To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee: Character Analysis

Atticus, however, was a brave Christian man with moral values. He was polite and humble, and saw everyone as equals. Scout said of her father, “It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived.”Atticus shows that he is above the people of Maycomb when he took Tom Robinson’s case, rather than sharing their racist feelings. However, he still respected their choice; “They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions... but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.” Even when he and his family were deemed as outcasts, he didn’t drop his case. He discouraged his

“Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow, it was hotter then: a black dog suffered on a summer’s day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men’s stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o’clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum...There was no hurry, for there was no where to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb.” (Lee 6) In Harper Lee’s classic story To Kill a Mockingbird,

In the town of Maycomb most of its citizens were racist towards people of colored skin. The citizens of Maycomb weren’t evil or bad, but they were raised in a way where they thought that being racist was publicly acceptable. Atticus probably didn’t think like the citizens and was shunned because he had agreed to help Tom Robinson. Since everyone was hostile towards the black community they automatically assumed that they

> Maycomb, Alabama has a very divided society. Half of Maycomb were fellow colored people and the whites that wanted Maycomb to have equally. Thought many Maycomb citizens were not racist, many were. After Tom Robinson was accused of raping, Mayella, the young white woman the colored community tried to help Tom's family by raising money and trying to help as much as possible. On the other side of Maycomb the word of what Tom was being accused of was spread and Tom was being shamed for something he didn’t do. The ratio of the supporters of Tom and those against were very drastic. Regardless of what Tom and those who wanted to help him find the outcome that was correct for his case the racist white community of Maycomb would overthrow them.

He was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman who is abused and beaten by her father, Bob Ewell. Because Tom is african american, and it would be going against their own race as white folks, the town has him arrested and trialed in court. During the trial Mr. Horace Gilmer, Bob and Mayella Ewell’s attorney,

He helps Mayella whenever she needed help. When in the end of book, Scout got to know Tom a better than before and comes out saying to his dad that Tom was a kind and nice guy. How Tom helps Mayella is that he fixes things for her. He feels sorry for her and kindly helps her no matter what. Tom being so kind to a white person surprised others because usually black people are not so kind and caring for a white person like Mayella.

As Tom Robinson was a Black man in court against a white woman, he lost the case due to the overwhelming racism of the jury. Atticus believes in the good of people and not their skin color, as the rest of the residents of Maycomb. He believes in true character and honesty, which every white man does not show. As he supports everyone equally, he receives a lot of hate from white people calling him unbiased and fair, “Too proud to fight, you nigger-lovin’ bustard?” (Lee 217).

The general topic in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is criticising helpless people that have done no harm, and how it is a terrible deed. In the Novel a Mockingbird is a symbol of one of these helpless people. In part 1 of the novel, characters such as Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are portrayed as “mockingbirds”. The general topic also represents injustice, especially in the south. Atticus Finch is presented as seeker of justice that believes in equality for all, as well as one of the few characters to never rethink an opinion. Furthermore, Atticus is the father of Scout and Jem Finch, who he treats like adults and answeres all questions honestly as he would to any other Maycomb county member. He is portrayed as a decent respecting

Atticus is thought of poorly since he is simply defending a Negro (77). Atticus continues to defend Tom to the best of his ability even though The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells (91). Atticus defends Tom because, if he didn’t he couldn’t maintain up his head on the town, he couldn’t constitute this county in the legislature (78). This shows how Nobel he may be but it also shows how he is being brave simply to do the right thing even if it is a disgrace (79) to the town of Maycomb. His representation of Tom additionally shows irrespective of how many insults he receives he sticks to himself and what he believes.

He had a different view on Tom’s case than that of many other Maycomb citizens. “...there’s been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do much about defending this man.”(Lee 100). Atticus’s feelings about the case are different than the majority of Maycomb’s feelings on it. Atticus is a change in the racist tradition of Maycomb treating black people like they are lesser beings. Atticus thinks that everyone has a right to fair representation, and puts that principal before the opinions of the rest of the town.

and Mahatma Gandhi. This is because Atticus was against racism, like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela were, and this is shown when he defends Tom Robinson in the trial, despite expecting to lose because Tom would have been charged as guilty since he was black. He also demonstrates being against racism when he tells Scout that repeating the derogatory name people in Maycomb County called the Negros was wrong and didn’t deny to be the derogatory name people called him before the trial took place and stated that he loves everyone. Like other great people, Atticus was brave enough to stand up for what was right and face the consequences. While great people faced assassination and threats to their families’ safety, Atticus faced threats from Bob Ewell and his attack on Scout and Jem.

Atticus is projecting a belief that even if you don't agree with the actions of people you should still have empathy towards to people of Maycomb, Alabama. When Atticus explains Tom Robinson’s case, he emphasizes three major points. First that the case is personal to him; second, the kids should ignore the nasty thing people have to say; and third no matter what happens the people in Maycomb are still “our friends” (“Being Atticus Finch…”, 1689). These responsibilities is what makes Atticus’s character respected, and teaching his children this behavior is the start of Atticus’s

Atticus believes that all human beings should be equal, entitled to justice regardless of circumstances, which can be seen in the Tom Robinson trial he had defended. Events that happened in To Kill A Mockingbird evinced Atticus’s deep belief in justice for all. When he was assigned to defend Tom Robinson, an African American, in a trial, he did not decline because he believed that man was innocent and deserved a fair trial, despite his class and race. He acknowledges that fact that “when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins.”, the high possibility that he will lose, but puts in maximum effort to give Tom Robinson a shot at justice. Atticus declares if he had not picked up the case, he “couldn’t hold [his] head in town, represent this county in the legislature, [he] couldn't even tell [Scout] or Jem not to do something again" Atticus’s actions are the epitome of fighting for justice, which is what the real hero of Maycomb should be comprised

In the novel, Atticus is defending a black man by the name of Tom Robinson, who is another one of the main characters, which is breaking a time-honored code in Alabama. Almost all of the white lawyers who were appointed to defend a black man wouldn’t even try to defend them in Alabama. Atticus, unlike most of the lawyers in Alabama, tried his absolute best to defend Tom Robinson in court. When the people of Maycomb saw Atticus trying to defend Tom, they began to harass Atticus and call him names showing the racism in Maycomb, Alabama. An example of this harassment is when Bob Ewell, another character in the novel, spits in Atticus’ face and threatens to kill him. Atticus, who is a humble and respectful man, responds by walking away from the situation. Atticus is just trying to do what’s right but he is constantly being harassed. Atticus is a mockingbird for these

Atticus is a man with morals. When he sees a person, white or black in need of justice he is always there to help, no matter the cost. In Maycomb County when a black man is on trial he is automatically seen as guilty. When Atticus was chosen to defend Tom Robinson many of the people in the community took it upon themselves to pay him a visit. It was understood by everyone that Tom had no chance and some of the men in the county went to Atticus to see if he would drop the case. Atticus knows though that Tom is innocent and deserves to have a fair trial. “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going until the truth’s told” (Lee 146) . Atticus demands justice no matter who it is or what they’ve been accused of. He understands what needs to be done to give those who have been wrongly accused an honest hearing.