To Kill a Mockingbird

English essay on To Kill a Mockingbird

In 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Atticus finch is presented as a respectable

well-known man. Before Atticus Finch there was a customary tradition

at the Finch's landing, which has been in place since Simon Finch made

it his home and died there. The customary tradition was ' the men in

the family remained on Finch's landing and made their living from

cotton'. In the twentieth century Atticus Finch went to Montgomery to

read law and John Hale Finch, Atticus' younger brother studied

medicine in Boston. Atticus later lived in Maycomb County, where he

began his practice. Maycomb was only 20 miles from the Finch's

landing. Atticus has a sister called Alexandra and two young children,

Scout and her brother Jem.

Later Jem and scout met a boy called Dill and befriend him. The three

of them have a strange fascination with their neighbour, Boo Radley.

The Radley's front yard always look's swept even though no one ever

swept it. The children believed Mr Radley was a 'malevolent phantom',

as they had never seen him before. Jem got most of his information

form another neighbour, Miss Stephanie Crawford, known as the

neighbour scold. Dill insisted on making Boo Radley come out, so much

so that he once dared Jem to go to the door of the Radley place and

back. Atticus never talked to his children about their neighbour Boo

Radley and always told Jem to, 'mind their own business and let the

Radley's mind theirs'.

Soon after their first summer with Dill, Scout started school. On her

first day Jem took her to school. She believes 'some money changed

hands in the transaction'. She believes this as on the way to school

she heard 'an unfamiliar jingle in Jem's pocket'. This 'transaction'

s...

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...d, "yes sir I understand,

Mr Tate was right". Then when asked what she meant she explained,

"It'd sort of be like shootin' a mocking-bird". I think that when

Atticus heard those words coming from his daughter that it made him

realise that all the things he had told them actually got through.

In my view Atticus is a well-respected and very honourable man who has

very strong principles. He is a great father, he does not tell his

children what to do he just advises them to do the right thing. The

best quality he has is truthfulness to his children. This is shown

when his brother tells Scout a lie about what the meaning of the word

and what they want to hear. Atticus as a citizen is well mannered,

composed and respected. He is a valued member of the community and a

well-loved neighbour. All in all Mr Atticus Finch is a brilliant man

and great family figure.