To Kill A Mockingbird : Character Analysis

Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.”

It is rare to find a courageous and sympathetic person who is willing to stand against social injustice. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus represents this rare hero. He is a lawyer and a single parent to his kids Jem and Scout. He understands that society should not be black and white and helps those who are mistreated. Not only does Atticus demonstrate acts of courage and empathy, he is also an excellent role model to his children. Atticus represents the qualities of a true hero by exposing injustice, and through courageous and sympathetic activities, teaching his children moral values.

When Confronted by Bod Ewell Atticus remained silent, while he allowed Bod Ewell to call him all sorts of names that one would not ever wish to repeat. When Atticus was later asked by his son Jem, why he allowed Bod Ewell to say the things he did without reacting or striking back. Atticus remained Jem that Bod Ewell was a prideful man and then he had to get his revenge out on someone, then he responded with these words, “He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there.” This is just a beautiful example of Atticus’s self-sacrificing nature, as he remained silent and took on the wrath of an angry man so that Bod Ewell’s children would be spared from their father rage. Therefore, it is clearly evident through his actions seen in To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is unarguably a self-sacrificing individual.

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

Imagine you are a lawyer tasked with an impossible case, and everybody in your community is against you, but still there is a shred of hope you cling to. What might that be you ask? That to which you cling are your morals. In To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch had been given the Tom Robinson case, where a black man was convicted of raping a white woman. As a single father of two children, he continues to reinforce his values throughout the trial and during his daunting task of raising his children. In To Kill A Mockingbird what Harper Lee suggests about the nature of morals is that you should try to stand up for what you believe in even if people oppose or reject your ideals. Even when faced with an insurmountable opposition you should stand up for your morals because in the end if your don't follow your beliefs you are just contributing to the problem. We should try to create a voice for what we believe in and impress that upon the next generation so they can continue to exercise their beliefs to make the world a better place.

In life, humans are the only living things that can possess the ability to have courage, but we do not find it in every individual. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, Maycomb's definition is racism and prejudice, and characters need to overcome this with courage. Out of all of Maycomb, the most courageous individuals lies inside the Finch household, Scout for standing up for herself and others, Jem in his attempt to protect his family for which he loves very much, and Atticus for doing what he believes is right and not what others tell him is right.

Atticus showed courage and to created and positive a change in their society when he was willing to stand up for Tom Robinson. He was willing to stand up for Tom because he wanted to show truth and that what they were doing was wrong. Atticus was a man of his word and was well respected in Maycomb and he was willing to give that up to bring justice and to prove that Tom Robinson was an innocent african american who just wanted is to be with his family. He told scout “you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change…it’s a good one, even if it does resist learning."(Atticus chapter 11)Atticus should that he knows what is coming his way and told Scout that no matter what they say don’t let it get into your head because he knows what he is standing up for people

“The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.”(Moral Quotes). Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird shows strong moral character even when his decisions are unpopular. Atticus Finch is a high class lawyer who took a case to defend a black man named Tom Robinson. His society, being a racist southern town in the 1930s, judged him because of his decision to defend a black man. Atticus can be compared to both Aunt Alexandra and Dollfus Raymond to represent that although, some people fall to the pressures of society and ignore their morality others can rise above it and act on that morality. Harper Lee utilizes the character of Atticus to illustrate that despite

In Harper Lee’s renowned novel To Kill a Mockingbird, a number of social contradictions are made. Arguably the most notable of which being Atticus Finch’s strength of character. Throughout the history of American society and still today, seeing someone with a strong character is a rare and refreshing experience. People will often alter their views and beliefs in conversation in order to avoid ridicule from their peers. However, it’s easy to see that Atticus stands by his beliefs regardless of the situation.

Throughout the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a role model for every man, woman, and child in Maycomb. He has a code of morals that demonstrates he is not only a good role model, but also saint-like in his selfless pursuit of righteousness. One of Atticus’s most famous lines is, "before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself(104).”This idea of a high level of self-accountability surfaces in various aspects of Atticus’s life. At home, Atticus demonstrates his just methods of parenting and his utmost patience with his children. In the courtroom, Atticus neither raises his voice nor offends anyone while defending or prosecuting.

Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee explores the concept of moral courage through the character Atticus who gives us the model of an honest, brave, calm man. There are many ways Atticus shows honesty throughout the novel. First, most people in Maycomb county act like different people in and out of their house, but as Mrs. Maudie says, Atticus acts the same inside and out of his house. This

Atticus stands up for what he believes in. His opinion is altered in no way by anyone else's opinion. For example in chapter nine Atticus is telling Scout, “If i didnt, I couldn't hold my head up in town, I couldn't represent this county in this legislature” (100). This shows that he cares not only about his opinion but he seeks to change other peoples opinion within the town of Maycomb, this is why he is such a great role model to the individuals that surround his life.

He prevents a great injustice from being done by preventing Robinson from being lynched even though he places himself and subsequently his children in jeopardy. This indicated that Atticus chooses to do what his moral integrity bids him to do regardless of possible consequences. Harper Lee portrays Atticus as a man who has a deceptively simple set of beliefs and values. Mostly, he can be represented by his simple phrase, “I do my best to love everybody” (112). Unlike those in his community who are racist and obsessed with class and social position, Atticus views everyone as an individual.

For Atticus to take the case of Tom Robinson, was for him to side with coloured folk. It was to stand up against racism in the town and be willing to risk his own safety and reputation along with the safety and reputation of his children. Furthermore, Atticus shows great courage when he goes out late at night to the jail to ensure that nothing happened to Tom Robinson on the night before the trial. Atticus had suspected that the people of Maycomb may take justice into their own hands before Tom had a chance at a fair trial. As he waited outside the jail, a number of cars began arriving... Although not everyone in the story sees Atticus as a heroic figure. At numerous stages Scout sees Atticus as a feeble, old man. For example, when the rabid dog was staggering up the road, Scout couldn’t believe that Atticus could be the one to shoot the dog. Similarly, Bob Ewell thought that Atticus was a coward for defending a ‘N*****’. To stand up for coloured folks, according to Ewell, was to betray the unwritten code that held the people of Maycomb county together. So, whilst not every character viewed Atticus’ actions as heroic, Atticus always had justified reasons acting in ways that cost him greatly as he tried to serve others.

In Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Mayella Ewell, a young woman as well as the daughter of Bob Ewell, lives a life of insolence and isolation in the town of Maycomb. As a Ewell, which they are familiarized as being vulgar, uneducated, and indigent, Mayella is disrespected by the people of Maycomb as well as by her father. During the court case, Atticus shows courtesy towards Mayella by addressing her as a miss and a ma’am, which is not surprising for his values of equality. Mistaking his manners with sarcasm, she replies with, “Won’t answer a word you say as long as you keep mockin’ me” (pg.181). Harper Lee is demonstrating the amount of disregard Mayella faces in her life, so much that courtesy can’t be identified as just that. Mayella finds that Atticus is ridiculing her for what she doesn’t have, respect from others. With a reputation such as Mayella’s, people treat her like an outcast. Her lonely life can be a reason to explain why she always asked for Tom Robinson’s company, she wanted to experience friendship and perhaps love for the first time. Her loneliness was so clear to see, even Scout, who still has their childhood-innocent mind, can see through it. Scout compares Mr.Dolphus Raymond’s “mixed children” to Mayella because they both don’t know where to stand in their social class, “white people wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negroes wouldn’t have anything to do with her