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One of the most well-known novels of the 1900s-2000s was a novel written by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird was written over the course of 3 years and when it was finally published on July 11th 1960, it was an instant success. With its diverse characters and figurative language, it easily caught the public eye and became a sensation. There are many characters in Harper Lee’s award winning book, To Kill a Mockingbird, but this essay will be centered around Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch’s experience with life has taught him how to be a wise, impartial and courteous man.
First and foremost, Atticus Finch is a very wise and understanding man who can understand perspectives that are not of his own. One example of this is when Scout tells Atticus
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that she didn’t want to go to school anymore, because her teacher didn’t like the fact that she was literate. As a result, Atticus replied with this, “You really never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee Pg.39). Instead of getting upset at Scout for saying she wanted to stop going to school, Atticus choose to listen and understand why Scout was upset. In addition, when Scout beats up Francis for calling her father a nigger-lover, rather than punishing her, Atticus said, “I admit that. So far I’ve been able to get by with threats. Jack, she minds me as well as she can. Doesn’t come up to scratch half the time, but she tries.” (Pg. 116). Atticus knows that Scout is trying her absolute best to follow his words and that she would continue to try her best and that is why he refuses to punish her harshly. Atticus is fair towards his daughter and appreciates that she tries her hardest. He understands that she’s trying to make him proud and he couldn’t be any prouder. Another one of Atticus’s strong traits is his ability to be impartial even if everyone else is against him.
Atticus does not care too much about others opinions of him and what he does. When Atticus found out that Jem and Dill were trying to get Mr.Radley to come out, he did not approve. He wanted the boys to stop pestering him and leave him alone, this resulted in these words, “What Mr.Radley did might seem peculiar to us, but it did not seem peculiar to him.” (Pg.65). Those words show that Atticus is open-minded man and he doesn’t judge people based on rumors and actions. Atticus does not think badly of Mr.Radley and tells the kids that what Mr.Radley did was his business, and not theirs. Another instance that shows Atticus’s inability to be judgmental is when he is was defending Tom Robinsion, “You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women—black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men. There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire.” (Pg.273). These couple lines sum up how Atticus thinks of the human race, he understands that just because you look one way or are from one place, it does not mean everyone of that race or country is the same. Even within a race, there are a variety of different people, …show more content…
some good, some bad… Atticus is also an extraordinary courteous person, both as a member of society and as a father.
When Atticus was in court and acting as Tom Robinson’s lawyer, Mayella Ewell, the accuser, took Atticus’s well-manner speech, as him mocking her. Mayella got so offended that the Judge, Judge Taylor, had to step in and say, “That’s just Mr. Finch’s way,” he told Mayella. “We’ve done business in this court for years and years, and Mr. Finch is always courteous to everybody. He’s not trying to mock you, he’s trying to be polite. That’s just his way.” (Pg. 243). Although Atticus is trying his best to defend Tom Robinson, he still is being polite towards Mayella, the person who accused Tom Robinson of rape against her. Another example is when Scout was being excluded by Jem and Dill and spends her time with Miss.Maudie. One day, their conversation ended with “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets. How’d you like some fresh pound cakes to take home?” (Pg.61). This quote is repeated once again when Dill talks about the trial and how Mr.Gilmer treated Tom Robinson was so different from how Atticus treated Mayella, but this time it was said by Scout. “He’s not an example, Dill, he’s--…He’s the same in the courtroom as he is on the public streets.” (Pg. 266). Both these quotes illustrate the fact that Atticus acts just as polite and gentleman-like, in his house and out of
it. Throughout the novel, Atticus plays a major role as a non-judgmental, calm, and intelligent gentleman. He is often portrayed as the kids’ role model and an honorable man. Atticus is by far one of the most brilliant characters in the novel and often proves it on many occasions. Atticus is also easily the most civilized and unbiased human to walk the pages of the novel. All things considered, this novel would have ended very differently and conveyed a different message if Atticus Finch had not been a part of it.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic novel written by Harper Lee. The novel is set in the depths of the Great Depression. A lawyer named Atticus Finch is called to defend a black man named Tom Robinson. The story is told from one of Atticus’s children, the mature Scout’s point of view. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, the Finch Family faces many struggles and difficulties.
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.
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
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper lee in 1960. The novel tells the story of Atticus Finch, a white lawyer, and Tom Robinson, a black servant, accused of raping a white female. Finch defends Robinson in court arguing lack of evidence as his main point. However, the judge and jury still believe the woman’s testimony and orders Robinson to be killed. The novel has been praised for its outstanding literature since its publication. However, it remains a banned book by the American Library Association for its use of racial slurs and profanity. Due to it being banned, many high schools have reconsidered the notion of teaching it to their students. Two prominent authors wrote articles pertaining to this piece of literature: Angela Shaw-Thornburg wrote an article on her re-reading of the novel and her opinions on it; while Malcom Gladwell wrote an article comparing Atticus Finch to a state governor liberalist, James Folsom, and the restraints of liberalism in the south. In addition, Rebecca Best contributes her thought on how the novel should be taught by introducing the idea of “the other.” Regardless of the modern day political arguments surrounding this piece of literature, this novel contains a large insight into the time period of the 1960s which is an influential topic that should be taught to young high school students.
