In general, the first thing that comes to people’s minds when they hear “hero” is superheroes. Batman, Superman, the works. And fiction can be thanked for this. However, a real life hero has very little to do with superpowers, rather they fight for the good cause, even though others may not support them. Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird is not only renowned for its complex themes such as racial inequality and race, but also for Lee’s humorous writing style. The narrator’s father, Atticus Finch serves as an inspiration and hero for many. To Kill a Mockingbird teaches readers that a hero, such as Atticus Finch, does not necessarily have to kill a monster or save a princess, rather if a person possesses
Every human-being started out innocent, with a clear mind set, and from that view everything was simple; the line between right and wrong was clear, good and evil, equality and inequality, justice and injustice. However, as time went on this simple way of thinking changed, innocence was lost, and black and white became a million shades of gray. This common coming of age moment everyone experiences, whether it is for the better or worst, is shown within the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Therefore, the book represents the theme that children possess the ability to see people for who they are, without any prejudice or racism, because of their innocence and clear judgement, showing true knowledge of right and wrong, unless tainted by
Every day in our lives, heroes are all around us. They may not be what society tells us is a hero, like Superman or Batman. They do not wear fancy costumes or have super powers. But these heroes change the lives of the people around them, for the better. Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird is the charismatic, understanding father of Scout and Jem Finch as well as a hard working lawyer in Maycomb County, Alabama. 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.
Being the older sibling, Jem realizes the long-held values of Maycomb, but only as he matures does he understand what it means to have moral integrity. There are many times in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee in which the reader can see Jem’s maturity and his moral values. The first time Jem starts to understand moral integrity is when he is forced to read to Mrs. Dubose. After her death, Atticus explains just how much she was going through, and this information had a great impact on Jem. Jem furthers his knowledge of moral integrity during the trial. Jem believes that Atticus and Tom Robinson have won because he knows that the evidence was strong. Atticus ends up losing, which causes Jem to realize how much men will overlook evidence and the truth just to go against an African American. Lastly, Jem understands moral integrity while watching and learning from Atticus. Atticus firmly believes in ideas such as Tom Robinson’s innocence. He never gave up or fell to other men’s beliefs during the time of the trial, before it, or after it.
During the trial in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Atticus uses the three forms rhetoric to defend Tom Robinson, Ethos, Logos, and Pathos.
In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, has many themes but none more evident than the losses and suffering of innocent people. For example, Mayella Ewell expiriences this theme as she is forced by her father to go along with the false accusation of rape comitted by Tom Robinson. As stated by Atticus Finch it wasn’t Tom but Mayella who committed this, "She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man.” (271). Mayella jumped on Tom and Tom couldn’t defend himself because he could hurt her. Mayella states, “ I never kissed a grown man before, what my daddy does to me does not count” (265). Mayella is beaten senseless by her father constantly and Bob Ewell witnessed Mayella jump on Tom but was disgusted by what he saw
Due to the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird, the outcome of Tom Robinson's trial is likely to be Tom ruled guilty. One piece of evidence to support a guilty verdict is the fact that Tom Robinson is black and the Ewells are white. In the 1930's, if a black man was accused of raping a white woman, a guilty verdict and the death penalty was the most common outcome. Earlier on in the story, Atticus states that they had already lost due to the color of Tom's skin. This is also due to the fact that they are having this trail in a heavily segregated south in the 1930's. Lastly, the separation of classes due to the Great Depression being in effect causes Tom to be set below the majority of Maycomb because of Tom's wealth, or lack thereof. Tom
Atticus suffers during the Tom Robinson case because he has to defend a black man, even though he knows he cannot win the trial. Atticus follows the church's teaching of redemptive suffering. The church teaches that you must do the right thing in the eyes of God, regardless of what society says. Atticus knows that even though he cannot win the case, he must defend Tom Robinson. Atticus also prevented the lynching of Tom Robinson. Atticus knew that there was going to be a mob that was going to try to lynch Tom at the jail. Knowing the intent of the mob, Atticus went the the jail and sat in front of the door. His intent was to not let anyone through those doors. “ ‘You know what we want,’ another man said. ‘Get aside from that door, Mr. Finch.’ ‘You can turn around and go home again, Walter,’ Atticus said pleasantly,” (202). Atticus went out of his way to prevent the lynching of Tom Robinson. After work he went to
Ray alleges “In contrast to outlaw heroes, the official heroes preeminently worldly, comfortable in society, and willing to undertake even those public duties demanding personal sacrifice.” (380). Skeeter is the opposite of this because she doesn't follow social norms, becomes alienated due to her choices, and crosses social boundaries. She doesn't follow social norms because in the movie after she comes home from college she becomes an independent, unmarried woman who’s focused on her career. While her mom and friends want her to focus on becoming a wife. Skeeter becomes alienated due to her choices of not being married, and because of how her perspective on the division between white Southern households and black maids has changed due to being in the city and going to college. She also crosses social boundaries in the movie to write a book about the lives of black maids in the South, which is a highly controversial and could have gotten the maids who helped fired and shunned. These characteristics are what help her further her transformation from the women she was raised to be to the independent, brave woman who chooses her own
In the courtroom the defendant relies on the lawyer to defend him prove him not guilty. A well developed speech can change the views that people have and ultimately land a deadly blow on any thought of prejudice that the court has on the defendant.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Jem grows from a little boy to an intelligent young man. Throughout the book, he discerns many things that shape his personality. As Jem grows, he learns how bad society is and that not everyone is perfect. Fortunately for Jem, this ends up helping him and he finds out that Atticus is a hero and that he should look up to Atticus. Through Atticus and the trial, Jem loses his innocence by learning about prejudice, bravery, and that the justice system is crippled.
