In the modern world, we are surrounded by judgement and discrimination. Nearly everyone is faced with hardships and insults based on their beliefs, habits, interests, and appearance. In a time of such hatred, there is a handful of pieces of literature that have spoken truth through the ages. One such book is To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place during the Great Depression in the fictional southern town of Maycomb, Alabama. The early 30s were also a time of great discrimination and hostility; especially directed towards African Americans. In this fictional narrative, Atticus Finch takes the role of father to the narrator and protagonist, Scout Finch, and he serves as a lawyer in the county. Atticus represents hope and goodness in a time of great judgement because he is understanding, nonjudgmental, and forgiving.
Firstly, Atticus is understanding
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After Atticus decides to take a controversial case for Tom Robinson, and African American man accused of raping a young woman, he is confronted by a mob outside the county jail. Jem, Dill, and Scout watch from the side as the mob threatens both Atticus and Tom Robinson. The next morning, Jem worriedly asks if the men would have actually hurt Atticus. Not wanting to scare his son, but also not wanting to lie to him, Atticus concedes that, “’He may have hurt me a little’” (157). Despite the fact that these men threatened to seriously harm or even kill him, Atticus maintains a constant state of optimism towards others. Atticus knows all people harbor a small amount of kindness in their hearts, so he is always willing to give people the benefit of the doubt and forgive those who refuse to forgive others. Even while living in a time and place surrounded by conflict, Atticus shows how a softened heart and a trained mind can benefit the mental health of a community and strengthen broken
This quote highlights Atticus' belief in the importance of individual moral judgment, even when it goes against societal norms. As well, Atticus teaches his children the value of empathy, advising them to "climb into someone's skin and walk around in it" (Lee 39). This metaphor serves as a powerful reminder that understanding others is essential in making fair and compassionate decisions. Atticus' character embodies the literary device of a moral compass, guiding other characters and readers alike in discerning right from wrong. His unwavering commitment to justice is evident when he asserts, "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win" (Lee 101).
Jem’s adamant interest in Atticus’s affairs implies that he is beginning to replace his innocence with an understanding of the racial stereotypes surrounding Tom Robinson, and how his Atticus’s decision to defend Robinson in court puts himself in a position of political and physical danger, as social norms prohibit such.
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird the author, Harper Lee, uses the character of Atticus to represent Moral and Truth. In many situations, Atticus's actions differ from the rest of the prejudice society of the 1930s south and represents how the south would change in the next 30 years. The reason why Atticus’s actions were unusual in this time period was because anyone who publicly challenged the system of segregation was in danger of being killed. When the book was written in the 1960s, many anti-segregation movements had happened since the 30s, changing laws and making it much more common for people to act out against segregation like Atticus. One major example of this was during Tom Robinson’s trial where Tom was convicted of a crime
Atticus Finch is a lawyer and father to Scout
Murdering the Innocence To Kill A Mockingbird, a 20th century novel written by Harper Lee, is narrated by Scout Finch. She and her family live in Maycomb, Alabama which is a prejudice town with prejudice people during the Great Depression. She lives with her brother Jem and her father Atticus who is a prominent lawyer in Maycomb. In this novel Atticus teaches that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because it is an innocent creature.
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.
A Master Dissertation Proposal Presented to The Department of English Language & Literature Faculty of Humanities Shahid Chamran University - Ahvaz By : Maher Rostami Zadeh Thesis Advisor: Dr.Loveimi Characterization of Atticus Finch In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee As a father, lawyer & hero challenges the Prejudice & Racism in his society General overview: Atticus Finch is one of the major characters in Harper
Judgment In the novel,To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee tells a story of a young girl named Jean Louise Finch or otherwise known as Scout and her older brother Jem Finch during the great depression in an old town in Alabama called Maycomb. Alongside with their friend Dill, they become captivated with ideas to try to get a glance of their mysterious neighbor Boo Radley. Meanwhile Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, gets involved with defending Tom Robinson, a black man who is falsely accused for raped of Mayella Ewell. Since the story’s timeline is in the 1930’s, many people were judged based on their social status and their actions.
In Harper Lee’s novel To kill a Mockingbird she show the significance of protecting those who cannot protect themselves. Tom Robinson is an african-american man who needs protection because he lives in Maycomb, Alabama and white people think that he is lesser than they are and that all african-americans lie. Arthur Radley or Boo is a recluse and a hermit. He need to be defended because he is not social, he stays inside his house all day and is made fun of by everyone in Maycomb. Scout Finch is the daughter of Atticus and is a young child.
Fearless Leader In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus Finch searches for true justice despite racial adversities in Maycomb County. Atticus defends an African American man for a vicious crime in a prestigious community. As a single father, Atticus teaches life lessons to his children during this tumultuous time. Atticus Finch demonstrates empathy while often putting his family and himself in danger.
Atticus teaches his children to see things from other people's perspectives and not to judge them without understanding their point of view. This quote highlights the importance of empathy in understanding and addressing the problems of racism and
Despite setbacks of his own family, Atticus Finch, in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, was wise in defending Tom Robinson. In taking on the case, Atticus was able to teach his children the wrongs of segregation, alter the dynamic of his town and gain the respect from African Americans throughout Maycomb County. Despite the loss of respect from racist colleagues, Atticus was able to maintain his social status while helping the people of Maycomb grow to become more accepting of people of other races and backgrounds. When Atticus accepted Tom Robinson’s case, Scout, Jem and even Dill were taught the negative impact of segregation on the lives of others, and eventually learned to view segregation as an unjust separation of human beings.
The majority of the book is about Scout's father, Atticus Finch, a lawyer who will defend a black man in court in the racist town of Maycomb. Scout grows and learns a lot from this case. In this novel, Harper
Famous poet, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said, “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.” This quote demonstrates one of the many themes in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel, written by Harper Lee, follows the story of the protagonist, Jean Louise Finch or Scout, who lives in Maycomb, Alabama with her brother, Jeremy “Jem” Finch, and her father, Atticus Finch. The story takes place in the 1930s, where Scout’s father, Atticus, is a lawyer who was chosen to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. While Atticus is preparing for his case, Jem, Scout, and their friend, Dill, have multiple encounters with their ghost-like neighbor,
A person cannot call themselves a noble person if they can’t understand others. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is told in first person by Jean Louise Finch or by her nickname, Scout a 6-year-old. Harper Lee, depicts Atticus Finch as a proficient father to his two children, Scout and Jim, 10-year-old. Atticus teaches his children life lessons, one being it 's a sin to kill a mockingbird.