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To kill a mockingbird in today's society
To kill a mockingbird a character study essay
To kill a mockingbird in today's society
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Atticus Finch - The Everyday Hero Typically a hero is seen wearing tights, or working in secret, but in reality heroes are ordinary people doing extraordinary acts. A hero is someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Atticus Finch is a true hero. Atticus is definitely a hero as proven by his morality, his courage and finally his abilities as well as intelligence. To begin with, Atticus Finch is a hero due to his morality. Atticus shows his morals by his reaction to Scout saying the phrase nigger-lover. Scout asks Atticus what a “nigger-lover” is as a result of someone at school calling her father one resulting in a fight with Scout. “You aren’t really …show more content…
Courage is the ability to do something that frightens one, which Atticus displays throughout the story. Firstly, Atticus has the courage to take on a case that he has a high probability of losing. Judge Taylor assigns the case to Atticus for a sole reason, that Atticus has the best chance of winning or creating a change in society with this case. “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hands. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyways and you see through it no matter what” (112). Atticus knows he will most likely lose the Tom Robinson case but he proceeds through it, despite the problems the case will cause him and his family. Secondly, Atticus Finch stands in front of Tom Robinson’s jail cell protecting him from the lynch mob. Lynching is a very common way of killing in the time period of this story which was commonly done by hanging the person for an alleged offense. “You know what we want’ another man said, ‘Get away from the door, Mr. Finch’. ‘You can turn around and go home Arthur,’ Atticus said pleasantly.” (202). Atticus is willing to stand up to a lynch mob and protect his client Tom Robinson even at the cost of his own life. Thirdly, Atticus continues on with his life normally despite the constant hate he gets. “Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse …show more content…
First, Atticus is able to get valuable information during the Tom Robinson trial by playing a trick during the cross examination of Mr. Bob Ewell. “Mr Ewell can you read and write?’... I most certainly can’ ‘Mr Ewell wrote on the back on the envelope... What’s so interestin?’ ‘You’re left handed Mr.Ewell.” (236). Atticus is attempting to belittle Mr.Ewell to expose that he is left handed to the jury. This is important in the case as Tom Robinson’s left hand is very weak and Mayella Ewell’s injuries were on her right side. Secondly, Atticus was once the best shot in Maycomb County and possesses a natural talent for shooting. “Forgot to tell you the other day that besides playing the Jew’s harp, Atticus Finch was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time.” (129). Atticus carries the ability to grab a rifle and shoot on command and hit is target fourteen out of fifteen times, but he will only do so to defend his friends, family or neighbours. Moving forward, Atticus is very intelligent. “Our mother died when I was two, so I never felt her absence... Atticus met her when he was first elected to the state legislature” (7). Atticus was a part of the state legislature at a young age, which is not a particularly easy feat to
Lee illustrates Atticus Finch as a very understanding character, especially during the Tom Robinson trial. During the revolting times of the 1930s, it was outlandish for a white man to stand up for a Negro man. For example, when the towns’ people are talking about Atticus, they say, “You know the court appointed him to defend this nigger.” “Yeah, Atticus aims to defend him, that’s what is don’t like about it” (218). When Atticus is delegated to defend Tom Robinson, he not only defends him because he was ordered to. Atticus intentionally helped Tom and wanted Tom to win. Even though the towns’ people did not like Atticus aiming to defend Tom, he understood that it was his duty to help him. Another example is in chapter 22 when Bob Ewell spits on Atticus’s face. Atticus didn’t react intrusive because he knew that it would affect people’s outlook on the trial and on Tom. Atticus stood above the standard and helped a black man, which earned him respect from the Negro people in town. Atticus was very wholehearted when deciding to help Tom Robinson in the trial.
Courage is a deed that can be portrayed in many ways. In the Historical Fiction novel To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, there are many acts of racism and problematic cases where acts of courage are demonstrated in different and unique ways that can only be deciphered if one reads in between the lines of the words. There are three characters in particular who show courage in diverse ways. First, there is Arthur Radley who anonymously shows courage by performing tasks that cause him to face the outside world where he’s been isolated from for so long. Secondly, there is Scout Finch who demonstrates courage through her adolescent age. Lastly, there is Atticus Finch who displays courage through his selfless and kind actions. Therefore, in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses diverse characters to represent different acts of courage.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” is a novel by Harper Lee, that teaches many themes, one of which being very important is courage. Many people think that courage is a man with a gun in his hand, but Lee’s definition is much different. She thinks that courage is when you know that you’re beaten before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. The first quote I have to further explain this is early in the story when Atticus tells Jem and Scout about the court case he is handling. “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” (Lee 101). Atticus knows he won’t win the court case, but he still tries his best and doesn’t falter whatsoever. Many people scrutinize him for defending a negro, but he ignores them like he should, and shows maturity and courage.
