Identity In To Kill A Mockingbird

The desire to maintain acceptance between personal innovativeness and various social expectations requires balance. The process can be difficult and discovering stability can ultimately initiate a sacrifice to build a stronger identity. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the author, Harper Lee, uses the complexity of Atticus Finch to reveal the struggle individuals face when agreeing to responsibility and how the balance between their social and personal acceptance may shift due to mixed opinions from their surroundings. Including society’s expectations and family traditions, this struggle may eventually cause others to question their views and may build an adapted identity for the individual. Initially, the responsibility of an individual …show more content…
While Atticus expresses how “every lawyer gets at least one case . . . that affects him personally” (100), he maintains his authority and agrees to treat the case similarly to past situations. He is aware of the negative outcomes that could arise if he chose not to. This idea suggests his justification regarding his role as a lawyer and the purpose of his actions. Atticus’ attempt to balance his thoughts with those of his surroundings indicates his desire for his society to analyze that what he is doing is simply his job. This ultimately highlights the importance Atticus has for his identity as a lawyer and how he wishes to proudly portray it to others. Further, Atticus is accepting of the unique and different opinions shared by his surroundings, even agreeing with the idea that the possibility of Tom Robinson challenging the jury is unlikely. He also uncovers balance when he mentions how the members of his society “are entitled to full respect for their opinions” (139). Even though he accepts the ideas of others, he has hope that they will do the same for him. Atticus’ willingness to listen and evaluate the opinions that surround him allows him to be reflected as an individual who can set objectives. This act reduces his …show more content…
This further complicates the struggle of balancing personal and social acceptance. To begin, Atticus is able to realize how his actions may have a large influence on his children, showing balance in his own thoughts. This illustrates the care he holds regarding the future of his children, as he acknowledges that it is “not fair for [them]” (139). Atticus is open to hearing the worries his children’s fears regarding the case and he hopes that they will “look back on this with . . . some feeling that [he] didn’t let [them] down” (139). This emphasizes Atticus’ want to do all he can to make his children. It also indicates how he is trying to reduce to impact of his actions on his loved ones, which builds a stronger identity for his self. Furthermore, Atticus’ encounter with Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, who shares different opinions than his own, represents how he is willing to equalize all opinions. Even though she explicitly exclaims her thoughts to his children, this contradiction proves how Atticus is able balance acceptance. When questioned by his children, he simply states that one cannot “hold her responsible for what she says and does” (140), due to her age and illness. This further highlights his attempt to portray balance. Atticus then struggles to maintain acceptance when his original traditions are interfered by his family’s voice. When

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