In Harper Lee's classic novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird," Atticus Finch serves as a compelling embodiment of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of a just and equal society. Atticus is a principled, wise, and compassionate lawyer who, in the racially charged setting of 1930s Maycomb, Alabama, stands as a beacon of moral integrity and racial tolerance. He not only supports the ideals of equality and justice but also demonstrates them in his actions and interactions with others. One of Atticus’s main ways in which he embodies Dr.King is through his commitment to treating everyone with respect and fairness, regardless of one's race.
Isaiah says, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression…” (Isaiah 1:17, ESV). Following God’s will by doing good and correcting wrong defines Atticus Finch, a lawyer in Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus defends an innocent black man, Tom Robinson, who was falsely accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. The trial takes place in the 1930’s in Maycomb, Alabama, a small racist town.
Though people are fond of Atticus himself, his decision to aim for Tom Robinson’s justice causes discomfort, “ ‘Lemme tell you somethin’ now, Billy’ a third said, ‘you know the court appointed him to defend this nigger.’ ‘Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That’s what I don’t like about it” (186). The quote exposes that everyone understand the fact that he is assigned to the case but do not understand as to why he is so intent on proving a black man’s innocence. Since Atticus exceedingly expresses his thought on Tim’s innocence and involves so much of himself in the case with a black person, he obtains negative feedback and gets called a nigger-lover.
Everyone has had to take a stand for someone at some point in their life, sometimes it's risky, and sometimes it’s dangerous, but you have to face it and stand up for what you believe in and fight against the odds. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”, A lawyer named Atticus has to defend a black man called Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white girl named Mayella Ewells. In the 1930s, racism was common in Maycomb County, and it was no easy task to defend a man of color. Atticus takes a stand for Tom Robinson, And it would make sense why, since Atticus holds an open-minded personality, and treats everyone as equals. He is a determined person and tries to think empathetically.
“You may choose to look away, but you may never say that you did not know” (William Wilberforce). In To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch juggles being a single father to his two children and practicing law in his small town. When Atticus defends a young black man who is being accused rape, the town of Macomb becomes polarized on the case and the trial reveals many truths about the people of the Maycomb. Atticus Finch works passionately to fight for the minority, which amplifies the importance of justice.
Atticus has faith in this case because of his morals he believes that in the judicial system everyone should be equal, that's the one place on earth any man, no matter what colour of the rainbow they are, they should be treated fairly and equally, but more than all that he believes in the human ability to be good, to do the right thing even when it's the harder thing to do. Even through this he manages to teach his children, he teaches them to be empathetic and to walk around in someone's skin before making any conclusions. Atticus believes that if he can raise his children to realize that the town, the County, the State, and the entire South is sick, sick with racism. If he can teach them that then they may be able to grow and gradually move society from its ways and bring more
Despite racial inequalities in the South, Atticus sticks to his own morals and agrees to be the defending lawyer for Tom Robinson, a black man being accused of raping a white woman. Although Atticus’ defense in court was thorough and clearly proved Tom’s innocence, the jury was prejudiced towards black folks and convicted Tom as guilty. Nonetheless, Atticus is still a hero despite losing the case. He has the courage to stand up for what he believes in, fights with reason rather than guns, and has utmost determination, making him a hero despite being just an average human being. Ultimately, his thoughts and actions set the stage for major changes in the meaning of equality throughout Maycomb County, changing lives of numerous people.
“I want you to understand that courage isn’t a man with a gun in his hand,” (Lee 112). This is a quote spoken from a courageous man who put himself in other people’s positions and did not believe he was superior to African Americans like many in that time period. Atticus Finch is a lawyer, and also the father of Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The finches live in a small town called Maycomb during 1933, also known as the Great Depression era. Throughout the book, the town faces many racial discrimination issues, especially when an African American man named Tom Robinson is falsely accused of rape of a white female.
One central idea shown in Chapter 15 of "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of opposition. In chapter 15, Atticus risks his life to protect Tom Robinson when he is in the Maycomb jail. Even when Atticus was surrounded by a mob of people willing to hurt him, he remains calm and does not show any signs of fear or panic, and only wants to protect Tom Robinson. The author reinforces this theme when a man asks, "He in there Mr. Finch?" a man said.
Just by defending a black person Atticus is trashed on how horrible he is for doing such a thing. The bigotry about race is the same back then in the book than it is now in modern
Would you rather do the right thing and be criticized by society, or do the wrong thing and be accepted. In the book “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, Atticus has to make this very decision. It is the Early 1900’s in Maycomb county, Alabama's courthouse, Atticus has to defend Tom Robinson in a case. While everyone he knows is against his decision and dislikes him now.
The quote by Martin Luther King Jr “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he made stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”. This quote means that a man’s personality/character is shaped and determined by the way he reacts and responds to the difficulties and hardships that he face’s. The way in which this quote by Martin Luther King” relates to the novel “To Kill a Mocking Bird” is the way Atticus feels when he defends Tom Robinson. From the outside he looks all confident and professional but from the inside he is very nervous and scared. Even though Tom Robinson is a black man it makes it difficult for Atticus because they were in the era of the Great Depression where there
"Jem, 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 know you 're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. " This insightful statement was told by Atticus Finch to his son, Jem Finch. Many people in Maycomb had to deal with racism, hatred, and discrimination because of their skin color or because of the court case.
It has become common today to fight for human equality. Yet in the meantime, the theme of racial discrimination could be seen in both To Kill A Mockingbird and Black Lives Matter, in ways such as marches but not limited to protesting. Though blacks argue that it is unfair for whites to shoot innocent blacks, and some whites contend that blacks also kill blacks, but both show that the debate over whether black lives matter has been growing in intensity. In To Kill A Mockingbird, the author agrees that black people should be treated equally.
Atticus could not live with himself if he failed to give his utmost effort in clearing the accused, Tom Robinson’s, name. The lawyer feels that he has to do it. The people of Maycomb are small minded and hypocritical, Atticus Finch is not. Nothing can be done to make the towns people hear the truth. Tom Robinson, would be a free man, living with his family, if it wasn’t for the people of Maycomb.
