Atticus Finch Symbolism

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee has used the figure of Atticus Finch to be a symbol of hope and a role model for his children and all who live in Maycomb. His role as a lawyer challenges him at times, but he remains an admirable figure in the 1930’s. His sense of justice shows that he wants the best for everyone such as the first clients he had where he ‘had urged them to take the state’s generosity in allowing them to plead Guilty to second-degree murder and escape with their lives.’ Even though these men are clearly guilty, Atticus wants everyone to have the best outcome and live another day. Atticus’s symbolism with a mockingbird helps to show how he doesn’t do anything just for himself, but for the good of the community, this is shown

In chapter one his office is described as containing ‘little more than a hat rack, a spittoon, a checkerboard and an unsullied Code of Alabama’ again, in Chapter 10 Atticus is described as ‘feeble; he was nearly fifty...he was nearly blind in his left eye... he sat in the living room and read.’ This shows Atticus to have plain, simple decoration and appearance, just like a Mockingbird. When Atticus has to shoot ‘Tim Johnson’ his actions and decisions help to represent him as a Mockingbird. Miss Maudie says ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy... but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’. In this instance, Atticus has done one thing, which he doesn’t do for himself, but for the good of the neighbourhood. Like a Mockingbird, he is very selfless and this is shown throughout the novel through the use of metaphors and

He is criticized by Mrs Dubose, ‘Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for!’ and is criticized throughout town when he takes on the Robinson case, ‘He had announced in the schoolyard the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers’. Harper Lee has used a poisonous character (Mrs Dubose) to show that she has no worries about offending Atticus and so yells this out for the whole street to hear. She has also used a playground rumour to show that the children are involved in conversations with their parents and that Maycomb thrives on rumours and gossip. But throughout all this criticism, Atticus still has the support and respect of others. People in Maycomb, such as the black community, admire his courage, as they do not have the courage to stand for themselves. His controversial views of black people are unpopular, but people respect him for it as he stands up for what he believes in and will not let anyone change his mind. His views are socially unacceptable, but people agree with them but are afraid to speak up for fear they will be criticized too. Instead, they stay quiet or even join in with the criticism, but they still respect him and repeatedly vote him back into his role as the state