Within the novel, Atticus is defending a black man by the name of Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a young woman. How Atticus handled this trial is widely considered to be fair. He asked just and equal questions to all the witnesses along with Tom and Mayella, the girl who cried rape. Why does Atticus do this instead of just giving up on Tom? It is simply explained with “if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (Lee,100). He wants to hold his head high instead of enduring a nagging conscious from doing something unjust for another hard working man. “I’m simply defending a Negro- his name’s Tom Robinson. He lives in that little settlement beyond the town dump. He’s a member of Calpurnia’s church, and Cal knows his family well. She says they’re clean-living folks.” (Lee, 100). Even though Atticus knows he will most likely lose from a white man’s word against a black’s, he still gives this case his undivided attention. Atticus defended Tom to the last moment when he is eventually taken away to prison. He heard both sides of the story equally just as he has with his own children’s problems, and put reason to hericies. Even so, not every battle can be won within
Atticus’ courage is shown in multiple ways through his court actions and his stand against racial discrimination. For instance, as a lawyer, Atticus defends the innocent, despite controversial thoughts of others, this is proven true in the Tom Robinson court case. During this discriminative period, most African Americans brought to court for an accused crime were deemed guilty, despite the clear evidence that proved their innocence. When Jem thought Atticus’ defense of Tom will bring Tom to justice, Reverend Sykes said: “I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man”(Lee 279). This proves Atticus’ courage because he chose to fight for a colored man to prove that he is not guilty of an alleged crime, despite knowing the usual outcome of the case and the disapproval he will receive from others.
"Courage is when you know you 're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee 's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. "Real courage" is when you fight for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose. Atticus fits into this definition of what "real courage" is and demonstrates it several times throughout the novel.
Atticus was given an impossible case to win, but he dedicated a majority of his time on the case. “This case, Tom Robinson 's case, is something that goes to the essence of a man 's conscience — Scout, I couldn 't go to church and worship God if I didn 't try to help that man” (104). This quote truly portrays Atticus’s character and mindset. During this time period, not many other lawyers would feel this way about that particular case. Atticus’s implies that he would not be able to carry on with his life without helping Tom Robinson and that he wanted to help Tom walk away a free man. He went against popular beliefs during that time, to defend Tom Robinson. A few of the civilians of the town, did not agree with Atticus’s mindset, and would call him harsh and rude names, but Atticus did not let the name-calling bother or stop him. “ ‘You aren’t really a nigger-lover, then are you?’ ‘I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody...I’m hard put, sometimes-baby, it’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you”(108). Scout was asking Atticus about being a nigger-lover, and he explained to her that it is only an insult if she lets it bother her. Name- calling also shows how poor of a person the name caller is. In the courtroom, Atticus made an impact on the jury, but it just was not enough. “ I waited and waited to see you all come down the sidewalk, and as I waited I thought, Atticus Finch won’t win, he can’t win, but he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that. And I thought to myself, well, we’re making a step-it’s just a baby-step, but it’s a step” (216). Atticus made at least a small impression on the jury even though the case was a lost cause to begin with. With any other lawyer, the jury would not have listened as well, but they