The Most Conspicuous Form Of Discrimination

Atticus’ fairness also shows he is a good father because he believes that everyone deserves a chance to be understood and all have reasons for their actions. For example, after revealing the news to Jem and Scout of Tom’s death, he says, “Depends on how you look at it. What was one Negro, more or less, among two hundred of ‘em? He wasn’t Tom to them, he was an escaping prisoner” (Lee 235). This passage shows Atticus's fairness because he always tries to put himself in other people’s shoes in order to give everyone a chance at being understood, as he teaches Jem and Scout to do. He gave up his respectable reputation among many of the whites in Maycomb to defend Tom Robinson, and still speaks highly of the men who killed him. When he says this, he is trying to make the children see that the men who killed Tom did not know him as a person, but as a Negro who committed a crime, so cannot be discriminated upon for doing their job. Along with Atticus’ sense of fairness, his Teaching also characterizes him as a good father to Jem and Scout.

Atticus Finch demonstrates his words of, "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," throughout the novel. For example, Mrs. Dubose always speaks poorly of Atticus and all the decisions Atticus decides to make. However, Atticus is always looking for ways to excuse her poor behavior and even goes as far as making Jem read to her and complimenting her every time he sees her. This does not stop Mrs. Dubose from deteriorating Atticus's reputation and character until her death. Atticus also uses the Golden Rule when he decides to help the case of Tom Robinson, an American African accused of rape. Atticus treats Tom Robinson how he would want to be treated. Atticus knows he is going to lose th case due to the extensive amounts of racism in the county. However, this does not stop him from trying his best for Tom Robinson, as he would want others to do for him if he was

When asked why Atticus was defending Tom Robinson he said “I couldn't hold up my head in town........ I couldn’t even tell you (Scout) or Jem not to do something again.” (78) Atticus cares very much about being a role model to his children so much, he took up a case because he wants to be a good role model and lead by a good example.

Atticus teaches his children to not discriminate and to treat everyone politely which proves him to be a good parent. Along with Atticus’confession towards racist white men, he also shows more compassion. After what seems to be a rigged final decision about the Tom Robinson case, Atticus opens up about his opinion on the treatment of colored people in the courtroom. Going against the social norms at the time, Atticus communicates honestly to his children that "The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow” meaning that people should stop taking grudges to the courtroom and make the honest and ethical decision (Lee 252). Atticus is telling his children that taking hatred to the court is unlawful and prejudice.

The only people’s opinions Atticus cares about are his children. Atticus is aware of the corruption in Maycomb and the country because of racism. Throughout the novel, Atticus tries to display to his children that “‘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’” (112). Atticus wants his children to know that courage is standing up for what you believe in, even if you know you will lose from the start. During the novel, Atticus goes through life thinking through every action. He is aware that the townspeople and his children think highly of him and that he must do what he believes is moral. Not only does Atticus think through his actions, but he takes full credit for them. He never backs down on something he has previously said. Instead, he takes charge of his words, unlike other characters in the book like Mr.Ewell and Mayella Ewell. Also, Atticus shows integrity by defending Tom Robinson to the best of his ability. Unlike most racist Maycomb citizens, Atticus is able to ignore that fact that Tom is African American and instead see him as the person he is inside. When Judge Taylor appointed Atticus for the case, he knew that Atticus would do a good job representing Tom. Judge Taylor realizes that Tom needs a person who will be fair and open minded, and that person ended up being Atticus. Atticus

Atticus teaches his children indirectly how to handle situations about racism to others and name calling. He teaches them through his actions and by talking to them after situations happened. Atticus wants his children to be different and not treat others differently because of their race especially because of the time they were in. The Jim Crow Laws were laws that discriminated blacks. Since Atticus decided to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, Jem and Scout had many encounters with people in their town. Atticus was called a nigger-lover by Scout and Jem cousin.She knew the term nigger-lover wasn't a nice term and this wasn't the first time somebody called Atticus this name Scout got really mad and handled the situation in the wrong way.She got in trouble by her uncle and eventually told Atticus what really happened. This is what Atticus had to say to

“All men are created equal”, one of the most ignored statements that our founding fathers wrote in the Constitution. People exercise prejudice everywhere in the U.S. Prejudice is a topic that is constantly revisited in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Her novel focuses on Scout, the daughter of Atticus Finch, living her life in the 1930s of rural Maycomb, Alabama. Scout witnesses the injustice and prejudice against many people, not only Negroes. The heat of prejudice rises when Atticus decides to defend Tom Robinson, a black who is going under trial for allegedly raping a white girl. Despite the clear evidence that Robinson is innocent,