Firstly, Atticus Finch acts justly, fairly, and always helps others who need it. One of his clients, Mr. Cunningham, pays Atticus in entailment. Scout asks her brother, Jem what the meaning of paying in entailment is, “Jem described it as a condition of having your tail in a crack … one morning Jem and I found a load of stovewood in the back yard … Mr. Cunningham had more than paid him” (Lee 20-21). Atticus believes that no one should get any disadvantages because of one’s lower financial state. He shows justice by allowing Mr. Cunningham to pay him in different sources other than money. Also, Atticus is a very wise man. He talks to his daughter with full empathy and understanding to try and help her. When Scout is complaining about her teacher’s attitude towards her, Atticus gives her great advice that, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his shoes and walk around it” (30). He is teaching Scout to be just. He tells her to look at things from a different perspective and notice the difference from hers to someone else’s. Similarly, Atticus who is a white lawyer takes on a case of a black man, Tom Robinson. Therefore, Scout is made fun of for having her father d...
In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is an ideal father, who sets a great example for his kids. A picture of Atticus is important to Scout because Atticus teaches Scout many important life lessons about life. Firstly, as Atticus talks to Scout about Miss. Stephanie, he states “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot 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” (Lee,30). Scout realizes that one can never feel someone’s pain, happiness, or glory until she looks at their point of view of things; she learns to consider other people’s situation and feelings. She also understands that she will never know what goes in other people’s lives, and therefore she cannot judge anyone. Scout matures as she learns to apply Atticus’ wise advice to understand Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley, who are individuals that are misunderstood by the community. Furthermore, as Miss Maudie talks to Scout, she states “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” (Lee, 46). Miss Maudie knows about Atticus’ personality quite well. Miss Maudie explains to Scout Atticus is a man with moral principles, he does what he believes is right even if others are not there to praise him. Through Atticus’ exemplary role, Scout understands the importance of integrity, and strong moral values. Finally, when Scout questions her father about the possible outcome of the trial, Atticus states “simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us to try to win” (Lee, 76). Atticus teaches Scout toleration, determination and moral courage. He already knows he is going to los...
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
Harper Lee’s only book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is the stereotypical tale of childhood and innocence, yet it successfully incorporates mature themes, like the racism in the South at the time, to create a masterpiece of a work that has enraptured people’s minds and hearts for generations. According to esteemed novelist Wally Lamb, “It was the first time in my life that a book had sort of captured me. That was exciting; I didn’t realize that literature could do that” (111). Scout’s witty narration and brash actions make her the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for, and the events that take place in Maycomb County are small-scale versions of the dilemmas that face our world today. Mockingbird is a fantastically written novel that belongs on the shelves of classic literature that everyone should take the time to read and appreciate for its execution of style and the importance of its content.
Atticus Finch is a widower and the father or two children. His character can best be summed up as a man whose character is nearly the complete opposite of the general population of the town and indeed, many white people who lived in the southern states of America. He is a man without prejudice and racial hatred and is a good-hearted man of strong morals. He brings up his children the way he sees right, and defends the innocent represented by Tom Robinson in the novel.
In addition, Tom Robinson is a black man who was accused of raping 19 year old Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finch bravely and courageously took on the case even though he got the idea that it would take a miracle to win. By taking on the Tom Robinson case, it proved that Atticus was not a follower which separated himself from the rest of the town. During the trial, Atticus says, “Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.” (Lee 274). Atticus is referring to his beliefs and how they are legitimate. He stands up for righteousness and justice rather than the majority. Additionally, Atticus believes that violence is not the appropriate answer. He wants his children to keep their fists down and heads up in every situation they encounter. In other words, the event with Mrs. Dubose was very meaningful. Mrs. Dubose is an old lady who lives two doors up the street from the Finch 's house. Atticus ' son, Jem destroyed Mrs. Dubose 's flowers because she had said disrespectful things about Atticus which brought out Jem 's anger. Even though Atticus was very upset, he does not believe violence is the appropriate
Atticus Finch is a good man because he is courageous in many ways. First of all, he defended a coloured male named Tom Robinson in court. Atticus learns what happened between Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell and decides to prove the truth. Defending Tom Robinson is not dangerous for himself, but his family also. Alabama has always been a racist town and Atticus Finch has been trying to improve it. This proves how brave he is to do what is right.
“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...
To Kill A Mockingbird is a book of mystery and meaning of which the author Harper Lee depicted through the many memorable characters that she created based upon her own experience of her hometown. These same characters are most memorable for their unique personalities that can send off a certain message to people that may not be familiar with them, although the people of Maycomb were extremely familiar with one another. Some characters that tend to stick out, as of importance in the novel, seem to go by the names of Atticus Finch, Scout Finch, and Tom Robinson. Atticus Finch was a father figure of which everyone would admire, mostly for his humble and judge-free personality. Logic’s song Flexicution uses the quote “...you too humble boy, just