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Compare and contrast characters to kill a mocking bird
Essay about atticus finch
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Everyone in the world knows a honest and loyal person, them being a relative or just someone they met. When Harper Lee wrote about the fictitious character Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, she wrote about someone who believes in justice, equality and honor. In the early 1930’s in the imaginary town of Maycomb County there lived a man with his two children. Maycomb was a place of tradition and doing or saying something different was seen wrong. Therefore, Atticus Finch decides to do something completely out of the ordinary in a small town such as Maycomb.
Atticus Finch believed in the townspeople and in honesty due to the fact that he had to live with those people around him and no one really leaves Maycomb. For example Bruels talks
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about how “Atticus Finch knew the townspeople well, and they were much like any other townspeople except that they happened to live in the South, and they too were afraid—afraid to try to change the system,” meaning that most people from the South in this time period did not believe in changes due to the fact that changes are not always good and they believed that in change in their small town would not just affect the elderly, but it would affect the future of the rest of the town. In that time period not many people believed that America could be a place where people got along not mattering what color your skin was, to this day many people still can not get along with people of different race and/or skin town. Finch, is a person who believes in helping others and he enjoys encountering the good in others.
For example, in the story “Atticus stresses that the important thing is to appreciate the good qualities and understand the bad qualities by treating people with sympathy and trying to see from their perspective.” Meaning that in the story Finch does not judge people by what material things they have, but why how they treat others and what they do to help society and themselves. Atticus can see things in others that not many can, he sees the good in people yet he also sees the bad. He understands when someone does something wrong and he appreciates when someone does something good. Another example would be by Southern Cultures, stating that, “ characters like Harper Lee's Atticus Finch do not exist in a vacuum, and this particular character, the literary archetype of the hero, is no mystery. He stands for Equality. He stands for Justice.” Meaning that there are not many people like Atticus Finch in this world, people who see further than the skin tone or the race of a person. It is funny how everyone is a different skin tone or race yet not one person can really get along with another if it was not for money and/or statues. Back then and now a days states and money are really important things. Which is why Atticus Finch is a great fictional character, because he teaches anyone who reads the book more than just to see the outside of a person. Southern Cultures also states that, “The heroics of Atticus, a white Southerner, steadfastly defending his client in the face of extreme racial prejudice justly has caused many Americans to proclaim Atticus Finch a symbol of equal justice.” meaning that Atticus is someone a lot of people should look up to and learn from, because he teaches people to look beyond what is on the
outside. Atticus also has amazing values due the fact that he was taught right from the beginning to treat others the way you would want to be treated. For instance, Southern Culture talks about Wayne Flynt who states, “In my history classes, where I routinely use TKAM, I find Atticus's values still appeal to my most idealistic and brightest students. And I find that the novel also constitutes the most unifying common literary experience for the current generation of college students. Frankly, that is more comforting than disturbing to me.” Meaning that Atticus has taught people through the years that values are much more important than many things such as skin tone, race, money, or even social class. Another person Southern Cultures talks about is Jewell Knotts who mentions, “Though an obvious part of teaching this book, the racial issues are not where the students' discussions lead; instead, it's to the idea encapsulated by Atticus first telling Scout, `You never really understand another person until you consider things from his point of view.” Meaning that thinking about the other person’s point of view is also very important, because what if the person who needed the other some day was them? Would anyone be willing to step in their shoes and actually think about what they are going through. In conclusion, Atticus is a person who likes equality and believes that people should treat others the way they would like to be treated, because they never know that if in the future they are the one who would need the help from they person they are turning their backs on. People should learn to see way past the skin tone, the race, the money someone has and even the social class the person has. Works Cited Bruell, Edwin. "Keen Scalpel on Racial Ills." DISCovering Authors. Detroit: Gale, 2003. N. pag. Student Resources in Context. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.. Sundquist, Eric J. "Blues for Atticus Finch: Scottsboro, Brown, and Harper Lee."EXPLORING Novels. Detroit: Gale, 2003. N. pag. Student Resources in Context. Web. 20 Apr. 2017. Doe, R. John. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh, 1998. Print. Works Cited Source B Vangelli, Alyssa. “The Honor Code Vote: One Student Senator’s View.” ParentsAssoiciaton.com. ParentAssociaton.com, n.d. Web, 1 April 2013. Source C Dinneyer, Jennifer, and Alexander Cartwright, “Honor Codes Work Where Honesty Has Already Taken Root.” Chronicle of Higher Education. Chronicle of Higher Education, 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 20 March 2013 Source E Sledge, Sally, and Pam Pringle “Assessing Honor Code Effectiveness: Result of a Multipronged Approach from a Five Year Study.” Research & Practice in Assessment 5 (2010):4-12. Web 20 March 2013.
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
Atticus Finch is a very essential character in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. He is not only the father on Jem and Scout, but he is also defending Tom Robinson. Along with all of the obstacles and challenges that Atticus faces he is still an exceptional role model for the children. He also overcomes the diversity of Negroes and whites that is displayed during his time by standing up and fighting for Tom Robinson and his triumph in court against Bob Ewell. Lee presents Atticus Finch as understanding of Tom Robinson, caring with the children, and calm throughout the Tom Robinson trial.
