The book definition of a hero is, “a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” Most people often think of a hero as someone that everyone knows, but in reality there are many heroes who are in our everyday lives that we do not know about. To be a hero it is said that you have to be patient, selfless, and have courage. Atticus Finch shows all of these traits on many occasions throughout the book. Many ordinary people like Atticus Finch possess these traits yet not everyone recognizes them. In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a single father who raises two children in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama. In Maycomb, there is racism like there was in many other …show more content…
They say this because if you are not willing to risk your social image, lifestyle, or even life for others; no one will ever get saved. Atticus shows selflessness on countless occasions. Like with the Tom Robinson case, he could have just not taken the case and let Tom suffer, but instead he became almost the outcast of the town because he was defending a black man, "the school buzzed with talk about him defending Tom Robinson, none of which was complimentary."(pg. 89). Also on page 146 Link Deas actually goes to Atticus and tells him, “don’t see why you touched it in the first place… You’ve got everything to lose from this, Atticus. I mean everything,” in which Link Deas was talking about how Atticus took the case and it could ruin his life potentially. Atticus did not care in those moments what people thought about him, he just wanted people to realize that racism was wrong and going to get them nowhere. This act of defending Tom Robinson required a plethora of selflessness, because Atticus knew that his reputation could potentially be ruined and even ruin his career as a lawyer if it got bad enough. Also on pages 151-152 Atticus is sitting in front of the jail protecting Tom from the group of men, even though he knows how dangerous these men are. He even shows a little bit of panic when Jem, Scout, and Dill show up. “A flash of plain fear was going out of his eyes,” on page
The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, takes place in the 1930s in a small Alabama county called Maycomb. The novel is about the Finch family of three. Atticus, the father, Scout the older brother and Scout the younger sister, who acts like a tomboy. Scout may be a lady, but does not like to act like one, she likes to play and get dirty with her brother. Being young, both children learn lessons throughout the novel by many different residents, such as, Calpurnia, the maid, Miss Maudie, the neighbor, and their father, Atticus. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird various citizens in the town of Maycomb play an important role in the lives of Jem and Scout Finch
Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, Harper Lee's, To Kill a Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior, to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, and the struggle between blacks and whites. Atticus Finch, a lawyer and single parent in a small southern town in the 1930's, is appointed by the local judge to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, who is accused of raping a white woman. Friends and neighbors object when Atticus puts up a strong and spirited defense on behalf of the accused black man. Atticus renounces violence but stands up for what he believes in. He decides to defend Tom Robinson because if he did not, he would not only lose the respect of his children and the townspeople, but himself as well.
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
During a time when black people were thought to be lower than white people, Atticus defended a black man in court. He said to his children, "I'm simply defending a Negrohis name's Tom Robinson," (pg. 75). It required a lot of confidence and caring for Atticus to defend Tom, and the black community knew that Tom did not stand a chance without Atticus' help. They respected him and looked to him as a hero. They showed this when they stood up for him in the courtroom. Reverend Sykes said to Scout in the courtroom, "Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin," (pg. 211). The entire group of black people who were there stood up for him. Also, the parishioners at Calpurnia's church made Jem and Scout feel welcome when they visited their church. This showed that the black people also respected Atticus' family. If Atticus were just trying his best in a difficult circumstance, then he would not be as respected as he was by the black community. The black people greatly acknowledged the qualities that Atticus displayed by defending Tom and looked to him as a hero because of these qualities.
When people think about heros it is a person in a cape flying into burning buildings to save people or fighting a villain to save the world. According to Oxford Dictionary a hero is a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. This shows how just normal people can be qualified as heros. A book that exemplifies this is To Kill A Mockingbird because it is filled with people that went out of their way to help others or the society as a whole. A person who did this in particular was Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch was a hero because he fell under the definition and was admired for his courage, achievements, and noble qualities.