When Atticus is questioned by Scout about his new case, Atticus replies,”I’m simply defending a Negro—his name’s Tom Robinson.” (Lee 100). To begin with, Atticus simply tells Scout that defending an African American is not a big deal despite how the town chooses to react. He is trying to show Scout that he does not care if the people of Maycomb are slandering him, but he believes that taking a huge risk such as defending Tom Robinson is worth taking if its to save someone. Furthermore, as the two children plan to practice shooting, Atticus advises them, “Shoot all the Bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird.” (Lee 119). It is metaphorically symbolized that Tom Robinson is a Mockingbird. His sentence was death, even though Tom never did anything to harm anyone. The fact that he was black made sure he was convicted of a crime. Tom Robinson was a symbol of innocence who was falsely accused. Atticus’ decision clearly confirms that he is standing up for his

This conversation with Scout further defines Atticus’ character. When he says this, he is actually saying that his whole life he has done what is right and just. Deep down he knows that defending this Tom Robinson is the right thing to do, despite the racist views of the Maycomb community. Since Atticus lives a life doing what is right, he wouldn’t feel comfortable denying Tom Robinson his chance to be proven innocent. If he didn’t give Tom that chance it would go against his principles, knowing that the country didn't care about the justice of others just because blacks are ‘lower’ than whites. Atticus is teaching his daughter,Scout, a lesson explaining to her that before listening to other people, first you must listen to yourself. Atticus is against the society that wishes Tom Robinson to be found guilty while he is actually innocent. Since Atticus lives with integrity, believing in good and doing what is right, he must defend Tom, knowing full well that Tom is innocent. Atticus is trying to explain that since both Jem and Scout are still young they won’t understand why he is defending Tom

He then holds them responsible for what they do and say. Although his ways are different than the societal standards, Atticus’s involvement with his children is effective for discipline. He does not always discipline them in the same manner, but does so in ways fitting to the circumstances. Atticus chooses particular words to express exactly what his children need to hear in order to mend their ways. Often, he simply expresses his disappointment. Sometimes, he uses firm reprimanding. Once, we see Atticus use his keen intellect, employing what Scout calls “the oldest lawyer’s trick on record” (50) so that Jem admits to “putting [Mr. Radley’s] life’s history on display for the edification of the neighborhood” (49), as Atticus describes it. Scout’s father teaches by example countless times when he reminds her that “it ain’t time to worry yet” (70), even when a fire threatens to sweep away all of their belongings. In addition to his honest discussions with Scout and Jem, Atticus gives them many profound lessons through his intentional interactions with others.

Atticus was telling Scout about defending Tom Robinson and that a lot of people in town are against it. They believe that Tom is guilty because of who he is. “‘If you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, then why are you doin’ it?’... ‘... 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 and Jem not to do something.’” (page 75).

Atticus is the town’s most respected lawyer. He is not wealthy, but he is well off in the community and is very kind towards everyone. As a single parent, he faces the world, raising his two children with his maid, Calpurnia, who experiences better conditions and responsibilities than other African Americans of her time, due to Atticus’ beliefs. He has a reputation for being an open-minded, fair man, and a unique personality that is overflowing with honesty. He has been assigned a case of defending a black man who is apparently accused of rape. Now Atticus is both loved and unloved by the townspeople. Since they live in the South during the 1930’s, Atticus gives a lot of advice to his children, Scout and Jem. Atticus tells Scout and Jem that they should not say anything about a person especially when they do not know that person. Atticus describes what he means in a quote “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around it”(Lee 39). Atticus defends a black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a girl. Atticus has the confidence and the courage to defend Tom and prove that he is innocent. Scout does not believe that her father is nice enough or has the courage to defend Tom. Atticus proves that

sometimes we have to make the best of things, and the way we conduct ourselves when the chips are down – well, all I can say is, when you and Jem are grown, maybe you'll look back on this with some compassion and feeling that I didn't let you down” (Lee 139), he wants to teach her that forgiveness is the best form of love.  Atticus doesn't lose his faith in the human capacity for goodness. He uses the situation as an opportunity to teach Scout to appreciate the good qualities and understand the bad qualities. Atticus believes in the goodness of Tom and want Scout to learn from the racist trial and be optimistic about life. Atticus believes,  “... our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal” (Lee 269).

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the people of Maycomb display the deep-rooted thinking that the worth of a person is determined by the color of their skin. Racial discrimination pervades the thinking of the people so that instead of judging the character of an individual, they judge by skin color. Instead of seeing right or wrong, they see black or white, creating an environment where injustice, suspicion, and hatred rules the actions of the citizens as a whole. Throughout the story, the theme of racism appears in the degrading way the white citizens talk about the black people, in the segregation of the town by color, and especially in the treatment of Tom Robinson in the courtroom.

Atticus believes in doing what's right no matter what. When Jem had cut Mrs Dubose’s bushes down he wanted Jem to go read to Mrs.Dubose and do what's right. “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win. This shows how Atticus wants to do what's right no matter what. He had defended Tom Robinson without even thinking about his race, He didnt care what the town people said and he wanted to make the case right. Even if they had loss the case Atticus still