Atticus Finch: the ideal man.

What is the ideal man? Someone who is strong and powerful? Or is it somebody who upholds their values and is committed to all sectors of their life? I believe the latter. In Harper Lee's, To Kill a Mockingbird, we are presented with a man who symbolizes all of those characteristics. Atticus Finch is the ideal man; he is a caring father, a dedicated and talented lawyer, and a symbol of tolerance in the deeply prejudicial town of Maycomb.

As a father, Atticus strives to teach his children how to become respectful, and productive members of society. To do this, he uses his actions and words, often setting a good example for his children. One of the main lessons he teaches his children is that, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view" (Lee 30). This lesson along with the others he teaches Jem and Scout allow them to become better people as they grow up. Not only does Atticus teach his children life lessons, he also cares deeply about them, taking care of them after their mother's death, rather than shipping them off to live with another family member, as would have been common for most widowers with children in those days. Atticus also feels the need to teach his children about reality, rather than sugarcoat the truth, Atticus is almost always honest with his children, telling them about the world. When Scout asked Atticus, "What's rape?" (Lee 135), he replies with the truth saying that "rape was carnal knowledge of a female by force and without consent" (Lee 135). These lessons taught by Atticus are only surpassed by the example he sets for his children in his everyday life. Atticus is always polite and respectful, even to those who are unpleasant to him, like Bob Ewell, and Mrs. Du...

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...not a good enough reason to convict them of a crime. Many people like Maudie Atkinson were amazed by his resolve. Not only did Atticus fight racism, he fought prejudice as a whole. He would never treat anybody differently or unfairly for any reason. When Bob Ewell, a man who had threatened his children's lives was killed, Atticus wanted whoever killed him to be brought to justice, even if it was his own son. This clearly shows his commitment to equality, and to creating a society free of prejudice and intolerance.

When you consider Atticus Finch, it is obvious that he is an ideal man. His moral code allows his to stand out amongst his peers and rise above prejudice, intolerance, and inequality. In my opinion, Atticus Finch is the ideal man; he is a caring father, a dedicated and talented lawyer, and a symbol of tolerance in the deeply prejudicial town of Maycomb.