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.
Our hero in To Kill A Mockingbird is Atticus Finch. In this story Atticus finch is a lawyer whose morality and reason makes him the hero of the story. For example in this quote “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you
Atticus Finch is a heroic character in To Kill A Mockingbird. A hero is a person who is known for certain achievements and qualities. Atticus is known for many qualities he displayed during the novel, as well as various achievements. This makes him a heroic character. Atticus Finch is a hero because he defended a black man in court, proved his abilities and intelligences, and cared for everybody equally.
Overall Atticus was a hero in a sense of the word. It is proved he acted in such a manner that it could be said his character was built of that definition. Currently more people like him are needed in our world. If more people saw things from the point of view of Atticus the violence occurring because of race would end and people would just see people based on who they were and not what skin
Courage is when you know you’re beaten. The character Atticus, for instance, who was a seasoned lawyer acted courageous defending Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was a black man who was accused of raping a white girl. Atticus was appointed to defend him. Jem was happy because he thought his father had won the case but Reverend Sykes loathed telling Jem “Now don’t you be so confident, Mr. Jem, I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man…”(Lee 208). Atticus was sure he wasn’t going to win the case, nevertheless he gave it a try. That didn’t stop Atticus from trying to defend his client Tom Robinson. Another part in the novel when Atticus was courageous was when he shot at the man street dog. Heck Tate the Maycomb Sheriff was not as courageous as Atticus so he handed Atticus the air rifles and with one shot Atticus took down the street dog. Miss Maudie says “I saw that, One Shot Finch” (Lee 97). Atticus was referred to as one-shot finch because of his shooting skills. The other incidence in the novel when Atticus portrays courage was when he was not scared when Bob Ewell threatened him. Bob Ewell was the man who accused Atticus’ defendant Tom Robinson of raping his daughter Mayella. Atticus thought Bob Ewell threatened him as some sort of revenge, but unfortunately Atticus was wrong because when Bob Ewell said ...
Throughout reading chapters ten through fifteen, Atticus can be characterized as skillful and wise. The first adjective I will be describing is skillful. The kids did not know that Atticus is the best checker player in town. Even though playing checkers is not the best skill to have it show his intelligences. Playing checkers means that Atticus has a good strategy to his game. In the book it states, “Well, did you know he’s the best checker-player in this town” (Lee 120). Playing checkers lets people think in a different way. When you play checkers you think about what the other person's next move is and if it is a good move to make. The next reason Atticus could be described as skillful is he used to shoot guns when he was younger. Atticus
In this world one does not often encounter a hero. A true hero dedicated his life to putting others before himself. Through his actions as a hero, Atticus plants the seeds of morality in his community and watches them grow.
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...
Atticus Finch was a true hero, in my eyes. He had all the essentials to being a hero, such as; respect, equality, and quiet dignity. Sure, Mr. Finch didn’t quite reach his goal of winning the Tom Robinson case, but it was the fact that he attempted it, knowing he would lose. A hero is not someone who achieves something, but is a person that attempts to. The journey to your goal might even be more important than the actual achievement, because on your way to the top, struggles appear and you overcome them by learning new lessons to live by in life. In conclusion, Atticus Finch truly is America’s greatest hero.
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.
Lee created a character, Atticus Finch that in To Kill A Mockingbird demonstrates equality, morality, and wisdom. Atticus teaches Jem and Scout differently from the others, he teaches them with respect, equality, and empathy while with good virtues. Atticus is one of the few ones in Maycomb that is committed to racial equality. Atticus is a modest person, he does not like expose his abilities, he rather keep it to himself. In addition, Atticus had a courageous move on defending an African American, Tom Robinson. Not to mention that Atticus an upstanding mortal, he has extraordinary parenting skills.
Atticus was incredibly courageous taking on tom Robinsons case against the prejudice of Macomb County and he shows incredible courage when he says, "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try and won." He wants the people of Maycomb to hear the truth about Tom Robinson, "That boy may go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told." Chapter 15, Page 146. He was against the whole white community including his own sister practically said that he was a disgrace to his family Atticus tells scout when she asks him why he is taking the case he says "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.