to show courage. He also says that no one knows what another person thinks or feels until you see things from their point of view such as stepping into someone’s shoes or skin to truly see and feel what they do. Another thing Atticus tells Jem is "There's a lot of ugly things in this world, son. I wish I could keep 'em all away from you. That's never possible."(chp. 13) I think this is a good quote because it is the truth and it takes courage to tell and teach your children that the world isn’t perfect, and its not just good things all the time. He teaches his children to respect themselves and others because it will get you far in life and you will be more successful. One example he uses to tell them is when Mrs. Dubose is going to die because she stopped taking her medication to break her addiction, but fails because it controlled her body. When this happens Atticus says "Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing 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."(pg 149) I use this quote again because I think it is an excellent quote because it shows that Mrs. Dubose knew that she wouldn’t survive without her medication but that didn’t stop her from trying to do without it and that is true courage.

Atticus Finch is an honorable man because of his bravery. Any time he may be scared on the inside he never lets it show through his brave face. The was a time in the novel when a rabid dog was on the loose. Atticus was brave enough to go out there and shoot the dog. On page 127 the author states, “Mr. Tate almost threw the rifle at Atticus. ‘ I’d feel mighty comfortable

G.K Chesterton quotes, “I say that a man must be certain of his morality for a simple reason that he has to suffer for it.” Harper Lee’s novel To Kill Mockingbird tells the story of a character who makes moral and ethical decisions while facing many problems. Atticus Finch is a man of unshakable morals. This is demonstrated through him teaching his children morals and him fighting for what is right.

Courage, Atticus Finch is what comes to mid after I read the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Atticus Finch is a father of two and an only father, he lives in the small county of Maycomb. After reading this book, Atticus seems like the most courageous character in the book, he does many very courageous acts such as defending a black man just out of kindness and courage. Atticus Finch, Atticus is a very brave and courageous man.

Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus shows bravery, intelligence, and respect to everybody. Atticus demonstrates emotional and physical bravery in many ways during the To Kill a Mockingbird. In the beginning of the book, Atticus “defines” bravery and gives an example to his kids.

Hatred, ignorance, immorality, these traits run rampant in any common society, however it takes a specific type of person to elevate some of this animosity. This person must possess high moral standards as well as integrity and inner strength. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird we see many different moral codes, some proved decent but most were abhorrent. The patriarch of the Finch family, Mr. Atticus represents morality and reason in Maycomb and embodies the idyllic model for all he meets. This ranges from the way he teaches his children to the way he converses with the other towns people. Atticus Finch is a truly moral character because of his compassion, understanding and wisdom.

Although Atticus is placed in a very difficult situation where he is made fun of, Atticus proves to be courageous through sticking to his beliefs and not caring about what others think in Harper Lee’s Novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. While Scout does not completely understand what her father is going through, she questions Atticus about defending Tom Robinson. Atticus, being the well-mannered man that he is, explains to Scout that if he did not defend Tom he “couldn’t hold [his] head in town” (Lee 100). The defending of Tom highlights that Atticus is a man of morals, and Atticus does not care about what others have to say as long as he is doing the right thing. After a long day of school Scout comes home telling Atticus of