The state of Alabama in the 1930's was a place filled with racial discrimination and poverty. Atticus Finch was a lawyer of that time. He has two children and a hired house worker. Atticus believes that racial discrimination is wrong and tries to treat every individual equally in reference to his parenting skills. He also tries to alter the distorted perception of the community. Although he is a positive role model for his children, ho too has his strengths and weaknesses.
In Maycomb, Atticus Finch is a strong figure who firmly believes in equal rights for all men and women. After the death of his wife, Atticus hired Calpurnia, a black woman, because he needed help with the household affairs. Her duties not only entailed cooking and cleaning, but also taking care of Jem and Scout, Atticus' children. Every now and then, scout and Calpurnia would get into an argument and Atticus would side with Calpurnia. Instead of siding with his child, he would demand that Scout do as Calpurnia said. For example, when Scout would start a fight and then argue, Calpurnia would tell her to act like a girl. Atticus would agree with Calpurnia and tell Scout to do whatever Calpurnia gave as a punishment. As for his professional career as a lawyer, Atticus Finch was working on a very particular case. It involves a black man named Tom Robinson, who was accused of rape. Even though the odds of him winning the case are very slim, he chooses to defend Tom anyways. He states that one of many reasons for him doing so is that "if I didn't I couldn't hold my head up in town, I couldn't represent this county in legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to so something again."(P.75). By this he meant to say that it is his duty to protect Tom Robinson the same way it is his duty to protect his children. If he failed to do so, he could not expect his children to obey to his requests.
Atticus tries to educate his kids to respect all individuals despite the fact that people are not always friendly. He does so with Mrs.
Atticus Finch is a very essential character in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. He is not only the father on Jem and Scout, but he is also defending Tom Robinson. Along with all of the obstacles and challenges that Atticus faces he is still an exceptional role model for the children. He also overcomes the diversity of Negroes and whites that is displayed during his time by standing up and fighting for Tom Robinson and his triumph in court against Bob Ewell. Lee presents Atticus Finch as understanding of Tom Robinson, caring with the children, and calm throughout the Tom Robinson trial.
Atticus Finch is the most significant character, in To Kill a Mockingbird, who challenges racial prejudice as he does not follow the norms, in Maycomb, of being racially prejudice towards others. At first, Atticus Finch is reluctant to take on Tom Robinson’s case; however in the end, he willingly accepts. Unlike the majority of Maycomb residents, Atticus is not racist and makes no distinction upon race, he sees Negroes, just like Tom Robinson, as the same equality as any other person in the Maycomb community. For this reason, he believes they should be trea...
Atticu Finch is one of they key characters in the book who leads by example and shows what courage is. In chapter nine, Atticus takes a case to defend a Negro who has been accused of raping Bob Ewell’s daughter Mayella444. Atticus, the father of main characters Scout and Jem Finch, loves and cares for his children, although since the children’s mother passed away when they were at a young age, Atticus is not always sure of how to fill her role. In chapter thirteen, Aunt Alexandra stays with the Finch family so that she can help them if anything happens while Atticus defends the black man, Tom Robinson. Atticus has always been respected in the town of Macomb, until he takes the Robinson case, which leads to controversy within his friends and his family. On several different instances, the towns people tried to convince him not to, and o...
Atticus Finch is a character of stability in an unstable society. He is a balanced figure who is able to cope with the unreasonable and highly emotional town in which he lives. He can manage the prejudiced white masses and still deal justly with the underprivileged Negro population of Maycomb. He is one of the few people who understand the individual worth of a person regardless of the color of his/her skin. This enables him to defend Tom Robinson based solely on the concept of justice and equality. In his closing argument, Atticus explains that, “there is one place all men are created equal. That place is in a court room” (Lee 205). This justifies the fact that Atticus believes in equality in a society, the equality not only of race, but also of sex, class, and religion as well. His view of equality and justice is a symbol of his own psychological stability throughout the novel. Accordingly, in the final analysis of the story, Atticus represents the “justice” in the community of Maycomb. His stability throughout the book is one of the many characteristics that depict Atticus Finch as the novel’s core.
Atticus is a person who wants to give people a new way of seeing things in certain situations. He treats his children with the utmost respect, and has the same respectable attitude in the house as on the streets. “First of all, ‘he said,’ if
Martin Luther King and Gandhi are one of the few people who changed society, and stood on their own. They were individuals who didn’t worry what other people thought. They decided to bring a change in the society. King and Gandhi fought for their own rights and freedom. Lots of people get influenced by a person and make him as a leader, So he can do all the work for them while others were lazy. So this shows that a person can change a society. In “To kill a mocking bird” by Harper lee, in the county of Macomb, Atticus a lawyer defending a black man at that point of the time is changing the society. So lee clearly sends this message to his readers by using Atticus and some other characters in To Kill Mockingbird.
