Integrity In To Kill A Mockingbird

Isaiah says, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression…” (Isaiah 1:17, ESV). Following God’s will by doing good and correcting wrong defines Atticus Finch, a lawyer in Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus defends an innocent black man, Tom Robinson, who was falsely accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. The trial takes place in the 1930’s in Maycomb, Alabama, a small racist town.

Atticus and Tom Robinson are two characters who break barriers in To Kill A Mockingbird. First, Atticus, a well-respected lawyer in Maycomb County, faces the challenge of defending an African American accused of rape (which is punishable by death) in a community of racist, white citizens. This

it's not fair for you and Jem, I know that, but sometimes we have to make the best of things, and the way we conduct ourselves when the chips are down—well, all I can say is, when you and Jem are grown, maybe you'll look back on this with some compassion and some feeling that I didn't let you down." And he’s not a parent that keeps stuff away from kids but knows that they will always remember this trial and someday look back at it. (Chapter 11, page 20) As you can see in all of these, Atticus is a very smart kind and loving person.

Kaleb Fisher, Henlie Guy, Jason Harris, Rowan Scripps, Coleman Wright Ms. Brewer Honors English 9 28 February 2023 Excerpt 8 Analysis Essay In Harper Lee's fictional novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus argues that Tom Robinson is an innocent man. In the novel, we meet Tom an African-American man accused of raping Mayella, a young white women. Atticus is appointed as Tom’s lawyer and this is Atticus’s closing statement. Atticus claims that there is no real evidence to convict Tom and he has done nothing wrong.

The book To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is a fictional book that covers the roots and consequences of racism and prejudice. The book introduces a character, Atticus Finch, as an intelligent and diligent lawyer who works in a trial to defend a black man, who is introduced as Tom Robinson. Once Atticus was selected for the trial, he experienced numerous setbacks during the process. Atticus has the difficult duty of defending Tom in a legal system tainted by prejudice and hostility. Despite the overwhelming odds stacked against him, Atticus stubbornly upholds his beliefs and refuses to be persuaded by the rampant unfairness all around him.

A couple of townsfolk were talking about Atticus taking the trial in front of Jem and Scout. One told the others that Atticus had been appointed to defend Tom Robinson, but another doesn’t care that Atticus didn’t have a choice, with his mindset being that “Atticus aims to defend him. That’s what I don’t like about it” (Lee 163). Therefore, Atticus’s integrity was challenged. It’d been much easier if he just refused to defend Tom Robinson, or not give it his all.

Atticus Finch is a well respected lawyer in Maycomb County. However, many individuals in the community turn their back on Atticus when he plans to defend an African American man, Tom Robinson, in court. Taking place in Alabama during the 1930s, “To Kill A Mockingbird” accurately portrays the hostile environment for

Despite racial inequalities in the South, Atticus sticks to his own morals and agrees to be the defending lawyer for Tom Robinson, a black man being accused of raping a white woman. Although Atticus’ defense in court was thorough and clearly proved Tom’s innocence, the jury was prejudiced towards black folks and convicted Tom as guilty. Nonetheless, Atticus is still a hero despite losing the case. He has the courage to stand up for what he believes in, fights with reason rather than guns, and has utmost determination, making him a hero despite being just an average human being. Ultimately, his thoughts and actions set the stage for major changes in the meaning of equality throughout Maycomb County, changing lives of numerous people.

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Jem is a character in Harper Lee's’ novel “To Kill a Mockingbird," Jem who is a twelve year old, he is the son of Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer in Maycomb. Jem begins to show his coming of age when Lee writes “Jem was twelve. He was difficult to live with, inconsistent, moody. His appetite was appalling, and he told me so many times to stop pestering him.”(Lee 115).

He lied about that because Atticus thought that Jem killed him but Sherrif Heck Tate kept telling him that he fell on his own knife. As Harper Lee writes, “ Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He killed himself” (Lee 273). Heck, Tate was protecting Boo Radley from future talk about how he killed Bob Ewell. The only way Boo saved Jam and Scout was when Bob Ewell was attacking the kid Scout screamed as loud as she could and that got the attention of Boo Radley and he comes and saves Jem and Scout.

Atticus does a good job defending Tom Robinson because he wants to be a good example set for his kids. “If you had been on that Jury, son, and eleven other boys just like you, Tom would be a free man” (chp 23, pg 295). Here, Atticus is using logos, appealing to logic and reason. He is trying to show his kids the importance of tolerance. Had the jury been full of boys like Jem, who were tolerant, Robinson would be free.

What do you think is the most important trait a person can have during stressful times? In To Kill A Mockingbird there are many situations in which the main characters are put through stress and are forced to make hard decisions. Having integrity during stressful times is incredibly important, one character who is especially good at this is Atticus Finch. Throughout many times in this story he keeps his head up and holds true to his beliefs. In To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee shows that having integrity is vital in order to do what is morally right through Atticus.

Throughout Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," Atticus Finch serves as a model of tolerance. He consistently demonstrates his conviction that others should be treated with empathy and understanding. One of the most prominent examples of Atticus' tolerance is his defense of Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Despite the community's intense racism and prejudice, Atticus maintains his belief in Tom's innocence and fights for his rights in court. This shows his tolerance and acceptance of people of different races and his refusal to be swayed by the prejudices of others.

Atticus is a highly respected lawyer known for his integrity, compassion, and unwavering commitment to justice. It is during Tom Robinson's trial, conducted in a courtroom brimming with racial bias and hostility, that Atticus's true character emerges. Despite knowing the odds are stacked against his client, Atticus fearlessly defends Tom, relying on reason, logic, and empathy to navigate the murky waters of prejudice. Through his actions, Atticus exemplifies the strength of character in the face of

Bob Ewell spat in Atticus’s face and threatened to take his life. Flooded with emotions of anxiety and trepidation, Jem and Scout hurry home to Atticus, only to find him unflustered and smug. Atticus assures them of his safety, but their fear of various furtive future events persists. To ease his children, Atticus obligingly explains his thought-process: “[i]f spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take.