Preview

Atticus Finch Morality

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
273 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Atticus Finch Morality
Throughout the Novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch’s courage and morality allows him to overcome social prejudices and defend a convicted African American in court. Atticus Finch is a lawyer who lives in Maycomb, Alabama with his two children Scout and Jem Finch. He is a modest man who makes almost every decision based on his heart and ethics. In the novel, Atticus is faced with an incredibly uncomfortable situation. He is a white male living in the early 1900s, and is asked to defend an African American named Tom Robinson in his trial where he was convicted of rape. In school, his daughter Scout is faced with comments from other children such as “Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers” (pg 20). However, when Scout asks her
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    How Did Tom Robinson Occur In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 549 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Did Tom Robinson Occur In To Kill A Mockingbird

    “‘Well, Dill, after all he’s just a Negro.’ ‘I don’t care one speck. It ain’t right somehow it ain’t right to do ‘em that way. Hasn’t anybody got any business talkin’ like that-it just makes me sick,’”(Lee, 266). In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird author Harper Lee lays out the story of the Finch family consisting of two siblings, Jem and Scout, along with their widowed father Atticus. This family is faced with a tough break when Atticus get appointed a case to defend an African American (Tom Robinson) in the time of extreme discrimination. Growing up shapes and builds minds to what will fully become of them in future years even though there may be obstacles to endeavor through the process.…

    • 549 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Is Atticus Finch Noble Or Brave
    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Is Atticus Finch Noble Or Brave

    Many people have thought this to be the greatest book. Throughout Harper’s Lee How to kill a mockingbird, Atticus a main character and a single father raising two children diligently every day. He has many notable standards, which he has never been led astray by worldly thoughts, but steadfast in the laws which he believes strongly in. He shares many different ideas than the small community of Maycomb where he resides in. Always striving teach his children a code for living and keeping his family safe from the dangers that lurk around. Atticus as single father of two, he demonstrates abundantly the characteristics of being Noble, brave, and wise. Holding these characteristic close to his heart, he lives day to day shining God’s light.…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Atticus Finch- Going Against the Grain
    • 804 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Atticus Finch- Going Against the Grain

    Throughout history, there have been people who oppose the will of society, often actively working against it. Every society had there Joan of Arc or their Martin Luther King Jr., and this trend carried over to popular culture, finding its way into movies, books, television and radio. Harper Lee’s famous novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, is no exception. She weaves a near-timeless tale of the path from childhood to adulthood. In her unforgettable novel, the character of Atticus Finch assumes this role, as he takes on the court case of Tom Robinson, a black man convicted of rape, in his opinions on the mysterious Arthur “Boo” Radley, and even in his personal positions on many aspects of his life.…

    • 804 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    To kill a mocking bird Chapter write ups
    • 3517 Words
    • 15 Pages

    To kill a mocking bird Chapter write ups

    At school, Scout almost starts a fight with a classmate named Cecil Jacobs after Cecil says that “Scout Finch’s daddy defends niggers.” Atticus is defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. He knows he cannot expect to win, but he tells Scout that he must argue it to hold on to his sense of justice and self-respect.…

    • 3517 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Who Is Tom Robinson's Coming Of Age In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 615 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Who Is Tom Robinson's Coming Of Age In To Kill A Mockingbird

    Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird depicts the childhood and coming of age of a young girl named Jean-Louise “Scout” Finch. The main focus of this novel is the trial of an African-American man named Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white woman, and Scout’s father, Atticus, who has been assigned to defend him. Written during the Civil Rights Movement, Lee’s purpose is to highlight the racial prejudice that had permeated throughout the Southern culture. She achieves this in the trial scenes, where she embeds Atticus’s strong dialogue into the context of the vivid imagery she presents of the trial.…

    • 615 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Atticus Finch Effect On The Family
    • 250 Words
    • 1 Page

    Atticus Finch Effect On The Family

    ticking to his beliefs,Atticus Finch’s actions to defend a “black” man accused of the rape of a “white” woman affect how the whole family was treated and seen. At school Scout is made fun of by one of her classmates Cecil Jacobs when he announced that “Scout Finch's daddy defended niggers”(99).(new to Scout, doesn’t know the proper way to react, very defensive) Scout also get another taste of this at Finch's landing where Francis comments’ ”I guess it ain’t your fault if Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides,but I’m here to tell you it is certainly does mortify the rest of the family...but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He’s ruinin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin” (110).Francis is upfront about the situation and foresees …( the reaction of Maycomb to the Finches ie Mr. Ewell) to come. He touches upon the consequences that the whole family could endure because of Atticus. Atticus is essentially “ruinin’the family”(110). more specifically the family name. His actions to defend a “nigger” will cost his extended family humiliation and hatred because they too have the last name Finch; is now associated with Atticus, Tom, and the trial in Maycomb.…

    • 250 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Atticus Show Courage
    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages

    How Does Atticus Show Courage

    “To Kill a Mockingbird” takes place in 1930’s Alabama, where racism and segregation were accepted as social norms. Lawyer Atticus Finch defended “Negro” Tom Robinson in court, whom Mr. Ewell accused of raping his daughter. People considered defending a black man in court against a white man as a disgrace to the lawyer, his family and community. While Atticus talked to his brother Jack, he mentioned that “The only thing we’ve got is a black man’s word against the Ewells‘. The evidence boils down to you-did—I-didn’t. The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells”. (Lee, 116-117) Atticus tells Jack that they don’t have enough data to prove Tom’s innocence in the case. The Ewells were not as respectable people as Tom Robinson, but according to the social hierarchy, dishonorable white people were above…

