JAN 2023
Atticus Thesis Essay (To Kill a Mockingbird)
What would you do, if something you felt was wrong was being done with such regularity, that it was accepted as a fact of life? What would you do, if people were filled with such hate against others, that many innocent lives had been taken every day? Would you lie around and wait for something to be done? Or, would you take a stand and fight for what you believe in? This very scenario is an important element in Harper Lee’s realistic fiction novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the novel, we see the trials and tribulations for the 1930s Alabama town of Maycomb, as Atticus Finch, a respected lawyer, defends the innocent African American, Tom Robinson. This is not an easy task, as he
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What would usually take minutes to decide, took hours, showing how much Atticus made the Judges think about their current understanding of what is right and what is wrong. Atticus makes it clear that this small detail is important during a conversation with Jem. “That was the one thing that made me think, well, this may be the shadow of a beginning. That jury took a few hours. An inevitable verdict, maybe, but usually it takes ‘em just a few minutes…..”(Lee 297) This detail shows that something out-of-the-ordinary has taken place, and that the trial must have really made the jury stop and think about its next course of action. This is important because usually, the racial bias of the Jury makes this kind of case easy to decide, but this occasion was not as easily decided as it might have been. Atticus making the Jury think wasn’t even the first good thing to come out of his defense of Tom. that would happen the night before the trial, when Atticus stopped a mob from ending Tom’s life before the trial. “‘He in there, Mr. Finch?’ a man said. ‘He is,’ we heard Atticus answer, ‘and he’s asleep. Don’t wake him up.’ In obedience to my father, there followed what I later realized was a sickeningly comic aspect of an unfunny situation: the men talked in near-whispers. ‘You know what we want,’ another man said. ‘Get aside from the door, Mr. …show more content…
The actions of Atticus Finch helped turn the tides on racial equality in Maycomb. Even though it was small, it was a good start. It saved the life of a man about to be killed prematurely, as well as made a jury stop and question their own morality. But these weren’t the only good things to come of Atticus’s defense: He exposed someone who could only do more harm than
In the classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird, author Harper Lee takes on the malignant impact of racism, a deeply rooted problem, from a different perspective and teaches readers what it truly means to be a good person as she brings to life one of the most virtuous characters in American literature-Atticus Finch. Told through the eyes of a young child, readers learn about the heavy prejudice embedded in the people of Maycomb County and the loss of innocence that is brought upon the kids as a racial conflict spurs a series of significant events in their quiet town. Taken place during the early years of the Great Depression, Maycomb must face its biggest problem-racism. Atticus Finch is the lawyer who defends this case and ultimately brings a
‘I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.” Atticus becomes very passionate during this last moments of his closing argument, almost pleading or even begging the jury to make the moral, and just decision; to actually analyses the evidence, and events. He does so because he is certain, what he proclaims won't be enough to sway the jurors’ minds, as if Tom’s conviction was set in stone, before he even began. Unlike many others in Maycomb, he strongly believes in a strict moral code, to treat everyone with respect and seek real Justice, not based one who the person is but the credible evidence of their
In the jury during the case¨’Atticus was showing the jury that Tome had nothing to hide¨(Lee 225). This supports the claim because Atticus is truly fighting for Tom. He was doing everything possible to prove that Tom did nothing wrong. Throughout this paragraph Atticus proved to the people in the jury that he was not scared of what they though of him. Atticus is being courageous with being a stong and brave person to defend poor insist Tom
From the late 1870s through the mid-1960s, Jim Crow laws affected many African Americans. With these laws, blacks were given very limited rights and were often victims of unfair judgment. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch, a highly educated lawyer, gets a case where he needs to defend a black man named Tom Robinson. Atticus faces many challenges, including judgment from the white community in his town and questions from his kids about the trial. Atticus demonstrates moral integrity, bravery, and empathy in response to conflict, which connects to the idea that one should achieve social justice by following morals, taking a stand when no one else will, and understanding other people’s perspectives.
