The Importance Of Atticus In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird

Despite race discrimination around the world, there are still people who overcome and persevere through these challenges - often at great risk to themselves. During the 1930s, in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, a small town called Maycomb held a trial against an innocent African American man accused of raping a Caucasian woman. The reader experiences life in Maycomb through the eyes of ten year old girl name Jean-Louise Finch, Scout. In this case, Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, was assigned to be the lawyer for the accused, Tom Robinson. However, Atticus has integrity and tries his best for Tom even if his own life is at risk. It makes sense for Atticus to take a stand to defend Tom Robinson because that was who Atticus was,

To Kill a Mockingbird is an alluring novel filled with many lessons. When creating the movie, did the director portray the same interpretation that the novel showed? This novel is about a girl named Scout and her brother, Jem who lives in Maycomb Alabama during the Great Depression. During their summer they befriend a boy named Dill, they start to spy on their reclusive neighbor Boo Radley. Many things change for Scout and Jem when Atticus, their father is assigned to a case to defend a black man accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. The novel was written by Nelle Harper Lee, who was born in 1926 in a small town in Alabama. Robert Mulligan directed the movie and released it two years after it was published. The differences between

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a role model not only for Scout and Jem, but for the town as a whole. He is unbiased and just in his values, and this carries over to his parenting with Jem and Scout. Atticus always listens to what his children have to say, and they greatly respect him for it. He instills in them that it is okay to stand up for what they believe in, even if the rest of society shuns them for it. They are taught to treat other people with respect and to always think before acting. Although Maycomb sometimes looks down upon Atticus, he is an exemplary parent because he has ingrained the values of respecting others, thinking before acting, and being oneself into Scout and Jem.

In Maycomb County, the Negroes are viewed as inferior, and in addition, the Jim Crow laws are enforced to ensure segregation. As a result, they do not have equal rights as the other citizens. When Atticus is asked to defend Tom Robinson, a Negro man accused of raping a white girl, he accepts. To the community this was improper. The community’s disgust at Atticus’ decision is expressed when Scout is irked by Cecil Jacobs, a boy in her class, when he announces that, “Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers.” (p. 82). Perplexed by what he means, Scout asks Atticus, who explains that he is “simply defending a negro” (p. 83). When questioned by Scout why he is defending Tom, Atticus replies, “For a number of reasons…The main one is, 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.” (p. 83). Furthermore, he states that this case is one he is affected personally by, and that even though he knew that they were not going to win, he agreed because, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” (p. 84). This example reveals that even though Atticus knows he is going to lose, he wants to do everything in his power to give Tom the best chance in case justice prevails. Also, he was emotionally invested in this case, and he knew that his conscience would not allow him to do what was not right, regardless of others’ opinions. Heroes generally go against what is expected, stay true to their morals, and always persevere, no matter how dire the outcome is expected to be. These are the exact traits that Atticus exhibits by representing Tom, which is why he is a modern-day hero. Despite Atticus’ best efforts, and Tom’s apparent innocence, Tom is found guilty of rape. Atticus

Novelist Harper Lee, in her book To Kill a Mockingbird, depicts the racism and inequalities in the town of Maycomb by having a white man, Atticus Finch, defend Tom Robinson who was black. Lee’s purpose is to show the world is unfair between races and we need to have compassion for others. She adopts a serious tone to appeal to people’s morals to do the right the thing by those seeking changes for equality.

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, is set in the 1960’s, a time when men and women had specific and restrictive roles in society. Men were the ones to work and earn money for their families and women were expected to a caring and obedient homemakers. In many ways, those gender stereotypes are still very present today. The contrasting opinions of Atticus Finch and Aunt Alexandra provide the reader with the different views on how men and women should be raised, which in turn, affects the readers thoughts and opinions on the gender expectations and roles that are present in today’s society.

For my third and final piece of evidence, Atticus is talking to uncle Jack about Jem and Scout. “You know what’s going to happen as well as I do, Jack, and I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s disease. Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town.”(117) In this quote Atticus explains how he hopes that Jem and Scout don’t become racists like most of the people in Maycomb hence the phrase “Maycomb’s disease.” He wants Jem and Scout to realize how wrong the people of Maycomb are for thinking the way they do. Since Atticus doesn’t want Jem and Scout to listen to the town, I can infer that he believes their way of thinking is unfair. He said it himself that people go mad when anything with an African American man comes up because of their Southern ways of thinking. Therefore Atticus believes that Maycomb is unjust because he is a man of absolute

In the novel, To Kill a MockingBird, Harper Lee illustrates the harsh treatment receive from the townspeople’s when he is order to defend Tom Robinson. When talking to his brother, Jack, Atticus explains that he hopes that his children will not catch Maycomb’s usual disease of racism and prejudice, he hopes his children will come to him. “I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers, instead of listening to the town.” When Scout asked Atticus if he was really a n***** lover, Atticus responded “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." That shows that he believes good wins over evil. Looking at Atticus we can see that he is not held back by the conventions of racism and prejudice, he is trying to live and guide his children to be fair and loving towards

