ATTICUS ESSAY

Submitted By toricoulter
Words: 860
Pages: 4
Open Document
Throughout the novel show that Atticus Finch deserves to be admired by his family and people of Maycomb
Throughout To Kill A Mockingbird it is evident that the protagonist, Atticus Finch is the most admirable character who is highly respected by the whole of Maycomb. Fair yet firm, affectionate yet sensible, Atticus uses every opportunity to teach Jem and Scout valuable life lessons. His fearless, optimistic courageous, nature shines throughout the novel and Lee heightens this through the trial of Tom Robinson.
Atticus’s admirable character is emphasised when he is there to protect Tom Robinson on the night before the trial. He waits outside, guarding Tom the whole night in order to keep him safe when the lynch mob comes to kill the racial victim. We admire Atticus’s bravery when he stays steadfast ‘solid shapes were moving towards the jail door but Atticus remained where he was.’ He refuses to be intimidated by the mob and will stand up for what he believes in, racial equality. This also shows courage on Atticus’ behalf in the face of danger, both physically and morally.
The respect the men in the mob have for Atticus is shown as they whisper throughout the incident as Atticus says ‘don’t wake him up’ and the men listen. They ask Atticus to leave which emphasises the respect they have for him as they use a question not imperative which shows the high regard in which he is held by everyone in the society.
Atticus has earned this esteem as he is so protective towards his children and whilst the mob is present we see that he is afraid for them but tries not to show it. His face showed a ‘flash of plain fear’ and his ‘fingers were trembling’ which shows he is very concerned for the wellbeing of his children and cares for them deeply.
Even in the midst of a threatening and dangerous situation, Atticus never ceases to use the opportunity to teach his children valuable life lessons. As when Scout gets agitated and kicks on of the lynch mob members, Atticus uses the firm imperative ‘Don’t kick folks’ which shows he has respect for others even those who are trying to hurt his client. We admire Atticus in this situation as he is always trying to make his children learn right from wrong no matter what the situation.
Scout admires her father greatly as she obeys his commands and tries to please him by following his teachings and ‘doing the polite thing.’ This makes us admire Atticus as Scout respects him and he has clearly taught her to talk about others interests instead of her own which clearly demonstrates his lack of selfishness and modesty.
Finally when the mob disperses without touching Tom Robinson, this is a clear indication of grudging admiration for Atticus. This would very rarely happen that the victim remains alive after a mob attack yet Atticus stays calm and the men respect him and leave soon after their arrival.
We see that his children have a great deal of respect for Atticus as Scout says ‘he ain’t ever whipped me’ which shows he is a good father and we admire him for this as he can discipline them in other ways than using
Show More

Related Documents: ATTICUS ESSAY

White People and Atticus Essay

TKaM Essay Nobody is born being prejudice, we learn to be prejudice from the people around us, such as family, friends, and strangers. In the novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee, she shows us how racism can affect our lives. Racial prejudgement has a negative impact on the society, because it can cause unexpected conflict between each other. The first person to show racial prejudgement is Lula towards Scout and Jem. This happened when Calpurnia took the children to her church…

Words 1151 - Pages 5

Atticus Bravery Essay

local lynch mob was hunting for Tom Robinson knowing that the sheriff was attending to a bird hunt, Atticus acts like a human shield in Chapter 15 to save the life of Tom Robinson, a negro whom was falsely accused of rape and abuse of a white woman. At the risk of his life, Atticus bravely waits and sits outside of Maycomb jail calmly with a book until the group armed with weapons approaches him. Atticus recognises the mischievous scheme and tries to backtalk them out of their wrong doing intellectual…

Words 373 - Pages 2

Essay On Atticus Finch

Atticus Finch is Jem and Scout's father, a lawyer in Maycomb, Alabama. Atticus has done his best to try to implant into his children a sense of morality and to treat everyone fairly. He is one of a handful of people in the town of Maycomb who is against racial injustice,and is one of the main character's in Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird. He agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black farmhand accused of assaulting a white woman.Atticus has his own strongly held morals,ideals, and sense of justice…

Words 845 - Pages 4

Atticus Finch Essay

Harper Lee, one character who stands out the most is Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch was a wise and humble man in the novel. He is an important character because he is the single father of Scout and Jem and he is also the best lawyer in the town. In this novel Atticus shows many characteristics that are positive which are his strength of being a dedicated single father, he’s very self-controlled, and he is also loyal. In the novel it shows how Atticus Finch is a dedicated single father. The mother of…

Words 552 - Pages 3

Atticus Finch Character Analysis Essay

In this essay on the novel “To kill a mockingbird”. I will be talking about these three characters Atticus Finch, Jean Louise Finch(Scout) and Boo Ratley . All three of these characters have very different personalities. And I will be explaining and describing their personalities and how they have affected the story plot Let’s start off with Atticus Finch. Atticus is the father of Jean Louise Finch (Scout) and Jem Finch. Atticus was married to mrs. Finch but sadly she died of a heart attack when…

Words 654 - Pages 3

Atticus Finch A Hero Essay

true of Atticus Finch in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. First, Atticus Finch is a hero towards his children throughout the entire novel. He is also a hero towards the towns people when shooting the mad dog. Atticus Finch is a hero in court when he defends Tom Robinson. Atticus Finch is the true hero of the novel as he represents the forces of justice. Atticus Finch is always showing his children the right thing to do. Atticus teaches his children to not judge anyone. Scout talks to Atticus about…

Words 739 - Pages 3

Essay on To Kill a Mockingbird and Atticus

find him guilty. Tom Robinson is an African American who is treated poorly only because of his darker skin color. Atticus Finch is clearly a leader in the story, proving that the color of a person’s skin isn’t a crime. “…thinks he knows what he’s doing” (218). When this statement is made, it is the summary of what most people think of Atticus because he is defending Tom. Atticus still defends and protects Tom and his family even though he is called a fool and looked down upon. He knows it is wrong…

Words 446 - Pages 2

Essay on Lessons From Atticus

Lessons from Atticus “We can never judge the life of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation” (Paula Coelho). In the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, Atticus teaches Scout and Jem to never judge people until you understand their circumstances. No one can truly understand a person until they see things from their point of view. Atticus once told Scout,” you never really understands a person until you consider things from his point of view…. until you climb into his skin and walk…

Words 329 - Pages 2

To Kill a Mockingbird and Atticus Essay

Harper Lee’s presentation of Atticus Finch in the novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird” Harper Lee’s novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird”, was written in 1960 and set in the 1930s in Maycomb County, a small fictitious town in Alabama. It is a time and place dominated by economic depression, racial segregation and prejudice against African-Americans. Scout, the narrator of the book is similar to Harper Lee. Harper Lee is telling her own story of prejudice against African-Americans replacing herself with Scout…

Words 3567 - Pages 15

Atticus Finch and P. Essay

Chapter 1 The reader is introduced to the narrator, Scout, who describes her family's history and her town, Maycomb. She and her brother, Jem, are also introduced to Dill, and the children share stories and fantasies about the mystery man next door. Vocabulary All page numbers refer to the Warner Books Edition: December, 1982. "...Jem's fears of never being able to play football were assuaged...(p. 7)." "All we had was Simon Finch, a fur-trading apothecary from Cornwall whose piety was…

Words 563 - Pages 3