To Kill A Mocking Bird

Proposals: To examine the character of Atticus Finch as a hero in Harper Lees’ “To Kill a Mockingbird.

“To kill a Mockingbird”, an acclaimed novel, by Harper Lee is recognised throughout the world. Having read her novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1960 soon after its publication, I was compelled to consider the novel in greater depth but was particularly intrigued to examine the character of Atticus Finch as a hero.

Maycomb, a fictional town in the Southern States of America plays host to the novel during the period of 1933-1935.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” follows a lawyer and his family prior to and during a legal case to defend a black male, Tom Robinson, charged of raping a white female, Mayella Ewell. This occurs in a very white orientated town.

Atticus Finch, Attorney and father of two children only plays a brief part in the opening chapter but as this epic novel progresses so does his importance.

It becomes apparent that Atticus Finch, arguably the novel’s main character, is extremely well respected in Maycomb by the majority of its residents. If someone expresses a dislike towards him he will still try to do his “best to love everybody”. Atticus is a man of extreme integrity and some say that it is through his mouth that Harper Lee expresses her own morality, an opinion that I share. He represents a true gentleman; his conduct is always courteous despite any provocation whether privately or publicly. This is enhanced by the very carefully selected word choice. Atticus is able to use language stylishly when appropriate but he can also communicate very simplistically such as when in a moment of crisis he can talk straightforwardly, for example to Jem and Scout, to enhance understanding. Atticus is a devoted family man; he manages to care for his children without the help of their mother, who died. Harper Lee gives Atticus a very “modern style” regarding parenting (in comparison to other families in the 1930’s i.e. principally he was a single parent). This could perhaps be a reflection on Atticus’s opinion that everyone has the right to be an individual and because of this we should not be judged. He is one person in a select few who feel that coloured people should be able to have the same standard of living as their white counterparts. Atticus is open to all opinions and will accept each individual for their own beliefs regardless of whether or not these differ from his own.