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.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in Alabama in the 1930s, and concerns itself primarily with the interrelated themes of prejudice and empathy. These themes are explored as the story follows Scout Finch as she learns lessons in empathy, ultimately rejecting prejudice. While all characters in Lee’s novel learn from their experiences, not all are able to grow in the same manner as Scout. The idea of a positive role model, typified by the character of Atticus Finch, and the ramifications of its absence, is a concept that Lee places much emphasis on. The isolated setting is also pivotal in the development of characters. Lee uses the contrast between characters that learn lessons in empathy and compassion, and characters that cling to the ideals of a small town, to explore factors that nurture or diminish prejudice.
Accordingly, in the final analysis of the story, Atticus represents the “justice” in the community of Maycomb. His stability throughout the book is one of the many characteristics that depict Atticus Finch as the novel’s core. In a town of such undeserved glory, Atticus Finch is the one character who is worthy of glorification.
Atticus’ statement on prejudice and racism characterises his moral integrity and his empathetic nature. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch is depicted as the complete opposite of what people would perceive to be a stereotypical southern man living in the Deep South during the 1930s. Contrary to the majority of his fellow townspeople of Maycomb, Atticus is a man of great virtue and moral strength. He in not bigoted or racist and is egalitarian in his approach to all people This sort of moral integrity is what he tries to instil in his two young children, Jem and Scout, despite the bigotry and inequality surrounding them. Atticus Finch stands as a moral beacon of the town, a label which causes much friction between himself and other members of the Maycomb community. A clearer idea of Atticus’ principles can be gained by comparing and contrasting them to three other characters in the Novel, Calpurnia, Bob Ewell and Aunt Alexandra.
Atticus Finch is a well-rounded and respected resident of Maycomb County, Alabama. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus takes on the duty of being an attorney and a single father of two adventurous children. He believes in equality among races, although a lot of Maycomb County’s white community thinks they are high and mighty compared to the black folk. In a time of injustice, Atticus represents an innocent black man accused of rape making him respected among the black community. At home, Atticus taught his children important life lessons about equality and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. This character represents the importance of morality and reasonability. Throughout the novel, Atticus has very good morals and
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.
The way in which humans come to be understanding, compassionate individuals is a process demonstrated constantly throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, a famous novel written by Harper Lee, taking place in the 1930’s during the Great Depression in Maycomb County, Alabama. The story is told from the young Jean Louise “Scout” Finch’s perspective, and tracks the development of her and her older brother Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch, from innocent to understanding. The negative influences which Jem and Scout experience, including the racially charged case of Tom Robinson, lead the children to have a new, more experienced perspective on human nature. People like Atticus Finch, Jem and Scout’s father, help the children to make sense of this part of human
Growing up in Maycomb, Southern Alabama in the 1930s was not an easy thing. Amid a town of prejudice and racism, stood a lone house where equality and respect for all gleamed like a shining star amid an empty space. The house of Atticus Finch was that shining star. Jean Louise Finch, also known as “Scout”, is given the opportunity of being raised in this house by her father, Atticus. I stole this essay from the net. As she grows, Atticus passes down his values of equality and righteousness to Scout and her brother Jeremy Atticus Finch, also known as “Jem”. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, by Harper Lee, we see Scout learns many lessons about dealing with prejudice by observing the behavior of other characters in the story.
In Conclusion, Today in our world many people see someone as an admirable leader and heroic figure. Whether it’s a sister, brother, parent, or celebrity, everyone has someone they look up to. Just like the people of Maycomb look up to Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is a good man who displayed so many characteristics and he is definitely the heroic figure of Maycomb. Atticus presented himself as a calm, courageous, and an open-minded person. His great qualities and personality also won him the respect of African Americans. Only someone with such great pride and honor would be able to accomplish that. When Atticus put his reputation at risk, he knew it was troubling but he was not going to be seen as a typical Maycomb person. Therefore, Atticus is a great impact in the novel, To Kill a MockingBird By Harper Lee.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird depicts the story of an egalitarian man living in a racially prejudiced society. In the town of Maycomb, Alabama, most people are racist towards African Americans, leaving only a few people believing that racism is unethical. Atticus Finch, a respected man, fights for the equality of a colored man in a trial. In addition, he also looks upon his children as if they were his peers. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee portrays Atticus Finch as egalitarian to establish that when one is faced with unjust circumstances, then one should overcome hindrances and do what is honorable in order to reveal oneself as respectable in society.
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.
The first “mockingbird” that is featured in the novel is a man named Atticus Finch. Not only is Atticus Finch the sole representative of Maycomb in the legislature, but also he is a brilliant lawyer. In addition, he has a good reputation in both Maycomb’s black and white communities because of his exceptional character. However, his reputation is soon shattered when he is faced with a case in court that affects him personally: he must defend an African American man in court in Maycomb’s segregated society. If Atticus chooses to try defending the man, he will lose his good status in town, since his racist American neighbors will soon disrespect him for treating the African Americans as equal to the Americans, which is highly unacceptable in the United States during the 1930s. However, Atticus still accepted the case believing that if he does not, he w...
“You never really understood a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around it.” Atticus Finch is a man of extreme integrity. He, as both a lawyer and a human being, stands up for his democratic beliefs and encourages his children to stand up for their own, though they may stand alone. Harper Lee showed how far respect went in To Kill a Mockingbird when Atticus defended Tom Robinson in his rape trial. He did not think twice about being ridiculed by th...