A couple of townsfolk were talking about Atticus taking the trial in front of Jem and Scout. One told the others that Atticus had been appointed to defend Tom Robinson, but another doesn’t care that Atticus didn’t have a choice, with his mindset being that “Atticus aims to defend him. That’s what I don’t like about it” (Lee 163). Therefore, Atticus’s integrity was challenged. It’d been much easier if he just refused to defend Tom Robinson, or not give it his all.
Atticus Finch is a well respected lawyer in Maycomb County. However, many individuals in the community turn their back on Atticus when he plans to defend an African American man, Tom Robinson, in court. Taking place in Alabama during the 1930s, “To Kill A Mockingbird” accurately portrays the hostile environment for
Throughout the trial in the book, Atticus, the lawyer defending a black man named Tom Robinson, gives clear evidence to everyone in the courthouse that Tom Robinson is innocent of raping a white girl. Once it is time for the jury to share their verdict, Judge Taylor gives each jury member the time to share what they think. As he points to each member, all that the courtroom hears is, “Guilty…..guilty…...guilty…...guilty……” (Lee 214). While the evidence shows innocence, society pressures the jury members to give opinions to satisfy them. Society manipulates them in a way that if they disagree with their views, the jury members’ reputations will be hurt.
He stands up for the fact that he didn’t receive a fair trial. He knows the jury was racist and won’t believe Tom. Atticus persists to push through despite that it won’t end fairly. Not only did the town decide how they view Tom they also changed how they view his lawyer. A group of drunk men gathered outside the jail where Tom was held.
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.
Final Essay Outline: Thesis Statement/opening paragraph: In the story To Kill A Mockingbird, discrimination and the act of being prejudice is common among the main characters, on both the receiving and serving end. Certain characters, like Scout and Jeremy Finch, Bob Ewell, and the town folk truly create the main problem and set the theme of the story. For example, when Bob Ewell accuses Atticus Finch of being an african-american lover, because he is defending Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, according to Bob. Boo Radley is accused of being dead by Scout, Jem and Dill.
After hours of waiting, the jury came back in. Scout explains how “A jury never looks at the defendant if it has convicted, and when this jury came in, not one of them looked at Tom Robinson… Judge Taylor was polling the jury; ‘ Guilty...Guilty...Guilty’”(211) When Scout and Jem hear the verdict, they are distraught. As they were walking home, “It was Jem’s turn to cry.. ‘It’s not right, Atticus’”(212)
He managed to make a small step in the right direction of getting the Jury to see Tom as innocent. He did this by giving them enough to think about to keep them out of the court for 4 hours even though they still saw him as guilty. This quote proves innocence is killed because charging Tom with this is going to kill his own innocence as well as many others. Both of these quotes tie together because Atticus is stopping and trying to stop Racism from ruining
During the 1930s the south was still raging with racism, and the thought of a black man raping a white woman lead to no further investigation whether it was true or false, he was simply sentenced to death. Atticus Finch, Toms adept lawyer, believed Soulfly in equality and justice for all and was more than happy to defend Tom Robinson with all his heart no matter his race. The Finch family felt very different than the majority of people in Maycomb Alabama. When Tom Robinson has accused the entirety of the town flocked to the courthouse to view the trial. Some with hopes for justice and liberty but most unapologetically hoping for an unfair sentence.
In our society, innocent people, known as mockingbirds, experience prejudice in their lives. A/T: In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Background: Tom Robinson is a black person who’s was accused of raping a white girl named Mayella Ewell which he has never done. For this reason, Atticus Finch was appointed to be his lawyer. As a result, Atticus takes a stand for him by approving his case and standing up for him, but Tom was still found guilty.
Showing them the harsh reality of life with honesty and fearlessness. During this time the Great Depression was hitting the southern town of Maycomb. This novel compares many of its characters to mockingbirds, a symbol of pure innocence. One summer, Atticus, who is a lawyer, finds himself in the middle of a controversial case, involving a African American man, Tom Robinson and a white woman, Mayella. Despite the town throwing hatred towards Atticus and his family, he doesn’t back down because he takes pride in helping the innocent.