Atticus Finch Rhetorical Analysis

A Soldier Fighting an Endless War It was a full courtroom, with men and women, the colors of black and white. It was sticky - hot humid and smelled of sweat and tension. Men coughed, women sighed, and many prayed. But even a word from God could not change Tom Robinson’s case. Accused of rapping a white women, a crime that was punishable by death, in the state of Alabama in the thirties. You could say there was more than a financial depression. Prejudice, in a small community, could turn any town into a gross southern pit. People of all races and genders fought to defend the natural rights given to them at birth. Atticus Finch, a character in the wildly acclaimed novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, is an example of a soldier, fighting the war of

Lee’s best use of the literary elements, dialogue (diction, syntax, and tone) were used in Atticus’s final speech to the jury. This character’s witty use of direct tone can be understood by both sides of the courtroom. During the beginning of Atticus’s speech he makes the remark, “this case is as simple as black and white” (Lee 203). Atticus’s tone is straight forward and he does not mean to offend anyone. By speaking with a strong tone and clear diction, he speaks concretely and without a single hesitation. Although he performs a “first” by, “taking off his glasses and wiping them...he was one of those men whose faces never perspired, but now it was a shining tan” (Lee 204). The fact that his face was sweating, something he never does, shows that Atticus is truly worked up in that summation to the jury. With a more simple syntax but complex word choice, Atticus addresses the jury with a confident

With proper uses of tone and diction, Atticus holds himself against the power of internal and external conflicts. Atticus knew from the beginning, that taking on Tom Robinson’s case would mean taking of a bigger struggle, that would affect his family. When Scout asked Atticus why he took Tom Robinson’s case he says, “for a number of reasons”, said Atticus. “The main one is if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this town in legislature, and I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again” (Lee 125). Atticus truly shows signs of defeating internal conflict by taking Tom Robinson’s case head-on. Also when Atticus is meeting with the men who believe Tom guilty, outside of his office, he tries to show confidence. With the help of his children, the mob of men is scared off, “Mr. Finch? They gone?” Our nightmare had gone with daylight, everything would come out alright” (Lee 176). The mob of angry men symbolizes the external conflict that all the Finches are