How Is Atticus Finch Selfish

Through evaluating the character of Atticus Finch, I have found evidence showing him to be peaceful, reserved man, but also one who has the strength to stand for what he believes in and who will do what needs to be done whatever the cost. When one first looks at Atticus Finch, the first thing one notices is his generally quiet and reserved aura. This can be supported by something his daughter, Scout, said: “Our father didn’t do anything” (Lee 94). It is not that Atticus sits around all day doing nothing that bothers Scout, simply that her father is not like other fathers. “He did not play poker or fish or drink or smoke. He sat in the living room and read (Lee 94).” When the Methodist football game rolls around, Atticus is the only father not

Atticus’s disinclination towards yelling leads to another piece of his character that fits into his calm persona; Atticus is something of a pacifist. He does not generally believe that fighting is the answer. He is constantly telling his children, especially Scout, to use their heads not their fists. Atticus also does not seem to like guns. He refuses to teach his children how to use their air-rifles, even though it is revealed later that he possesses more than small skill in that area. According to Miss Maudie, Atticus will not shoot because he is “civilized in his heart” and “God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things” (Lee 102). Another example of Atticus’s nonviolent nature is in his belief about mockingbirds. He tells Scout and Jem that they can “shoot all the bluejays [they] want,” but “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 94). Miss Maudie later explains that mockingbirds do not do anything to hurt anyone - all they do is sing - and that is why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. When Atticus tells his children this, he is not just talking about