In To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee shows that an average person can be a hero. Lee is saying there is a hero in everyone. All heroes do not have to hide some are in plain sight. In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the character of Atticus Finch represents Lee's idea of the social justice by demonstrating wisdom, trustworthiness, and patience as he responds to conflict. Atticus is wise because he sees what is wrong about the court and he trys to fix the court system. For example in the passage "Our courts have their fault, as does any human institution ... in our court, all men are created equal"( Lee, 274). Atticus is saying that people should not judge people because of there skin color even if their color is different they should be equal. Atticus is trying to change the government courts are equal for all citizens. Lee is showing how Atticus is changing the court system. …show more content…
Atticus is trustworthy and this is shown when Atticus accepts the Tom Robinson case the town told him not try, but Atticus did his best to win the case. For instance during the case Atticus says, "I simply defend a negro" also in the passage "If should"t be to defend him then why are doing it... For a number of reasons"(Lee,100). Atticus exampling to his children why he defending Tom Robinson in this case and he tells them that it the right thing to do even if the town say not to Atticus does it anywhere. Lee is showing how court system was unfair by your skin
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.
Atticus criticizes, “...-the evil assumption-that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negroes are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption that one associates with minds of their calibre.” Atticus denounces all those that associate evilness with being a Negro. Atticus is proving that a majority of the people in the courtroom associate Negroes with lies or cruel deeds, and they are under an evil assumption. Atticus evokes this feeling from the jury in order to demonstrate that anyone can lie, be immortal, or untrustworthy, not just Negroes. Atticus wants the jury to understand that we should not identify a Negro as being bad simply because of their shade of their skin. Atticus is challenging everyone, the jury in particular, to analyze individuals by their actions rather than by
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.
Throughout the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch demonstrates himself as an honest lawyer, a loving father, and a symbol of righteousness through his beliefs that he instills in his children. Atticus Finch values empathy, respect, and bravery, and he proves himself as a moral compass by teaching both Jem and Scout these values in the form of life lessons.
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.
Although they are critiqued, some people do whatever they can do to improve our society. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch proves himself to be a hero. This small-town lawyer exhibits bravery, strength, and modesty when faced with objection during Maycomb’s quarrel for justice. Without a doubt, Atticus proves that anybody can stand for what he or she believes is right.
Atticus, he is persistent, positive, truthful, serious, concerned, wise, empathetic, and reasonable. Although, which ones make him, him the utmost? Is it positivity, or wisdom, it could be several of them. Which one's make you, you? Social justice is where there is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the theme of social justice is demonstrated through the character of Atticus Finch who is positive and persistent.
Atticus shows great compassion and tolerance when he stands up for the Negroes. He stands up and represents Tom Robinson because he believes that everyone should be treated equally in the court of law. He knows that because Tom was a Negro there would be a slim chance of winning. That fact never discouraged him though because he says that the main reason he is representing Tom is because, ' if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature'; (75). He recited a speech, which clearly states that Tom Robinson is not guilty. In that speech he says, 'our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal'; (205). He believed that prejudice and stereotyping is wrong and he tries to teach these morals to Scout and Jem.
Harper Lee has portrayed true heroes as people who persevere through hardships, even if they know that they will lose. Despite the many heroes throughout the whole book, including Mrs. Dubose and the Finch children, I believe that Atticus Finch is the real hero because he takes the biggest risk of all, but knows that the outcome may not turn out so pretty.
This quote shows how fair Atticus is, he’s trying to understand other people in different situations. His advice is very true and is valid throughout the entire book, it could even be considered a theme on it’s own. Atticus’ quality of respect is very high and continues on into the trial further into the book which helps him during the case and helps Lee build to the theme: “‘Gentleman,’ he was saying ‘I shall be brief, but I would like to use my remaining time with you to remind you that this case is not a difficult one, it requires no minute sifting of complicated facts, but it does require you to be sure beyond all reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant. To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white,” Lee 271 Atticus voices in his final words at the trial.
In To Kill A Mockingbird Lee tells the story of a Mr. Tom Robinson who is an African American who is being charged with rape against a white women. Atticus is the lawyer who must defend Robinson in court. In the Scottsboro case a central figure was a heroic judge who overturned a guilty verdict against the young men. The judge went against the public in trying to protect the rights of the African American men. In reading the novel you learn that Atticus arouses anger in the small community when he tries to defend Robinson.
"There's something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn't be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life” (Lee ,223). Atticus told the jury thus quote. In tough situations Atticus always has great judgement. No matter the color, Harper Lee shows Atticus's character to be the most responsible out of most, he's also one of the most important characters in the book and is greatly talked about throughout the
Not only does he defend Tom Robinson to the best of his abilities he also brings into question the segregation of blacks and whites in the south. Miss Maudie describes it the best when she consoles Jem after the trial explaining that “There are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them” (Lee, pg.288) What she means by this is that Atticus is doing the town a great service by being the one to defend Tom Robinson. The townspeople understand the moral dilemma that this must put him in and even though they disagree with his decision they respect him for being able to make one. This is why he is respected, but also why he is criticized. A good example of this behavior is shown by Mrs. Dubose who criticizes Atticus’ decision to be “ in the courthouse lawing for niggers” (Lee, pg.135). She never criticizes him to his face because she respects the situation that he has been put in and knows that it would be difficult for her to make any decision in that situation. Atticus is met with both respect and criticism because he makes the unpopular decision in a hard
“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...