When Atticus chooses to defend Tom Robinson, he knows he will most likely lose the first trial. His friends and colleagues will talk behind his back for defending a black man under a capitol defense. He knows though that this is a trial in his life that he must defend in order for him to live the rest of his life with his head held up high.”For a number of reasons, Atticus said, The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again,’ Atticus says to Scout one night while explain to her why he is defending a black man. This shows Atticus’ high ideals and morals he has must be upheld by him if he is to live with himsel...
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch’s parenting skills were often questioned throughout the novel. Although there were people that didn’t believe he was a good father, I think that he was. There are many different reasons provided throughout the novel that prove he is a good father. Atticus may let his children get away with a little more than the average parent would, but he has a good head on his shoulders. He is open to giving his kids more freedoms and there’s nothing wrong with that. Atticus approaches life with a devotion to fairness and exposes his children, Jem and Scout, to real life. Overall, he makes a pretty good father.
Atticus must live with himself before he can live with others. In the novel, Atticus even says, "Before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." This clearly illustrates how Atticus must do what he thinks is right because he can only live for himself and not others. Atticus demostrates this when he refuses to treat African Americans with disrespect, as many other people in Maycomb do. Atticus treats them as he treats everyone and how he wuold like to be treated. Atticus should defend Tom Robinson because he prides himself on his following the Golden Rule, and if he does not defend Tom Robinson, he could not live with himself. Atticus tells Scout he would not be able to show his face in town if he does not defend Mr. Robinson because he would be going against everything he believes in for what others what him to do. The people of Maycomb trust Atticus to stand up for what is right when no one else has the courage. Miss Maudie says, "Whether Maycomb knows it or not, we're paying the highest t...
Few people are the same as they are on the street in their homes. Few people can treat others equally; no matter what colour their skin is. Atticus Finch is one of those precious few. Racism in the town of Maycomb is nothing but disguised by the polite smiles and ladies missionary meetings; although it is the strongest belief that each person of the town holds apart from some such as Atticus. Racism is an issue of great importance, yet to the eye of a visitor waltzing through, it's just a slight whisk of air.
A hero is someone who risks themselves to help others. Atticus is a hero because he stood up for what he believed was right, but he is not the only hero in the novel. Boo Radley, like Atticus, is also a hero because he shows sacrifice for others. Using this definition of heroism, there may be other heroes in the book. However, Bob Ewell is a coward because he endangered the life of others to protect himself. He demonstrates many characteristics that are the opposite of heroism.
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.
Atticus is trustworthy and this is shown when Atticus accepts the Tom Robinson case the town told him not try, but Atticus did his best to win the case. For instance during the case Atticus says, "I simply defend a negro" also in the passage "If should"t be to defend him then why are doing it... For a number of reasons"(Lee,100). Atticus exampling to his children why he defending Tom Robinson in this case and he tells them that it the right thing to do even if the town say not to Atticus does it anywhere. Lee is showing how court system was unfair by your skin
Atticus was faced with a dilemma of helping Tom or not, shows his inner character standing up for what is right. After Atticus agrees to take the case of Tom Robinson, Scout asks him why he is defending Tom he replied by saying, “For a number of reasons,’... ‘The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again”(Lee 86). This is one of few quotes where Atticus expresses his feeling about defending Tom Robinson, Atticus is one of few people who see everyone the same and does not judge people based upon race.
In comic books and movies heroes save people and stop crimes. However, in real life, our heroes don’t wear spandex and flashy capes or cool gadgets; they are ordinary people living ordinary lives. Insead, a true hero is someone who can be represented by Atticus Finch in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird because he is patient, courageous, and compassionate. Being patient, courageous, and compassionate are the most important characteristics to being a hero.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, this person shows how they’ve entered adulthood with responsibilities given to them and deciding what’s best for their choices. The coming of age for Jeremy Atticus Finch was bravery throughout the novel. Jem, as an older brother of Scout, has to take actions of his own, to protect Scout, his little sister and he wants to be a role model to her. He shows bravery by not declining dares that are given to him, putting himself in risky situations to make things right, and standing up to his father. First of all, Jem touches the Radely house as a dare from Dill Harris.