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Atticus finch hero characterstics
Atticus finch hero characterstics
Writings on courage
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Introduction Thesis: To have courage, takes a lot of effort, but in the long run it pays off. Body A. Scout does not like her teacher and helped protect Atticus Had her conduct been more friendly to me, I would have felt sorry for her” pg 22. 1.She doesn’t like her school or her teacher 2. She gets made fun of by other students b. “I began to feel sweat gathering at the edges of my hair; I could stand anything but a bunch of people looking at me” pg. 154. 1. She goes to Atticus and talks with the mob 2.It is very hard to speak up in front of strangers...strangers who look scary// B. Atticus took the case and protected Tom “All around us and in the balcony on the opposite wall, the Negroes were getting to their feet” …show more content…
pg 211. 1.The other whites despise him 2.He tries as hard as he can b. “You know what we want,’ another man said.’Get aside from the door, Mr.Finch” pg 151. 1. He was threatened at the jail when he was protecting Tom 2. Mr.Ewell continued to threaten him Conclusion TKAM Reflection Final Draft Michael Poppen Scout and Atticus Finch showed courage many times throughout the book, To Kill A Mockingbird.
Scout showed courage by going to school, even though she did not like it, and Atticus showed courage by taking Tom’s case instead of simply passing it on down the line. To have courage (In) takes a lot of effort, but in the long run it pays off. Even though courage may be tough, sometimes it is the right thing to do. Even though Scout Finch is very young, she is only in Kindergarten (A), she still shows instances of courage. Anyone of any age can have courage, as long as they have the will to go with it. The first example of Scout showing courage was when she first started going to school. “Had her kindness been more friendly to me, I would have felt sorry for her” (Lee 22). Scout did not like her teacher, Miss Caroline Fisher (I), her teaching, or being made fun of by others because her father was standing up for an African American. With the help of a little bit of encouragement from Atticus and Jem, she built up the courage to continue going to school. The biggest time Scout displayed courage was when she was at the jail. “I began to feel sweat gathering at the edges of my hair; I could stand anything but a bunch of people looking at me” (Lee 154). While Atticus was at the jail guarding Tom, a bunch of men got out and threatened him. Standing in front of everyone (Part), next to (I) her father, Scout began talking. Her talking to Mr. Cunningham made him and the rest …show more content…
of the mob dissipate. Public speaking can be hard, especially in front of a bunch of scary adult men. This was definitely a sign of pure courageousness. From the start, Atticus showed lots of courage throughout the entire book.
First of all, he decided to take Tom’s case even though he knew many people would despise him, for defending a black man. “All around us and in the balcony on the opposite wall, the Negroes were getting to their feet” (Lee 211). Atticus used all the courage he had to fight for Tom. Even though Atticus lost the case, and Tom was found guilty, the African Americans that were at the courthouse were very grateful for his willingness to try as hard as he could, despite the circumstances. They stood up in respect as a way to thank him. As mentioned earlier, Atticus went to the jail to help guard Tom (In) against a lynch mob. “You know what we want,’ another man said.’ Get aside from the door, Mr.Finch” (Lee 151). Even though Atticus knew it would be risky, he went right in front of (Prep) the jail to guard the door. These men could have easily hurt him if they wanted. Using his courage (Part), Atticus did not fight back against the mob or at Mr. Ewell when he confronted him and spat on him. Only certain people have the level of courage as Atticus does. Scout and Jem are lucky to have Atticus as their
father. There are many events in the book To Kill A Mockingbird in which courage was displayed, many of which were not mentioned. Standing up against racism is hard to do and takes lots of courage. Anyone can be courageous as long as they can muster up the strength to do so.
Courage is a deed that can be portrayed in many ways. In the Historical Fiction novel To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, there are many acts of racism and problematic cases where acts of courage are demonstrated in different and unique ways that can only be deciphered if one reads in between the lines of the words. There are three characters in particular who show courage in diverse ways. First, there is Arthur Radley who anonymously shows courage by performing tasks that cause him to face the outside world where he’s been isolated from for so long. Secondly, there is Scout Finch who demonstrates courage through her adolescent age. Lastly, there is Atticus Finch who displays courage through his selfless and kind actions. Therefore, in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses diverse characters to represent different acts of courage.
Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus demonstrates himself as a loyal, humble man towards his family and especially towards Tom Robinson. Atticus respects and desires for everyone to be treated equally, no matter the color of their skin, thus he remains loyal to Tom since he believes that Tom deserves a fair trial. When Atticus tells Scout that “the main reason is, if I didn’t defend Tom I couldn’t hold my head in town, I couldn’t represent the country in legislature, I couldn’t tell you or Jem not to do something again” (86), he means that if he does not defend and show loyalty to Tom, he will have not stood up for true justice and equality, thus shaming himself forever. Therefore, even when faced with so much opposition, Atticus continues to stick up for Tom because he wants to promote and uphold justice and fairness for all to
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.
"Courage isn't an absence of fear. It's doing what you are afraid to do. It's having the power to let go of the familiar and forge ahead into new territory." ~John Maxwell. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout (Jean Louise Finch), Jem (Jeremy Atticus Finch), and Atticus Finch display acts of valor that contribute, and in some cases encourage their rectitude. Harper Lee demonstrates that acting courageously can lead to an improved, sustained, or newly developed personal integrity.
Atticus Finch’s unique, courageous personality and contrarian mindset are proven through his unconventional actions throughout the novel. His stoic nature correlates with his extreme courage, a moral facet of his multi-layered personality that he highlights with various acts of nobility that many in Maycomb do not expect and often despise, but he continues on regardless. Early on, Atticus shows an aspect of his moral courage when he consoles Scout on the topic of getting bullied about his decision to defend Tom Robinson. In this specific instance, Atticus explains to Scout that, “no matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change” (Lee 101). Letting insults and rude remarks fly over
Atticus is a great leader of his family, teaching his children morals and life lessons. He makes them better people by showing them how to deal with the trial and people making fun of them. Atticus teaches Scout how to respect other people. First, Scout learns to respect Atticus, then to respect "Boo" Radley, and finally to respect a whole race of people, negroes. He makes it a common practice to live his life as he would like his children to live theirs, and thus displays the attributes of an honest, respectable, and kind man. Throughout the trial process, Atticus shows Jem and Scout that true courage is standing up for what you believe in and that all human beings, despite their race, deserve respect. "You never really understand a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." This quote shows that Atticus wants his children to get along with people, and so other people will respect them for whom they are.
For a younger character, like Scout, courage is most often associated with a physical act that is usually dangerous. It is hard for young children like that to realize that greater courage is shown in other aspects of life. Scout sees an example of courage in her father when he shoots the mad dog. Although Atticus did not think of it as very courageous, Jem and Scout were proud of their father and the courage he showed in the situation. He was not trying to prove anything, yet they were still impressed. Later on in the story, Jem and Scout encounter the vindictive Mrs. Dubose. "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" (Chapter 11, Page 113) When she bad- mouthed Atticus like that, Jem decided that the best way to settle things was to ruin Mrs. Dubose's camellias. After Atticus heard about this stunt, Jem was made to read to her every afternoon for a month. Mrs. Dubose was a very sick lady, and had morphine to ease her pain. It was not until after she died that Atticus explained to Jem and Scout how courageous the lady was because she knew she was dying but was still determined to die free of the morphine. She fought against great odds, even though she knew that she would surely die. Between these two examples Atticus set, and the many more he showed in the way he lived his life, Scout was taught to stop fighting with her fists and to try and overcome opposing opinions with her head, rather than with physical violence.
Courage is not something that we are born with, it is a skill that takes time to learn and only a few are lucky enough to have it. To Kill a Mockingbird is not only about life in a world full of hate, it is about standing up for anyone’s beliefs being brave enough to do it. In this story, Harper Lee says “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. You rarely win, but sometimes you do” (Lee 112). In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates courage through Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose, and Arthur Radley.
Atticus taught Scout and Jem about how wrong the kill a mockingbird was because they’d caused no harm. Tom Robinson is a mockingbird to Atticus, so he stands up for what he believes in. It was apparent to Atticus that they would rule Tom guilty. Although the verdict turned out to be guilty, Atticus knew that Judge Taylor and others in the courthouse knew that the Ewell family were lying, and had hope that Tom would be able to get released from jail despite the color of his skin. Another example of when Atticus showed optimism was after the trial when Bob Ewell spat on Atticus.
Courage is having the strength to do something that is frightening to most people. It can be something large scale like the responders on 9/11 risking their lives for hundreds of people. Courage can also be something of smaller scale but just as significant like standing up for a black man in a town of racial prejudice. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, many of the characters she has initiated show courageous qualities. One of those characters is Atticus Finch, father of Jem and Scout who demonstrates courage many times throughout the novel. Standing up for his beliefs, restraining from the negligent tauntings of his neighbors and defending a man whose innocence will not be proved, all show Atticus is the most courageous character
Yet he took the case with no hesitation. Atticus knows the difference between what is fair and what is true justice. He is well aware that whites and blacks have many differences with one another, but is also educated enough to know that there truly is no diversity in equity, and tries to teach everyone including his children this. ”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.(30)” Atticus is encouraging Scout to respect everyone and consider their true potential without considering false accusations in this quote. He applies what he teaches to his children to the people attending the Tom Robinson trial. Atticus is just one man, but with an unprecedented amount of sense of pride, intelligence, and justice. He reflects the image of the town’s people by showing them what they’ve allowed themselves to become based on their beliefs. He genuinely expresses their deepest consternation. In this quote he tells the audience what they are afraid to hear, but need to hear, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man. Not an old uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards.(272)” After stating his point and releasing the profound truth Atticus causes for Mayella and Bob Ewell to lose their composure. Nevertheless people of most of the white people of Maycomb continue to refuse to believe that a white woman kissed a black man. But they undoubtedly believe that a black man with a useless left hand beat and raped an “innocent” white woman. Atticus could have predicted the outcome from before he even took the case and refused to defend Tom Robinson. But he
Scout first learns to show compassion and tolerance by refusing to go to school because she hates Miss Caroline. Atticus tells her that, 'First of all, if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along better with all kinds of folks. 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'; (30). When Atticus told her this, she began to accept Miss Caroline as well as other people's differences and opinions.
Atticus knew it would be a long shot to win and yet he entered it with a passion because knowing him, a man full of excellent morales, he knew that everyone involved with it would come away with something positive, even if that thing was simply a different outlook or perception on the black or life in general. Atticus 's great compassion for Tom and his community as well as his understanding for his side of the story would soon come with multiple consequences that himself and his kids would have to endure. For instance on (p.104) he explains to scout the trouble she may up endure but to keep a positive outlook, "When summer comes you 'll have to keep your head above far worse things...it 's not fair for you and gem, 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...." He instils that once Scout and Jem are mature enough to understand these things, that they will know he never let them down. This excerpt/example further exemplifies his understanding of Jem and Scouts sake and what they will go through as little kids but
Scout believes at the beginning of the book that courage is all to do with physical feats like fist fighting. Scout and Jem though Atticus was courageous when he shot the mad dog, but Atticus just shrugged it off telling his children that that is not ? real courage?. The children soon see that moral courage is more valuable after Miss Dubose said "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" Chapter 11, Page 113 after they walked past her house.
Since the beginning, Atticus was pictured as an adequate father figure who treated "[his children] with courteous detachment" (6). He never was very emotional, always collected and patient. Though his children believe he acted accordingly simply because he was old and feeble, the further you read into his character you find that he has always had this sense of justice and honor. While most of the novel revolves around Tom’s trial, Atticus faced challenges within himself before he took the case. Despite the fact that he was aware that he would not win “simply because [they] were licked a hundred years before [they] started” (76), he proceeded to defend Tom. Though many people found this act questionable and even infuriating, it was simple to decide when it came down to Atticus ' values. He humbly did not see why the color of someone 's skin should be able to convict them. As a lawyer, he fought against truth and lie and immediately knew that his soon to be client, Tom Robinson, was indeed telling the truth. By taking the case, Atticus held true to his former beliefs. He simply was not willing to give away any part of himself in order to please his community. Additionally, Atticus decides to invest himself in the case because of the example he wanted to make for his young children. Atticus reasoned with Scout that he couldn’t face them, or “couldn’t even tell [her] or Jem not to do something again” (75), if he weren 't to go to trial with Tom. Atticus addresses this idea because he understands that him not taking this case, and going against everything he’s ever stood for, could not make a good example for his kids. If he expects them to have value and structure in their life, he must be their coach. Evident throughout the novel, he teaches honesty and equality to both Jem and Scout. Granted that he would later face hatred