Examples Of Atticus Finch In To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a book filled with complex characters that can be examined in order to better understand human nature and who we should strive to be. The character held with the highest regard by readers is Atticus Finch. When reading the book, Atticus comes off as a man way beyond his time who stood by his strict moral beliefs. He was generous and understanding man who strives to better the world through his actions and the morals he instills in his children. Atticus accepts nonmonetary forms of payment from the poor and teaches his children to respect and help the sick and elderly. However, when examining his life further, as Lubet does, it can be seen that he may not be the exemplary person that people hold him on

One example of Atticus instilling proper morals in his children is when he warns Jem about Mrs. Dubose, the old lady who always yells at them. Atticus preached to Jem, “‘Easy does it, son’ Atticus would say. ‘She’s an old lady and she’s ill. You just hold your head high and be a gentleman. Whatever she says to you, it’s your job not to let her make you mad.’” (Lee 106). However, one day when Mrs. Dubose is yelling at Jem and Scout, Jem can no longer hold back his anger and destroyed her bushes. When Atticus learns of this, he forces Jem to go read to her every day for a month. When Mrs. Dubose later dies, Atticus reveals that she had a morphine addiction and reading helped her combat her addiction. This shows how Atticus was a compassionate man who taught his children not only to not speak back to those who offend you, but to treat them with respect and

Lubet goes on to describe Atticus as someone who may not have been as moral as he is often pictured to be, due to his apathy regarding the case he was assigned. He argues that Atticus mostly likely tried to avoid taking a case like Tom’s, but since he was given one he was determined to do the best he could for his client, a moral that he stood by in all his cases. Lubet suggests that “Atticus Finch defended Tom Robinson neither in the name of truth nor in disregard of it.” (cite). This meaning that Atticus created a case that could play the sensibilities of the jury and convince at least one of the jurors that Tom was not guilty. In this way Atticus was not the moral icon he is often regarded as because he presents the jury with a solid defense not because he wants to demonstrate the worth and justice that African Americans deserve but because he is obligated to do