Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

The most essential responsibility of a parent is to keep their children safe; most will not intentionally but their children in harm’s way. Harper Lee writes about a parent whose children are endangered and altered because of a decision that he makes. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch chooses to represent Tom Robinson in court, putting his children in potential danger, earning respect from numerous people surrounding him, and teaching his kids valuable life lessons; if individuals always chose to do what is right, instead of settling for the easy solution, difficulties could be often eliminated.

Atticus Finch, a moral perfection, accepts the case of Tom Robinson despite strong opposition from his neighbors; thus, Jem and Scout are put in danger. Tom Robinson’s case deals with controversial material to begin with, which is only made more contentious because of Tom’s skin color. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the 1930’s, during the Great Depression. Although slavery was abolished more than 50 years before the era in which this novel takes place, in the southern county that the Finch family lives, Jim Crow oppression is still exercised on the black citizens of the area. Bob Ewell, the town’s trashy free loader, has accused Robinson of assault and rape of his daughter, Mayella. Atticus reasons with Scout, regarding why he chose to accept Tom’s case; “‘…every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine, I guess,”’ (Lee 101). Atticus views this situation as a matter of pride. Somebody in the town must stand up to do the right thing, which is to represent Mr. Robinson, a “clean-living” man. He clarifies that he could not face his community any longer, nor c...

... middle of paper ...

...occur in the story, including Bob Ewell’s attack on Jem and Scout, and when the grateful fans of Mr. Finch bring him thanks, would not have occurred had Atticus chosen to dismiss the case. Parenting is a challenge in itself. Finding the proper balance to raising children to be happy and healthy adults can be difficult. Atticus is faced with these normal problems, as well as the choice of whether or not to put his children’s lives in danger in order to defend what is just. Though accepting Tom Robinson’s case was not the easy solution, or the answer that most parents would find, by making this choice, Atticus improved his own life as well as the lives as numerous people around him. Whether to coast with the easy solution, or face the challenge is the question that parents must ponder when making important decisions.

Works Cited

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee