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Why Is Atticus Finch Wrong

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In a world governed by hatred and hypocrisy, individual beliefs are often overshadowed by stigmatization and segregation at all ends of society. People feel compelled to follow these self-imposed values because society wants them to, regardless of whether it is morally correct. Since, for them, if they are following what everyone wants them to, they must be doing what is right. Characters such as Atticus Finch, from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, prove that standing up for your ideas in a small way can have a monumental impact. This man has the most important duty to fulfill: to teach his son Jem and his daughter Scout to be a righteous person in their loathsome town. He does this by teaching by example, and sometimes going out of his way to share his philosophies. Despite the racist society, Atticus looks to be a parent who raises tolerant and understanding children. Atticus Finch is a parent who through his unbreakable set of beliefs, …show more content…

Atticus is someone who knows he has the power to change things and does something to do so, this translates to his first value, optimism. Optimism is shown at its finest during Tom Robinson’s trial. During the trial, Atticus knows that he is more likely to lose the case than win it, but that does not stop him dead in his tracks. Atticus reflects his viewpoint by preaching onto Jem that “you rarely win, but sometimes you do” (Lee 116), this leads to believe that he understands things can easily go south, but it is an obligation to try and see an end to it. He is adamant about having his optimism be a powerful weapon in his arsenal, as he goes out of his way to preach to his children about the value of standing true to one’s beliefs. Atticus is conscious of every bad thing in his surroundings, and with the second value that he instills on his children, he makes sure that something is done about

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