Atticus Finch, American Hero
Whether in the form of a living person or a fictional character from a book or movie, heroes are prevalent in everyone's life. The typical view of a hero is someone who fights crime or saves people from mortal peril, but the true definition of a hero is a person of distinguished courage admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch is the true definition of hero. Although he wasn't seen as a hero during the time the book took place, Atticus Finch is considered to be one of the most heroic figures in American Literature because of his courage, intelligence, and sense of what is right and what is wrong. In the novel, Atticus' courage is
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The way he speaks and the amount of thought he puts behind every word he says is proof of how knowledgeable he is. In the novel Atticus says,”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.” This is an important quote to think about while reading the rest of the book because it also applies to Tom Robinson, Mrs. Dubose, and Boo Radley. It shows that Atticus is almost ahead of his time with the way he talks. Atticus' intellect shows in the way he addresses others and answers Scout and Jem's questions, as well as his perception of what others are thinking and how he avoids potentially sticky situations. Determining the difference between what is right and what is wrong is an issue for many characters in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird. For Atticus, choosing the right path is a constant problem. He's first faced with defending Tom Robinson which could not only give him trouble, but also cause trouble for his children. The decision to make Jem read to Mrs. Dubose wasn't a great problem for Atticus, because he knew in the long run it would benefit Jem. The most difficult decision between right and wrong for Atticus was when he thought Jem stabbed Bob Ewell, and he was going to allow him to be prosecuted instead of fighting it. This proves that Atticus knew the differences between right and wrong and was going to make no exceptions for it,
Although they are critiqued, some people do whatever they can do to improve our society. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch proves himself to be a hero. This small-town lawyer exhibits bravery, strength, and modesty when faced with objection during Maycomb’s quarrel for justice. Without a doubt, Atticus proves that anybody can stand for what he or she believes is right.
Jem Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird “To kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is set a small town called Maycomb in Alabama, in the 1930s. The community of Maycomb is of mixed ethnicity and like most places of that time the white people believe they were the dominant race. The book is seen through the eyes of two children: Jem and Scout Finch who are growing up in this society. As Jem gets older he becomes conscious of the fact that this community and these adults who surround him are not always right and this makes him feel lost. Jem is older than Scout and clearly remembers his mother.
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.
True role models are those who possess the qualities that we would want to have in the near future and those who interest us in a way that make us want to be a better person. They teach us more about ourselves and encourage us to make better choices. A role model is not just someone who is successful, but someone who has had similar experiences that we have had. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee demonstrates that Atticus Finch is a true role model. Over the course of the novel, Atticus stands up for his beliefs, respects everyone despite who they are and behaves as a true father. Atticus is truly the ideal role model.
Was Atticus a True Hero of To Kill A MockingBird? Yes and no Atticus Finch and Scout Finch were both true heroes of the story because they did many Helpful things throughout the book to help everyone no matter what they were or what they look like. Atticus had a lot of courage such as when he help out Tom Robinson at the jail he stayed with Tom at the jail even know he knew that the mod of white Americans of Maycomb would come for Tom and try to kill him. When Tom Robinson was convicted of raping a white girl Tom stranded up for him and showed courage which as a white person it was not a normal thing to stand up for a black person. Although Scout is a hero in the book too, Throughout the book Scout learns about her life and gets to
Tom Robinson had been accused to raping Bob Ewell’s daughter, Mayella. Although Atticus provided all the evidence that proved he was innocent, the jury declared him guilty and he was sent to a prison. There, he was shot dead by the guards after allegedly trying to escape. But this is all suspicious since Tom knew that he might still have a good chance of being released. It is also skeptical because the guards shot him seventeen times, an unnecessary amount, Atticus said “seventeen bullet holes in him. They didn’t have to shoot him that much” (Lee 268). Atticus realizesDill dares Jem to run up to the Radley’s door and touch it, which is a big deal to them. Scout’s comments and reactions aided in triggering her older brother to accept Dill’s dare. Scout teases and mocks him about being scared. She says that “in all his life, Jem had never declined a dare”, and he wasn’t about to now (Lee 14).When he hesitates, she laughs at him. He can’t admit that he’s scared, especially not to his little sister who would never let him live it down.
Martin Luther King and Gandhi are one of the few people who changed society, and stood on their own. They were individuals who didn’t worry what other people thought. They decided to bring a change in the society. King and Gandhi fought for their own rights and freedom. Lots of people get influenced by a person and make him as a leader, So he can do all the work for them while others were lazy. So this shows that a person can change a society. In “To kill a mocking bird” by Harper lee, in the county of Macomb, Atticus a lawyer defending a black man at that point of the time is changing the society. So lee clearly sends this message to his readers by using Atticus and some other characters in To Kill Mockingbird.
Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird was published in the year of 1960, and is one of the few American classic novels awarded the Pulitzer Prize. The racism that is prevalent in many southern American towns in the 1930s is brought to life with profound imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird. There are several characters in the book, yet the true main character is the narrator's father, Atticus Finch. He is a man of great integrity and intelligence. A very heroic figure in more ways than one, Atticus possesses traits like being principled, determined, and, more importantly, he teaches others. When looking at To Kill a Mockingbird, one can see that Lee uses lots of description, dialogue, and actions to portray Atticus as a heroic individual.
A hero is someone who has courage and determination. A hero does the right thing. To be a hero doesn’t mean you have to save the world. It just means you have to try. Books hold heroes like Atticus Finch. Though he is not given the official title, Atticus Finch is the hero in To Kill A Mockingbird.
In the beginning epigraph of To Kill a Mocking Bird, Harper Lee quotes a statement made by Charles Lamb: "Lawyers, I suppose, were children once." As told through the eyes of the rambunctious elementary school child, Scout Finch, we see not only how she and her brother's lives are affected by their community, also how they develop and mature under the watch of their father, lawyer Atticus Finch. As a wise role model to his town of Maycomb as well as his children, Atticus Finch becomes a prominently admirable character. As a father, lawyer, friend, and foe, Atticus Finch proves himself to be an honest, selfless, and courageous human being. Throughout many of the
“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”. Discuss this quote from Atticus in relation to 3 characters from the novel.
Atticus Finch of Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird In the novel "To Kill A Mockingbird", by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch is a most compelling character. Atticus grew up on a cotton farm and eventually became a defence lawyer. He is the voice of reason in the town of Maycomb and many of the people in the county are his clients. He served four years in the state legislature.
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird a major theme is the loss of innocence. Whether from emotional abuse, racial prejudice or learning, Boo, Tom, and Scout all lose their innocence in one sense or another. The prejudice that each character endures leads to their loss. Through the responses of Boo, Tom, and Scout, Harper Lee shows how each character responded differently to their loss of innocence.
First, Atticus Finch is a genuine, moral literary character because he knows that you must understand a person and know them before you can judge them. "Scout," said Atticus, "when summer comes you'll have to keep your head about far worse things... it's not fair for you and Jem, I know that, but 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 some feeling that I didn't let you down." (ch.11 pg.120) Atticus tries to explain to Scout the importance of understanding someone and getting to know the person before she does things. Atticus can take time to know a person, watching their actions, and seeing how they act. He then understands them and their position better than before, which can help him to better comprehend and
In the past century, there have been many great novels written. One of which is Harper Lee's, 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. In the novel it introduces a prominent character who not only was a good father but also a well respected, and compassionate man. This person is Atticus Finch. Through all the struggles and pressures, he stands strong as a very positive father figure, making sure to educate his children with important values including equality, bravery, and knowledge.