Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” In life, one cannot back down once they are faced with adversity. There is no better statement than King’s that relays the message of upholding your beliefs. In “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the theme of standing up for what you believe in is developed through Atticus Finch, Calpurnia, and Scout Finch. Atticus Finch is a well respected lawyer in Maycomb County. However, many individuals in the community turn their back on Atticus when he plans to defend an African American man, Tom Robinson, in court. Taking place in Alabama during the 1930s, “To Kill A Mockingbird” accurately portrays the hostile environment for …show more content…
When the men began to whisper to each other with the intention of not awakening the man they plan on hanging, Scout began to sense something was wrong, although she didn’t understand exactly what was occurring. She became terrified when one of the men grabbed Jem. It was her instinct to kick the man who then let go of Jem and fell back in pain. She showed major courage when she confronted Mr. Cunningham about his son in front of the mob. She overcame fear and was able to hold her ground and say what she believed. The scenarios in this novel feature events that one can definitely learn from. Its theme applies not only to the novel itself, but to real life. These three characters do not do anything out of the ordinary by defending themselves, however their courage is admirable. In “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Harper Lee uses Atticus, Calpurnia, and Scout reflect the idea of standing up for one’s principles, even if it is not a popular decision. In the future, the messages in this novel could inspire one to stick up for their views in a time of
Leading up to the Civil Rights Movement, the black community was in a constant battle against law enforcement treating them unfair compared to the white community. The Scottsboro Boys and Emmett Till’s cases were one of the many times that the legal system showed to be unfair to blacks. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, the law enforcement and community were very racist against blacks and believed all blacks were criminals. In the story, Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer gets put into a very difficult situation and decides to defend a black man, who went by the name of Tom Robinson.
“You may choose to look away, but you may never say that you did not know” (William Wilberforce). In To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch juggles being a single father to his two children and practicing law in his small town. When Atticus defends a young black man who is being accused rape, the town of Macomb becomes polarized on the case and the trial reveals many truths about the people of the Maycomb. Atticus Finch works passionately to fight for the minority, which amplifies the importance of justice.
He puts his leadership efforts on display to make a change in his community by defending a black man in court, which was often frowned upon in the 1900s: “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to win” (Lee 87). With this in mind, defending an African-American man in court shows that he does not care much for the ‘normal’ in society. As a result, an angry mob attempts to lynch Tom at the jailhouse, but Atticus stays put, sticking to his beliefs about a fair trial. Atticus’s defense of Tom Robinson represents his leadership and perseverance; most people disagreed with him and even knew the verdict before it was announced, but Atticus kept fighting diligently. An angry mob attempts to lynch Tom, but Atticus stays put, sticking to his beliefs about a fair trial.
Atticus Finch is very courageous and this is evident when he stands up for what he believes in despite the prejudice of other people in Maycomb. Since he goes against the status quo, he gets discriminated against. Other people criticize his actions behind his back, and
Throughout the novel, we see the trials and tribulations for the 1930s Alabama town of Maycomb, as Atticus Finch, a respected lawyer, defends the innocent African American, Tom Robinson. This is not an easy task, as he
“I want you to understand that courage isn’t a man with a gun in his hand,” (Lee 112). This is a quote spoken from a courageous man who put himself in other people’s positions and did not believe he was superior to African Americans like many in that time period. Atticus Finch is a lawyer, and also the father of Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The finches live in a small town called Maycomb during 1933, also known as the Great Depression era. Throughout the book, the town faces many racial discrimination issues, especially when an African American man named Tom Robinson is falsely accused of rape of a white female.
Throughout “To Kill A Mockingbird”, many ideas are presented to challenge what courage really is. In the town of Maycomb, Alabama, both bravery and cowardice are prevalent. The people expected to be the heroes are really cowards, and the people expected to be cowards are actually the bravest people you may know. Taking us on many adventures, we actually start to wonder if anyone can be a hero. Through each character, we see both their good and bad qualities.
Donald Trump once said, “sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.” Atticus Finch fights a battle against Maycomb County and although he knows that he will not win he brings Maycomb a step closer to justice. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes characters, setting, and conflicts in order to illustrate Aunt Alexandra’s acceptance of Scout, Francis ‘ prejudice, and Atticus’ urge for equality.
In this small town, racism, prejudice, and sexism are unfortunately all present. Atticus Finch is an equitable lawyer who is defending a black man named Tom Robinson during a case where he is being accused of rape. Atticus teaches his children that regardless of someone’s race, gender, or beliefs, you must treat
During the 1930s the south was still raging with racism, and the thought of a black man raping a white woman lead to no further investigation whether it was true or false, he was simply sentenced to death. Atticus Finch, Toms adept lawyer, believed Soulfly in equality and justice for all and was more than happy to defend Tom Robinson with all his heart no matter his race. The Finch family felt very different than the majority of people in Maycomb Alabama. When Tom Robinson has accused the entirety of the town flocked to the courthouse to view the trial. Some with hopes for justice and liberty but most unapologetically hoping for an unfair sentence.
Harper Lee wants to tell us that it takes courage NOT to kill a mockingbird Courage and the symbol of the mockingbird are two of the most important, or in fact in my opinion the most important themes, which are addressed and displayed in the highly praised, but also controversial novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee. I will try to interpret these two motives and show how they are strongly connected to each other. There are many different types of courage and many people who all show it in their own personal way. If people talk about bravery and courage, they mostly think of the physical kind of courage. But there are also other kinds, which are often forgotten or cast aside by their big brother: moral and emotional courage.
Dhyanee Bhatt 9A Scout’s Development for Narration All of us grow, develop, and adapt to our surroundings according to what we see and learn. However, we don’t always only the just induce the positive values, but also adapt to the disadvantageous values, as well. To Kill a Mockingbird is a unique novel written by Harper Lee, which tells about a sophisticated family living in a small town. The focus of the book is Scout, the main character and an innocent child, and the story is presented from her perspective.
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee teaches us about the town of Maycomb County during the late 1930s, where the characters live in isolation and victimization. Through the perspective of a young Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, readers will witness the prejudice that Maycomb produces during times where people face judgement through age, gender, skin colour, and class, their whole lives. Different types of prejudice are present throughout the story and each contribute to how events play out in the small town of Maycomb. Consequently, socially disabling the people who fall victim from living their life comfortably in peace. Boo Radley and his isolation from Maycomb County, the racial aspects of Tom Robinson, and the decision Atticus Finch makes as a lawyer, to defend a black man has all made them fall in the hands of Maycomb’s prejudice ways.
Essay In the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, there are many important messages shown throughout the book. However the primary focus was set on racial prejudice that existed in the 1930s-1940’s in the fictional town of Maycomb County. The racism in the novel was very much a reality in 1930s-1940s America. A very good example of the racial prejudice that existed was in the courtroom during Tom Robinson’s trial, an innocent Negro man held against his will for a crime he did not commit.
The way the people and the town influence Jem and Scout make the characters more realistic and the overall story much more interesting. To Kill a Mockingbird is an exceptional novel that conveys many positive messages throughout. In her novel, Lee creates honest and relatable characters that take the reader on a journey through life in the south during the Great Depression. Readers are impressed by Lee’s eloquent writing and amazing characters, all of which make To