Atticus Finch Research Paper

Words: 754
Pages: 4

Can you imagine the challenge for a white lawyer, in the deep south, who chooses to raise a family and practice law fairly? This is the story of Atticus Finch, a black man accused of rape, in the 1930’s. Atticus’s children, along with the citizens of Maycomb, Alabama, experience the social issue of racism. Racism was accepted and running rampant through all levels of society in the town of Maycomb. Atticus is a good parent because he teaches his kids about equality and the reality of life in a racist society where it's hard to always do the right thing.

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Scout are the children of widower Atticus, who is doing his best as a single parent. Atticus taught his kids “...You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee 33).
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Scout proves that she learns this lesson throughout the book when she says “Atticus was right”. One time he said, “You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.” (Lee 321). This shows that Atticus wanted his kids to understand that you have to see things from other people's point of view to know why they act the way they do. Jem and Scout learn a valuable lesson about the importance of being compassionate from Atticus. Atticus shows his kindness and sympathy for others when he says “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee 103). This is clear evidence that he is trying to get his kids to understand that you should never kill the innocent. A mockingbird is a bird that just makes beautiful sounds for us to hear, and they do not do anything to harm us. Tom Robinson and the children are examples of mockingbirds in