Not to mention, he takes the case without outwardly pleading it is a hopeless cause. To show, Atticus defends Tom Robinson as he would defend any white man, and makes it his civil duty to do this man right. Coupled with Atticus’s personal beliefs, he never shows regret in his obligation to Tom Robinson and his family. In another instance, Atticus respected these citizens even before the case. Though the residents of Maycomb did not agree with him, Atticus stuck to his belief all men are created equal. Equally important, he never frowned upon them, or disgraced their ways. While speaking to his children, Atticus conveys this, “Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man” (Lee 139). As a result, he displays to his children that he is not a coward and will not back away from a challenge, even if it means his reputation may taper as the trial advances. Correspondingly, the African American populous makes known that they are appreciative of Atticus’s intentions to free Tom of his accusation. During the trial, the members of the African American public watched Atticus vividly defend their friend as if color was no

What makes a good father? It is someone who is a leader, someone who always wants what is best for you. Especially when times get rough. Over time parenting has changed and grown in many different ways. Authors tackle the ideal parent and different parenting actions and views. Harper Lee in, To Kill A Mockingbird shows many different types of parents. As a single father, character Atticus Finch stands out the most. He shows he is a good parent as he provides important life lessons to his children and others. He shows fairness to others and his kids especially. Lastly he shows that you should always stand up for others no matter what.

Calpurnia serves as an amazing role model and mother figure to the children, and yet Aunt Alexandra wants to fire her. She had raised Jem and Scout, and plays an indispensable part of their lives, showering them with discipline, structure, and love. Aunt Alexandra, however, barely existed in the children 's lives up until she moved into the Finch’s home, yet she inflicts great injustice on Calpurnia by failing to recognize the necessitous part of the family that Calpurnia fills. Scout even overhears Aunt Alexandra saying, "...you 've got to do something about her. You 've let things go on too long Atticus, too long. I don 't see any problem in letting her go"(182). Calpurnia deserves honor and reward, not termination. The injustice of Aunt Alexandra’s disregard for Calpurnia continues the underlying theme of the book.

In To Kill A Mockingbird, a theme that develops throughout the whole book is that people are not always who they seem to be. People are not always who they seem to be because they hide their true selves, there are rumors about them, and people are racist.

fortunate”(292). Although he is white, Atticus demonstrates how one can understand someone, regardless of color. Instead of just being Tom Robinson’s lawyer, Atticus chooses to defend this man;however, since it is made known that Atticus is doing so, the town of Maycomb reacts with negativity. For example, he is insulted numerous times by the people of Maycomb.” Your father’s no better than the n****** and trash he works for”(Lee 135). African-americans are thought of lowly because of their color ,and in this commentary, made by Miss Dubose, Atticus is thought of at a lower level because he is defending Tom Robinson. Even Mrs. Merriweather insults Atticus in his own home at one of the missionary tea gatherings. “I tell you there are some

She notices that Scout isn’t acting like a girl so she went to Atticus and Alexandra and Atticus talked about why she is not acting like a girl. Alexandra thinks Calpurnia is a bad example to Scout becoming a lady. Alexandra is saying this because she found out Calpurnia brought Scout to her church and when they were walking home Scout asked Calpurnia what does ‘rape’ mean. Then Calpurnia told Scout to ask Atticus. So she did. Alexandra and Atticus argued about Calpurnia. Atticus trust Calpurnia with him kids and how she teaches them. On the other hand Alexandra doesn’t trust Calpurnia and thinks the kids shouldn’t either and thinks she need to leave. Scout just wanted to leave this conversation so she acted like she was going to the bathroom. Then she was listening to Atticus and Alexandra talking about it. “I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life I thought of running aways.” (155) Finally Atticus told Scout you will listen to Calpurnia, Aunt Alexandra as long she is here and

Calpurnia is displayed as a better mother figure than Aunt Alexandra in the story. Calpurnia’s presence in the Finch home is clearly enjoyed by the kids. When Aunt Alexandra wanted Calpurnia out of the house, Atticus calmly explained that the children love her and she is unexpendable in the Finch house. Calpurnia also takes care of them and explains various things that the children do not understand like a good mother would do. Often times in the book, Aunt Alexandra is inferred to be an inferior mother figure to Calpurnia. She talks about the kids not acting up to the standards of the family behind their backs and puts Atticus up to lecturing them about their downfalls. Aunt Alexandra also disapproves the kids’ clothing and activities, but especially Scout. She scowled when she told Scout to come inside to talk with some neighborhood ladies and she was muddy. She says that before long, Scout will start acting, dressing, and behaving more like a lady. The kids clearly do not like their Aunt around, as they have said many times just her presence makes many days gloomy. Based on the evidence from the book, Calpurnia is a better mother figure than Aunt