    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Atticus Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Examples Of Atticus Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

    In the novel, to Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus is portrayed as a virtuous man with lots of integrity. Atticus always had good moral values that he wishes everyone else could have. He was also always a good parent, telling Jem and Scout about a strong sense of morality. He even told them that they couldn’t use the word “nigger” or “nigger-lover” even though everyone else does, “”Scout,” said Atticus, “nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don’t mean anything--like snot-nose. It’s hard to explain--ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favoring Negroes over and above themselves.” (Lee 144). Atticus believes in equality for all of men so he defends African American from prejudice, and even Tom Robinson in court. This story reveals Atticus’s courage and dedication for defending Tom Robinson but Atticus demonstrates his virtue and good moral values through his quiet everyday actions and teaching his children to judge only after looking at the world through other points of view.…

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Is Atticus Finch Trusting
    • 667 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Is Atticus Finch Trusting

    “I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university” - (Albert Einstein). These words reflect the way Atticus Finch, protagonist, attorney, and father in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, lives his life. There is no difference to him in regards to race, social status, or gender. Atticus Finch is an admirable gentleman who demonstrates intelligence and respectfulness throughout the Tom Robinson trial and his interactions with people who despised the fact that he was taking the case. He strongly believes in respect for people of color and passes his belief down to his children by taking the Tom Robinson case. Although he is at times too trusting of people, his words and actions continue to prove to his children and community how a real gentleman behaves.…

    • 667 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    TKAM Why Atticus should defend Tom
    • 404 Words
    • 2 Pages

    TKAM Why Atticus should defend Tom

    In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch was a well-respected man and known for sticking with his beliefs. In the novel, Atticus agreed to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Tom’s trial began in the summer during the early 1930s, of Maycomb, Alabama. At the trial itself, Atticus provided clear evidence that the victim, Mayella Ewell and her father, Bob, are lying. Despite the evidence proving Tom’s innocence, the all-white jury convicts him. Since Atticus is a good natured man, he would defend Tom Robinson without hesitation.…

    • 404 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Atticus Finch Heroism
    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Atticus Finch Heroism

    Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, the author Harper Lee publicized courage as a theme, allowing the reader to unquestionably see Atticus, Scout and Jem’s father, as the hero and moral voice in the book. Living in a quaint, small, and prejudice town Atticus faced many challenges that permitted him to show his courage and heroism. Atticus strived to understand people before he judged them, he stood up for Tom Robinson, and he taught his kids to fight the evil with their smarts rather than physical violence.…

    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Atticus In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 945 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Atticus In To Kill A Mockingbird

    Atticus is the father figure for his kids, Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. The Finch family lives in Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. The kids spend much of their time playing with their gregarious neighbor, Dill, and spying on their reclusive and mysterious neighbor Boo Radley. When their father, Atticus, who is a widowed man and a respected lawyer, defends a black man named Tom Robinson against fabricated rape charges against a white girl, he is in/at a detriment. The trial, events following and the people they have interactions with, expose Jem and Scout to racism and stereotyping. This completely changes their view of the world. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, uses characterization to portray how a child’s…

    • 945 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Discrimination In To Kill A Mockingbird Essay
    • 1838 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Discrimination In To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

    In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee focuses more on the aspect of racial discrimination rather than “poor white trash” discrimination (Hovet 187). It is so conspicuous that a man loses his life because of it. While the discrimination is more prominent regarding race, the Finch family is also greatly discriminated against throughout the novel. Racism is very prominent in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, as evidenced when Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping a white woman in the 1930s South; because of his innocence and untimely death, all lives in the novel will be changed forever, including Atticus Finch.…

    • 1838 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Racial Dishonesty In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 898 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Racial Dishonesty In To Kill A Mockingbird

    Did you ever wonder why someone thought to separate blacks from whites, then wonder why someone decided to join them together again? In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, many uncomfortable situations were addressed that many people today preferably don’t like to discuss. This is why Atticus Finch encourages his children, Jem and Scout, to be aware of segregation. Within the novel, there is a rape case that discusses a black man being accused of the crime. This case afflicts many emotions and actions of multiple characters, but specifically Atticus, the lawyer on the black man’s side. The emotions from him are about how his life revolves around social disrespect and racial dishonesty which causes Atticus to act effectively and…

    • 898 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Atticus Finch: The Definition of Courage
    • 699 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Atticus Finch: The Definition of Courage

    Atticus first demonstrates courage by defending a black man, Tom Robinson. In Maycomb racism is presides over society. Many residents in Maycomb discriminate against African Americans. Despite this, Atticus Finch portrays his willingness to risk his social standing, professional reputation, and even his physical safety in order to bring justice for a young Negro man falsely accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Atticus courageously takes on this case telling Scout, "if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again" (75). Atticus means that if he didn’t defend Tom he would ruin his moral reputation and his counties. Also, Atticus teaches his children by setting an example for them and if he did not take on the Robinson case he would not have set a good example for Jem and Scout. Furthermore, Atticus defending Tom displays courage because he must go against his strongly prejudice family and friends. They lose respect for Atticus for defending a black man; accusing him of being a ‘nigger-lover.’ A classmate of Scout tells her, “‘my folks said you’re your daddy was a disgrace’” (76). Still, Atticus holds his head high despite the insults and states that "no matter how bitter things get, they are still friends and this is still home" (76). Showing that Atticus believes even though people may be mean to them now they must remember that they are still friends are still care…

    • 699 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics