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Kill a mockingbird atticus lessons equality
Kill a mockingbird atticus lessons equality
Kill a mockingbird atticus lessons equality
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In the story To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, we are introduced to the character Atticus. He is a hard working single parent of two who is kindhearted and does what he believes is right and treats everyone equally. Being such a hard worker, his mind is often on work, even at home, which means less time spent with his children. While Atticus may make some mistakes as a parent, overall he is an admirable father.
Some may believe that my opinion is wrong and believe that Atticus fails as a father. One could argue this because he is very busy and often times carries his work home with him. He occasionally misses out on his children's activities such as skipping Scout’s play. These are things that happen to all parents occasionally, because they’re human! Atticus makes very minor mistakes when compared to other parents in
The biggest example of this is when he takes the Tom Robinson case even though he knows what everyone will think of him and how they will treat him because of taking the case. Many people in Maycomb are racist and very against Atticus defending a black man, even his own family members are against it. Jem and Scout’s cousin Francis states, “I guess it ain’t your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I’m here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family.” (Lee 110) Atticus uses these hurtful words as a teachable moment to show his children how to take the criticism and hate with a grain of salt and just let it roll off. He treats everyone in Maycomb equally telling Scout “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.” (Lee 39) This quote goes to show that Atticus is not racist and doesn't care much about social status, if someone needs a hand he is there to lend them one no matter who they
Atticus was by that definition a very good father. Whenever Scout was mislead by anything, like the legend of Boo Radley or about how grown ups are, or why certain people feel prejudiced about certain people, Atticus was always right there to guide her. Atticus was also a good father because he knew right from wrong. He was different then most of the men in that town, as hard to find as a needle in a haystack. He saw people as people, not black or white. He defended Tom Robinson without caring that everyone in Maycomb was a calling him a “nigger lover'; and many other racial slurs. All Atticus did was shrug them off. When Bob Ewell spit in Atticus’s face, Atticus still did not retaliate. Instead, he wiped the spit off of his face and kept walking minding his own business. This showed Scout and Jem that there was no reason to worry themselves with other peoples opinion’s. When Mrs. Dubose called Atticus a nigger lover to Jem, Jem got angry and went home and asked Atticus if he really was a nigger lover. Atticus said straight out with no thought, “I certainly am. I do my best to love everyone…I’m hard to put, sometimes-baby, its never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is , it doesn’t hurt you. So don’t let Mrs. Dubose get you down.'; This qoatation shows exactly how Atticus in influencing Scout and Jem to be good people. He gave his, what may be called lessons on life, so fluently that it seemed less like a lecture then it really was. He tried his best to teach his children that some people can only feel good about themselves when they attempt to make someone else feel bad.
Although Atticus is not like every other parent, he shows his love to his kids in his own ways. He does not need to be kissing them, hugging them or buying them things to show his affection for them. His ways are unique ways that show that Atticus is a positive parental figure. Another good piece of evidence that shows that Atticus is a positive parental figure is that he sets a good example for the children. He sets a good example by being honest and telling them why he has to defend Tom Robinson even if that decision jeopardizes his reputation and the family. When Atticus was talking to Scout about defending Tom he said, “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” (100). These words show that Atticus values equality and justice and it is setting an excellent example for the kids to follow at such a young age. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, an African American man, because he believes in equality for all. Atticus also mentioned that before he tells the children to do something or follow values he, Atticus, must display them first, and he
“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.” – Anne Frank (Goodreads). In the novel To Kill a Mocking Bird, Atticus, Bob Ewell and Walter Cunningham are parents who each parent differently, and obligate values that are influenced on their children. The children are able to grow up with these influences that they are used to, and this contributes to their overall development and forming as an individual. Atticus being a lawyer has helped him progress intelligence and a sense or morality that is applied to his children Jem and scout. Atticus is able to endure parenting skills more and more everyday. Bob Ewell poorly shows good parenting from developing
Atticus is non judgmental; he treats blacks and everyone equally. He puts himself in someone else’s shoes and respects their thoughts and opinions. He is a very responsible father, while managing his lawyer cases he still made time to teach his children Jem and Scout the lessons they need to become honest and dignified people later in life. Atticus demonstrates responsibility when he takes time to explain to Scout “You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view” (39).