The definition of a good father is as individual as the individuals involved themselves. A good father is able to support his children’s strengths, along with being able to help them overcome their weaknesses. He is able to do this without appearing to be a know-it-all. The ability to show by example how to live life, while not being afraid to make mistakes and not to be perfect all the time are also very important characteristic.
Atticus Finch is a well-rounded and respected resident of Maycomb County, Alabama. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus takes on the duty of being an attorney and a single father of two adventurous children. He believes in equality among races, although a lot of Maycomb County’s white community thinks they are high and mighty compared to the black folk. In a time of injustice, Atticus represents an innocent black man accused of rape making him respected among the black community. At home, Atticus taught his children important life lessons about equality and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. This character represents the importance of morality and reasonability. Throughout the novel, Atticus has very good morals and
Lois McMaster Bujold once said, “Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself. Atticus Finch a heroic figure in the novel To Kill a MockingBird by Harper Lee is known as a white lawyer who defended a “black” man accused of raping Mayella Ewell, the daughter of a disturbing man, Bob Ewell. Atticus knows his reputation is at risk, when he decides to take a black man’s court case. He is appointed to this case because Mayella Ewell blamed an innocent black man, Tom Robinson of raping and beating her. She fails to admit the truth due to obeying her father. In the 1930’s racism was extremely crucial and no matter what the truth was a white person was most likely believed over an African American. Miss Maudie, The Finches neighbor tells the kids, “There are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them” (Lee 219). Atticus Finch is highly respected and someone everyone can look up too in Maycomb, Alabama. Throughout the novel, Atticus presents himself as calm, courageous, and an open-minded person.
Although Atticus is not like every other parent, he shows his love to his kids in his own ways. He does not need to be kissing them, hugging them or buying them things to show his affection for them. His ways are unique ways that show that Atticus is a positive parental figure. Another good piece of evidence that shows that Atticus is a positive parental figure is that he sets a good example for the children. He sets a good example by being honest and telling them why he has to defend Tom Robinson even if that decision jeopardizes his reputation and the family. When Atticus was talking to Scout about defending Tom he said, “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” (100). These words show that Atticus values equality and justice and it is setting an excellent example for the kids to follow at such a young age. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, an African American man, because he believes in equality for all. Atticus also mentioned that before he tells the children to do something or follow values he, Atticus, must display them first, and he
Few people are the same as they are on the street in their homes. Few people can treat others equally; no matter what colour their skin is. Atticus Finch is one of those precious few. Racism in the town of Maycomb is nothing but disguised by the polite smiles and ladies missionary meetings; although it is the strongest belief that each person of the town holds apart from some such as Atticus. Racism is an issue of great importance, yet to the eye of a visitor waltzing through, it's just a slight whisk of air.
Atticus demonstrates his character by defending Tom Robinson. Atticus leads by example, showing the highest respect for everyone in Maycomb, not discriminating by color or class. His serious defense for Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, proves his high ideals. Atticus fights a hopeless battle against the racism in the town. Atticus not only shows his non prejudice through the trial of Tom Robinson, but also through his everyday dealings with Calpurnia. Atticus refutes Aunt Alexandra persistent attempts to fire Cal and claims that she is one of the family.
Atticus Finch as a parent teaches Scout and Jem moral values and tries his hardest to pass on to his children his way of thinking. Atticus worries that his children sees to much racism and injustice, and tries to show his children that all people are equal no matter the color of their skin. He teaches them to go against the norm in Maycomb which is prejudice and unjust in their actions.
Firstly, Atticus Finch acts justly, fairly, and always helps others who need it. One of his clients, Mr. Cunningham, pays Atticus in entailment. Scout asks her brother, Jem what the meaning of paying in entailment is, “Jem described it as a condition of having your tail in a crack … one morning Jem and I found a load of stovewood in the back yard … Mr. Cunningham had more than paid him” (Lee 20-21). Atticus believes that no one should get any disadvantages because of one’s lower financial state. He shows justice by allowing Mr. Cunningham to pay him in different sources other than money. Also, Atticus is a very wise man. He talks to his daughter with full empathy and understanding to try and help her. When Scout is complaining about her teacher’s attitude towards her, Atticus gives her great advice that, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his shoes and walk around it” (30). He is teaching Scout to be just. He tells her to look at things from a different perspective and notice the difference from hers to someone else’s. Similarly, Atticus who is a white lawyer takes on a case of a black man, Tom Robinson. Therefore, Scout is made fun of for having her father d...
Although he is a strong figure in the community, people now see Atticus as a disgrace. They believe he is bringing shame to his family, and call him a “nigger-lover”. His children, Scout and Jem, also suffer the repercussions due to their father’s actions. It is unfair for these young, innocent children to be put through such traumatic events. Atticus Finch is a good role model to his children, as well as to the community. He himself is also like a mockingbird.