...In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a well known lawyer, father to Scout and Jem Finch, and citizen in Maycomb County. His predominant characteristic is integrity. The definition of integrity is, “adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty” (Dictionary.com). Atticus Finch shows this in the court and in his home. Most people only play by the rules and keep people’s wellbeing in mind when it can affect their own reputation or they are out in public. Atticus not only shows his integrity in town, but also in his own home and to his children as well. Scout and Jem have absorbed the genuineness of their father, through many daily lessons to life-threatening troubles. Mr. Finch is very unique...
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...Jean Louise “Scout” Finch - The narrator and protagonist of the story. Scout lives with her father, Atticus, her brother, Jem, and their black cook, Calpurnia, in Maycomb. She is intelligent and, by the standards of her time and place, a tomboy. Scout has a combative streak and a basic faith in the goodness of the people in her community. As the novel progresses, this faith is tested by the hatred and prejudice that emerge during Tom Robinson’s trial. Scout eventually develops a more grown-up perspective that enables her to appreciate human goodness without ignoring human evil. Atticus Finch - Scout and Jem’s father, a lawyer in Maycomb descended from an old local family. A widower with a dry sense of humor, Atticus has instilled in his children his strong sense of morality and justice. He is one of the few residents of Maycomb committed to racial equality. When he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man charged with raping a white woman, he exposes himself and his family to the anger of the white community. With his strongly held convictions, wisdom, and empathy, Atticus functions as the novel’s moral backbone. Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch - Scout’s brother and constant playmate at the beginning of the story. Jem is something of a typical American boy, refusing to back down from dares and fantasizing about playing football. Four years older than Scout, he gradually separates himself from her games, but he remains her close companion and protector throughout the novel. Jem...
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...self-understanding as the novel progresses. The characters Atticus Finch and Jeremy Finch demonstrated their courage in the novel which resulted in the explanation of the message about real courage. Atticus Finch proved to be a noticeably courageous character in the novel. One apparently reason was because he accepted the appointment to the case of Tom Robinson, a black man. It took courage for Atticus to do the right thing, despite knowing that he...
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...Perseverance can be defined as a steadfastness in a specific course, while paying little heed to the trials and difficulties along the way. In the book, Atticus, Jem, and, Scout clearly demonstrate examples of perseverance. As the father of the Finch family, Atticus becomes the one setting the example of perseverance for his children, Jem and Scout. On page 75, Atticus explains to Scout, why he, as a lawyer, is defending a black man in court: “Scout, you aren’t old enough to understand some things yet, but there’s been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do much about defending this man.” While this may not look very...
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...awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States for her contribution to literature in 2007.Lee has also been the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, but has always declined to make a speech. Other significant contributions of Lee include assisting her close friend, Truman Capote, in his research for the book In Cold Blood. II.INFORMATION ABOUT THE NOVEL Classification- To Kill a Mockingbird is embodied by Atticus Finch, who is virtually unique in the novel in that he has experienced and understood evil without losing his faith in the human capacity for goodness. Atticus understands that, rather than being simply creatures of good or creatures of evil, most people have both good and bad qualities. The important thing is to appreciate the good qualities and understand the bad qualities by treating others with sympathy and trying to see life from their perspective. He tries to teach this ultimate moral lesson to Jem and Scout to show them that it is possible to live with conscience without losing hope or becoming cynical. In this way, Atticus is able to admire Mrs. Dubose’s courage even while deploring her racism. Scout’s progress as a character in the novel is defined by her gradual development toward understanding Atticus’s lessons, culminating when, in the final chapters, Scout at last sees Boo Radley as a human being. Her newfound ability to view the world from his perspective ensures that she will not become jaded as she loses her...
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...in American literature is Atticus Finch from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Being a morally upright lawyer, a loving father, and a man committed to racial equality, Atticus is known to hold a sense of justice. When he appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused for raping a white woman, he strongly held his convictions and his empathy for all people and agreed to take the case Though he may bold decision may have opposed to the values of the vast majority of people in Maycomb, throughout the novel, Finch displays leadership through his qualities of integrity, courage to stand...
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...In the 1930’s racism was in full swing. Although Civil Rights Acts had been passed to finally end salary, many people were still dealing with prejudice and prosecution. Harper Lee released her novel To Kill a Mockingbird which subtly starred Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is a white lawyer living in the South during the 1930’s. Atticus appears in this novel as a defendant of a black man accused of the rape of a white woman. Throughout the novel his attitude is a shining light in story full of darkness, he is the one sliver of hope for Tom Robinson and ultimately the whole town. Atticus Finch was pivotal character in this novel as he was able to change the current beliefs regarding race, fought for a blind American Dream and was able to open the...
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...understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (39). In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus teaches this to Scout to explain to her why she should not judge others. People everywhere make false judgements based on gossip. Reputation, popularity, and rumors determine how great a person is, as opposed to their true character. In this book there are many individuals that appear to be amazing or terrible people on the outside, but then are proved to be different people on the inside. People should not be judged by the way they look, but by their courage, their compassion, and their integrity....
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...couldn’t have cared less, so long as he could pass and punt. When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out. I said if he wanted to take a broad view of the thing, it really began with Andrew Jackson. If General Jackson hadn’t run the Creeks up the creek, Simon Finch would never have paddled up the Alabama, and where would we be if he hadn’t? We were far too old to settle an argument with a fist-fight, so we consulted Atticus. Our father said we were both right. Being Southerners, it was a source of shame to some members of the family that we had no recorded ancestors on either side of the Battle of Hastings. All we had was Simon Finch, a fur-trapping apothecary from Cornwall whose piety was exceeded only by his stinginess. In England, Simon was irritated by the persecution of those who called themselves Methodists at the hands of their more liberal brethren, and as Simon called himself a Methodist, he worked his way across the Atlantic to Philadelphia, thence to Jamaica, thence to Mobile,...