Atticus considers himself and his children as equals. For example, Scout asks Atticus why he defends a Negro: “... If I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to mind me again” (100). Atticus is portraying to Scout that if he did not act righteously by defending Tom Robinson he would be ashamed of himself, and he could not hold authority to his children. Atticus treats his children as if they were his peers, which illustrates how he values equality. Furthermore, Atticus wants to provide an egalitarian lifestyle for his children. For instance, Atticus explains to Mr. Tate why he does not want to cover up the truth for Jem if he had killed Mr. Ewell: “... Sometimes I think I'm a total failure as a parent, but I'm all they've got. Before Jem looks at anyone else he looks at me, and I've tried to live so I can look squarely back at him… if I connived at something like this, frankly I couldn’t meet his eye, and they day I can't do that I'll know I've lost him. I don't want to lose him and Scout, because they're all I've got” (366). Atticus knows since Scout and Jem had to grow up without a mother, his children look up to him immensely. Atticus wants to live an honest life so his children can look at him with pride, and to do that he treats his children as his equals. In brief, Atticus is not only egalitarian by not having racial prejudice but also by his parenting
Atticus Finch is a lawyer in the town of Maycomb In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, he is a father of two children, Jem and Scout Finch. He is a man of wise character and considerate soul. He knows his morals and tries to help his children grow up to be successful and happy. Throughout the novel, Atticus acts justly, loves tenderly, and walks humbly by the way he perceives the people in his life, how he succeeds in his job and treats his family.
“I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your fathers one of them.” (Lee 288). This quote proves that Atticus is a great father in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, because he respects them, He cares about what they have to say, and Atticus wants them to be happy.
Atticus taught Jem and Scout to respect people, even if they didn’t respect them back, he taught them to understand that you never know what a person is going through to make them how they are so you shouldn’t judge them or hold it against them. Because Atticus taught his children these lessons they were able to recognize the injustices found throughout the town of Maycomb and sometimes when they spoke out, they would make a little change in someone’s ideals (for example, scout talking to Mr. Cunningham at the jail house, or Jem spending time and reading to Mrs. Dubose.) Whereas, the children of Bob Ewell wouldn’t recognize injustices because Bob Ewell didn’t teach them about morality, he only taught them how to be like him—which is a liar, a slacker, and a rude hurtful person. The same goes for the rest of the children; Cecil Jacobs referred to Black people as “niggers” (Lee 99) because that’s how his father and the town taught him to refer to black people as, whereas Atticus tells Scout to never say that word because its “common” (Lee 99) meaning uneducated. Even though Atticus wasn’t confronting everyone with racist views, what he was doing was way more effective than going for to door educating people, he was educating his children, educating the next generation on how to act in the face of racism and he showed them what was right from wrong. By teaching his kids these important lessons he is making sure that they pass their knowledge on to everyone else and that by doing that the next generation won’t be as ignorant as the previous one. Atticus didn’t have an insufficient response to racism; he just understood that he couldn’t change the town, but the children
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.
Towards the end of To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus decides to represent a colored man by the man of Tom Robinson, who is being accused of raping Mayella Ewell, Bob Ewell’s daughter. Atticus believes that Tom is innocent, but he does not think that Tom will be found not guilty because of they way the townsfolk treat colored people. They treat them like dirt; like they are worth nothing. Atticus went ahead and represented Tom despite the fact that he knew the townsfolk would call himself and his children names and treat them disrespectfully. Even Scout’s relative Francis said rude things about them. “‘I guess it ain't your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I'm here to tell you it certainly does mortify the rest of the family-...’ ‘Just what I said. Grandma says it's bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he's turned out a nigger-lover we'll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He's ruinin' the family, that's what he's doin'.’” Atticus set a good example for Scout and Jem. He had a difficult decision to make, but he chose what he thought was
Atticus has showed bravery and the fact that color does not matter when someone is innocent. Along with this, Atticus has taught his children many things about life. “As Atticus once advised me to do, I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walk around it: if I had gone to the Radley Place at two in the morning my funeral would have been held the next afternoon. So I left Jem alone and tried not to bother him.” (Lee 48) This is a clear example of how effective Atticus is. He is able to give important information to anyone, including his daughter, and them being able to use this important advice in real life. “It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what…” (Lee 93) This serves as an analogy to the Tom Robinson case and shows that Atticus knows he will not win, but must try his best in search for justice. Atticus has been an excellent example in Maycomb of what kind of person you shall
In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus, a lawyer and the father of Jem and Scout, displays great courage, loyalty, and patience in every situation.
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 treats everyone with fairness. He always hears both sides of the story. He does this after Scout has gotten into a fight with Francis Hancock. After a time Atticus hears Scout’s side of the story and realises that it wasn’t totally Scout’s fault. Scout also tells Uncle Jack that when she and Jem get into fights Atticus stops to hear both sides of the argument before placing the blame, if any.
Fathers come in all shapes and sizes. There are good and bad fathers, fathers who are present in the lives of their children, and fathers who are not. In Harper Lee's, To Kill a Mockingbird, “Jem” and “Scout” Finch, who are the main characters, are very lucky to have Atticus, a single parent and expert lawyer, as their father. In the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930's, life is hard for many people, like Bob Ewell, who has trouble finding food for his children. However Atticus does his best to be the ideal father to Jem and Scout and is the best lawyer to defend Tom Robinson because he is courageous, gentlemanly, and wise.