To Kill A Mockingbird Conscience Analysis

Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, one can see two central themes: the need for compassion and the need for conscience. Atticus Finch is trying to raise his children in a way that both will have compassion and a strong conscience. Atticus Finch teaches his children about the need for conscience by example when he punishes Jem by making him read to Mrs. Dubois for one month, agrees to defend Tom Robinson, and in his closing remarks to the jury.
Atticus Finch showed his son, Jem, the need for conscience when he punished Jem by making him read to Mrs. Dubois for one month. Jem was punished, because he destroyed Mrs. Dubois’s Azalea. Atticus Finch punished Jem, because he wanted to show Jem that one cannot do something without facing the consequences of that decision. This showed Jem that one needs to have a strong conscience to discern between what is right and wrong. The punishment of reading

to Mrs. Dubois also taught Jem a lesson in compassion. From this punishment, Jem learned how often times we may not fully comprehend why someone does or says something until we try to see things from their perspective.
Atticus showed the need for conscience when he agreed to defend tom Robinson. Atticus knew he would most likely loose the case, because of people’s prejudice against African-Americans during this time period in America. He still agreed to take on the case because of his strong conscience. He said, “Right. But do you think I could face my children otherwise? . . . Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand.”(Lee 117) Atticus knew if he didn’t take this case he could not ask his children to obey and respect him, because he would not have done the right thing. Atticus Finch knew he needed to defend Tom Robinson even if he might loose, because It would not be right to allow the Ewells to wrongly accuse an innocent African- American.
Atticus showed the need for conscience in his closing statement to the jury.

at the end of the trial Atticus made his closing statement. In his closing statement he appealed to the individual conscience of each jury member. He begged them to look at the evidence without prejudice and to make a decision based on facts not on the presupposition that all blacks are liars. In His closing statement he said, “Gentleman, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. . . I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore the defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.”(Lee 274-275)
In conclusion, the need for conscience is truly evident throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Atticus had a very strong conscience and tried to instill the same in his children. Atticus finch showed the need for conscience when he made Jem read to Mrs. Dubois for punishment, when he agreed to defend Tom Robinson, and in his closing remarks to the

jury.