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...child it has non-judgemental views. Therefore, because of the child narrator, and the other main characters being children, this shows that childhood in ‘‘‘To Kill a Mockingbird’’’ is important and crucial. In the chapters 1 to 12, childhood is presented by friendship, gullibility, pride, questioning and fear. The fear element, is a major part through ‘‘To Kill a Mockingbird’’, because at different stages of the novel at least one of the main characters is scared. The Finch children first experience real friendship in ‘‘‘To Kill a Mockingbird’’’, when they meet Charles Baker Harris – Dill. Before Dill has passed the ‘Jem test’, Dill boasts to Scout and Jem that he can read. Which was not usually common in Maycomb at the time, but Jem and Scout could both read, which meant that they thought Dill was showing off and they wouldn’t want to be friends with him. Also what makes Dill become an issue about friendship, is how he introduces himself. He recites his entire name, and makes fun of Jem’s name (Jeremy Atticus Finch), which therefore causes Jem to dislike him. However when Dill, tells about Dracula, he is accepted in Jem and Scout’s inner friendship circle. All of these actions the boasting, the story telling, and the unnecessary argument with Jem about their names represents Harper Lee’s idea about friendship and childhood in ‘‘‘To Kill a Mockingbird’’’. All three of the...
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...Choose any 3 characters from the first half of the novel and discuss how they have a positive influence in Maycomb. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee portrays a very distinct difference in the character that are “good” and those that are “bad” this often comes over in the way Scout or Atticus view a certain character. There are many positive influences in Maycomb and one of them is Calpurnia. Although Atticus does not see her as a motherly figure, I believe that she views herself as the womanly influence in their lives as she is loving towards the children, but often, can be strict and firm to teach them what is right or wrong. She has always been there for both children, especially Scout because they lost their mother early in their lives and because of this I feel that Scout and Jem do not Calpurnia as either black or white and this means that they respect her and love her a lot. An example of this is in Chapter twelve when Calpurnia is taking the children to church with her and she refers to them as “my children” and wants people to know that she looks after them. She also makes sure that they are clean before church however, this is partly showing self interest as she wants to be seen as motherly towards the children and if they look nice, it will reflect well on her peers. Another example of Calpurnia showing her love for the children is when there is a “mad dog” and she tells them to go inside because she is worried about them and wants them to be safe. Calpurnia...
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...‘Explore how Harper Lee describes the character of Miss Maudie’ The first time Harper Lee introduces Miss Maudie to the reader, Scout says that she spent the rest of her remaining twilights with her. This at once shows us that Miss Maudie isn’t like most adults in the book, who treat Scout like a child, because she is one whom Scout likes to be with and talk to. ‘I spent most of the remaining twilights that summer sitting with Miss Maudie.’ This shows us that Scout, who is quite an adventures child, is very comfortable with Miss Maudie, and Miss Maudie instead of treating Scout like a child treats her more like a friend. She is given off as an auntie figure to the children and it is shown within the book that she is very fond of them as they are of her. Harper Lee shows through a metaphor that Miss Maudie is very adaptable to her surroundings. ‘A chameleon lady who worked in her flower beds in an old straw hat and men’s coveralls, but after her five o’clock bath she would appear on the porch and reign over the street in her magisterial beauty.’ The word ‘magisterial’ Harper Lee uses to describe Miss Maudie once changed from her worker appearance to her more feminine appearance makes me think of how royal she would have looked and how the sudden change would appear to everyone else within the town who saw her. Miss Maudie takes pride in the appearance of her garden as well and it seems to me that because she has no children she treats her plants like children by devoting...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming-of-age novel that is set in the early 1930s in a small and sleepy Southern town called Maycomb. It was written by Harper Lee and published in 1960. The novel deals with childhood innocence and the conflict between good and evil in many different situations. Throughout the novel, the reader follows the childhood of a young girl called Jean Louise "Scout" Finch who lived with her family that included her father, Atticus, her brother, Jem, and their black cook, Calpurnia. Scout is the narrator and the protagonist of the novel and the reader is able to perceive, through her narration, a child's perspective of the world and the prejudice that exists within it. One of the themes that is prominent in the novel is black racism. The writer made that notable through the lifestyle of Maycomb, its citizens' notions and the case of Tom Robinson. These cases helped to shape Scout's opinion of the real world and her understanding of the dark and cruel sides of it. The theme also plays an important role in understanding and analyzing the novel as a whole. As the novel is a depiction of the writer's childhood, it elaborates to the reader the various aspects of real life in the United States of America during the 1930s and helps them get a view of the racial discrimination that shaped the American society at that time. That...
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...Lee, one consistent theme is based around how Atticus Finch positively impacted the town of Maycomb. The location was Alabama during the 1930’s. During this time period, citizens of Maycomb showed extreme chauvinism towards one another. For people to not give into this way of life truly must have been very audacious. One person that proved to be able to show such audacious acts was a man named Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch willingly defended an African American which in the time period was perceived as very taboo. Out of all the characters in the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper lee a man named Atticus Finch proved to have the most courage and by the end of the book the most moral growth. The fact that he went against the normal way of life in his town, and willingly defend an African american by...
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...Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a modern-day hero for his intolerance towards racism, especially in that time period. His disapproval towards racism is most apparent when he fought for Tom Robinson. Fighting for an African-American man in the 1930’s was unspeakable but not only did he defend him, he gave it all he had. Atticus knew he would never be able to win this case yet he still tried which is more than any other white lawyer would have done for anyone in the black community. Atticus even has a reputation for being the same in courtrooms as in the streets as opposed to the only other lawyer in the book, Mr. Gilmer. As Atticus states, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for...
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