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Atticus is a character that differs from most of others in Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”, mostly from standing up to discrimination and racism and attempts to make his mischievous children behave and successful. His individuality among other characters set up an argument over the most prominent struggle of racism in the setting of the book in a man versus society plotline. Being at his older age, Atticus has had much experience with society, giving him ideas for wisdom as well as being an excellent role model. As the novel progressed, with the help of Atticus’s parenting, Scout and especially Jem has matured over time. Atticus’s parental style combines his wise advice, a good moral, and the individuality in his beliefs to keep his kids …show more content…
Atticus is about fifty years old, so he’s lived through the first World War, giving him much experience with how society has evolved. One of the problems in depression was constant prejudice and racial discrimination. Atticus’s advice as follows, “First of all, if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along better a lt better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (34). What Atticus is saying is that you cannot judge someone until you know them enough to look at things from his or her point of view and act like you are that person internally. This advice helps Scout’s narration and character development. In the beginning of chapter seven, Scout applies this advice to understand Jem’s options for getting his pants. “As Atticus had once advised me to do, I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walk around in it…” (62). This is also one example of Scout’s maturing and growing up in the novel, she is understanding that people know more things than she does. Jem knows more about what would happen if he went to get his pants, but Scout has to think of them and understand his …show more content…
Morality is knowing what is wrong with what is right, which is something that any parent should teach, so much that it should a top priority. Atticus knows he wants his kids to have a good moral and not end up like Bob Ewell. In Chapter eleven, Mrs, Dubose said “Not only a Finch waiting on tables, but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers” (106). Later that day, when Jem and Scout were coming home from downtown, Jem stopped at Mrs. Dubose’s house and used the baton Jem bought for Scout and smashed all of Dubose’s flowers. Atticus finds out about the tantrum and told Jem, “Son, I have no doubt that you’ve been annoyed by the contemporaries about me lawing for niggers, as you say, but to do something like this to a sick old lady is inexcusable” (108). This is Jem’s lesson to his bad behavior and vandalism of Mrs. Dubose’s property. Jem was also given punishment for this action; to read to Mrs. Dubose for two hours every day for a month. As a result, Jem has learned two important lessons: Not to get upset about people making fun of Atticus accepting Tom Robinson’s case, and that there are consequences to improper
...heme of maturation in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, is conveyed through the characters of Scout and Jem, in conjunction with the assistance of their virtuous father Atticus Finch. Early in the novel, Atticus ascertains himself as a major facilitator in the maturation process of Scout and Jem by incessantly providing mature solutions to his children’s predicaments. Moreover, Scout, a major benefactor of the Boo Radley incident and Atticus’ wisdom, has helped her develop into a very tolerant and mature individual. Undeniably, Jem’s remarkable development into a broadminded and compassionate character can be directly attributed to Atticus’ kindness and Jem’s exposure to the Tom Robinson trial. In synopsis, it is evident that the individuals and social circumstances that surround an individual play a major role in defining the type of individual one will become.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in Alabama in the 1930s, and concerns itself primarily with the interrelated themes of prejudice and empathy. These themes are explored as the story follows Scout Finch as she learns lessons in empathy, ultimately rejecting prejudice. While all characters in Lee’s novel learn from their experiences, not all are able to grow in the same manner as Scout. The idea of a positive role model, typified by the character of Atticus Finch, and the ramifications of its absence, is a concept that Lee places much emphasis on. The isolated setting is also pivotal in the development of characters. Lee uses the contrast between characters that learn lessons in empathy and compassion, and characters that cling to the ideals of a small town, to explore factors that nurture or diminish prejudice.
Childhood is a continuous time of learning, and of seeing mistakes and using them to change your perspectives. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how two children learn from people and their actions to respect everyone no matter what they might look like on the outside. To Kill A Mockingbird tells a story about two young kids named Scout and her older brother Jem Finch growing up in their small, racist town of Maycomb, Alabama. As the years go by they learn how their town and a lot of the people in it aren’t as perfect as they may have seemed before. When Jem and Scout’s father Atticus defends a black man in court, the town’s imperfections begin to show. A sour, little man named Bob Ewell even tries to kill Jem and Scout all because of the help Atticus gave to the black man named Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee illustrates the central theme that it is wrong to judge someone by their appearance on the outside, or belittle someone because they are different.
Atticus’ statement on prejudice and racism characterises his moral integrity and his empathetic nature. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch is depicted as the complete opposite of what people would perceive to be a stereotypical southern man living in the Deep South during the 1930s. Contrary to the majority of his fellow townspeople of Maycomb, Atticus is a man of great virtue and moral strength. He in not bigoted or racist and is egalitarian in his approach to all people This sort of moral integrity is what he tries to instil in his two young children, Jem and Scout, despite the bigotry and inequality surrounding them. Atticus Finch stands as a moral beacon of the town, a label which causes much friction between himself and other members of the Maycomb community. A clearer idea of Atticus’ principles can be gained by comparing and contrasting them to three other characters in the Novel, Calpurnia, Bob Ewell and Aunt Alexandra.
Atticus is non judgmental; he treats blacks and everyone equally. He puts himself in someone else’s shoes and respects their thoughts and opinions. He is a very responsible father, while managing his lawyer cases he still made time to teach his children Jem and Scout the lessons they need to become honest and dignified people later in life. Atticus demonstrates responsibility when he takes time to explain to Scout “You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view” (39).
Children are known to mimic and pick up their parent’s every move. With all this admiration and responsibility, parents are expected to be the best person they can be as everything they do will have an impact on their child. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout is an example of how children are affected by their parents. Scout is a young girl who lives in Maycomb County of Alabama during the Great Depression. Throughout the story, Scout and her big brother Jem learn and grow with the help of their father Atticus. Atticus Finch is a respectable lawyer who puts in all of his effort to defend the innocent African American man, Tom Robinson against false rape accusations from Mayella and Bob Ewell. His sense of justice and beliefs are
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.
“You never really understood a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around it.” Atticus Finch is a man of extreme integrity. He, as both a lawyer and a human being, stands up for his democratic beliefs and encourages his children to stand up for their own, though they may stand alone. Harper Lee showed how far respect went in To Kill a Mockingbird when Atticus defended Tom Robinson in his rape trial. He did not think twice about being ridiculed by th...
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 is a great leader of his family, teaching his children morals and life lessons. He makes them better people by showing them how to deal with the trial and people making fun of them. Atticus teaches Scout how to respect other people. First, Scout learns to respect Atticus, then to respect "Boo" Radley, and finally to respect a whole race of people, negroes. He makes it a common practice to live his life as he would like his children to live theirs, and thus displays the attributes of an honest, respectable, and kind man. Throughout the trial process, Atticus shows Jem and Scout that true courage is standing up for what you believe in and that all human beings, despite their race, deserve respect. "You never really understand a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." This quote shows that Atticus wants his children to get along with people, and so other people will respect them for whom they are.
When she goes home and tells Atticus, he says, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." ( pg 39 ) Atticus says this to teach Scout to have respect for other people, even if they are different. If Scout could understand how others felt she would be able
In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus, a lawyer and the father of Jem and Scout, displays great courage, loyalty, and patience in every situation.
Atticus treats everyone with fairness. He always hears both sides of the story. He does this after Scout has gotten into a fight with Francis Hancock. After a time Atticus hears Scout’s side of the story and realises that it wasn’t totally Scout’s fault. Scout also tells Uncle Jack that when she and Jem get into fights Atticus stops to hear both sides of the argument before placing the blame, if any.
Growing up in Maycomb, Southern Alabama in the 1930s was not an easy thing. Amid a town of prejudice and racism, stood a lone house where equality and respect for all gleamed like a shining star amid an empty space. The house of Atticus Finch was that shining star. Jean Louise Finch, also known as “Scout”, is given the opportunity of being raised in this house by her father, Atticus. I stole this essay from the net. As she grows, Atticus passes down his values of equality and righteousness to Scout and her brother Jeremy Atticus Finch, also known as “Jem”. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, by Harper Lee, we see Scout learns many lessons about dealing with prejudice by observing the behavior of other characters in the story.
The morals for Scout and Jem to live by come from their father, Atticus Finch. He has experienced evils in his life, like the death of his wife, but he never lost faith in the good of people. He taught Scout and Jem right from wrong when they were young, because their mother was no longer around to teach them. Atticus understands that people have good and bad inside of them, but he feels that the good side can always overcome the bad side. This is true when he backed Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping Mr. Ewell’s daughter. Even though no one else helped Atticus out, he never gave up on Tom Robinson no matter how hard things got.