In To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee about a girl named Scout in a time of racism, there were many important traits that the characters represented. In the poem, “If”, by Rudyard Kipling, it talks about many characteristics that are also relevant. Atticus Finch, the father of Scout, was a significant character in the novel. Atticus has many powerful traits that are described in the poem and To Kill a Mockingbird. In both the novel and the poem, “If”, virtue was a trait that Atticus Finch represented. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus had just accepted the call to defend an African American, and he was being targeted by his neighbors. One neighbor, named Mrs. Dubose, said, “Your father’s no better than the [blacks] and trash he works …show more content…
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem was asking why Atticus thought Mrs. Dubose was a great lady, and he said, “I wanted you to see something about her--I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (128). Atticus said this because Mrs. Dubose was not taking her pain pills, even though she was in a lot of pain, so even though she knew she had a small chance of winning, she continued. Later in the novel, Atticus took the case to defend Tom Robinson, and even though he knew he would not win because the jury was racist, he still tried his best. Additionally, the poem, “If”, writes, “If you can make one heap of all you winnings/ And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,/ And lose, and start again at your beginnings/ And never breathe a word about your loss” (Kipling). When Atticus was asked to defend Tom, he knew that it was a risk, but he still defended him, even though he knew people would not support him. When Tom was guilty, he had lost a lot, but he never complained that it was not a fair trial. Therefore, Atticus demonstrated courage in To Kill A …show more content…
In society today, these characteristics are becoming less important. Although some people demonstrate these traits, they are not as well known. Society is not very virtuous, and most people try to be popular. Most people try to become popular rather than do the right thing. Also, people are not as patient. When someone is disrespectful, less people are patient, and more people try to fight or argue. Finally, a lot of people are not very courageous in our society. Society tries to take less risks because they do not want to face any consequences, even if taking the risk is the right thing to do. To conclude, these traits are not very well represented in society, even though they are very
There are good and bad people in all races, the color of skin does not define who a person is, but the way a person thinks does. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, Uses a round character (Mrs.Dubose) to show stereotypes are not true and racism is leading people in the wrong direction. First of all, Mrs.Dubose constantly interferes in other people's life, telling them what is wrong and what is right according to the way she thinks and does things. Secondly, Mrs.Dubose is prejudice and racist, and instead of supporting Atticus, when he is helping to bring justice to a black man, she goes against him like many other folks in town and contradicts and insults him for doing so. Finally, Mrs.Dubose has made some bad decisions, and also is a morphine addict, taking it as a painkiller for years, this could be one of the reasons of her attitude and behavior towards Jem and Scout as well this is the reason to lead to her own death.
Dubose was an example of encouraging people to think that all African American men should not be supported. While Atticus’s children were on a walk she would yell rude things at them regarding their father supporting Tom. For example, she said, “...“Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for a …” (Lee 117). Mrs.Dubose finds it so absurd that a white man would even support an African American man.
but you begin anyway.” (pg. 112). Atticus believes that real courage is trying again after you lost, not winning by the simple way or a gunshot. Atticus probably knew that the jury will say that Tom is guilty. Yet Atticus has integrity and tries his best for Tom despite the
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a role model not only for Scout and Jem, but for the town as a whole. He is unbiased and just in his values, and this carries over to his parenting with Jem and Scout. Atticus always listens to what his children have to say, and they greatly respect him for it. He instills in them that it is okay to stand up for what they believe in, even if the rest of society shuns them for it. They are taught to treat other people with respect and to always think before acting.
In “To kill a Mockingbird” Atticus is a lawyer in the town of Maycomb that helps people with their cases. As a result, he may not be the one who shows the most courage throughout this book. For this reason, opponents argue which character in this book shows the most courage. For example, many say Mrs. Dubose shows the most courage because she tries to break her drug addiction. It says, “Mrs. Dubose won all 90 pounds of her, according of her views she died beholden to nothing and nobody.
Personal values and morals are instilled into children by their parents . Jem and Scout Finch, characters from Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, are open minded, educated, young children that have a father named Atticus Finch who tries to teach his children to have sound morals and personal values . The children have not been sheltered from life's hardships due to their father Atticus's views on parenting instead they have learned right from wrong. Atticus Finch believes that not sheltering his kids from the world allows them to form strong morals and values. Atticus Finch does what he believes will help make his children into strong citizens with outstanding values and morals.
Dubose. Atticus explains to them that sometimes in life one has to do things one may not enjoy in order to serve others. Atticus then connects Jem and Scout’s struggle with Mrs. Dubose to himself and the trial. Atticus says to Scout and Jem “ ‘Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience- Scout, I couldn't go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man’ ”
Heroes are not invincible, and certainly are not the ones who always win; however, a hero is someone who, despite this, is courageous enough to fight for what is right. Atticus Finch, one of the most inspiring literary characters from the highly acclaimed novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is an example of such. This classic novel is told from the perspective of Scout Finch, Atticus’ daughter, a young girl who lives in the town of Maycomb County, Alabama, in the 1930s, a town where prejudice and discrimination is rife. Rather than succumbing to societal expectations and adopting the extreme animosity held by the other citizens, Atticus views and treats all with the dignity and respect that they are entitled to, guiding his
To Kill a Mockingbird - Courage "Courage is when you know you 're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee 's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. "Real courage" is when you fight for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose. Atticus fits into this definition of what "real courage" is and demonstrates it several times throughout the novel. "The only thing we 've got is a black man 's word against the Ewells '.
and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do” (Lee 128). Atticus teaches Scout that true courage is standing up for what you believe in no matter the consequence. Even though Atticus knew he was going to lose the case with Tom Robinson, he was able to do it because he knew it was the right thing to do and it needed to be done.
Whenever they would walk past her house, she would shout hateful and insulting comments at them. Atticus told them to not let her comments affect them. One day, Mrs. Dubose made a comment about Atticus defending Tom Robinson. The comment was hateful and racist toward Atticus and Tom. Jem was angered by her comment and fueled by rage, cut down all of Mrs. Dubose 's camellia bushes.
"(Lee 221). This is an example of how Atticus shows courage because it takes a lot so courage to show kindness to a man that has accused an innocent man and that spits in your face. Also Atticus even teaches courage to his children so that it can be passed down for
With his ample and persuasive demeanor, he teaches his children to love everyone, especially those who treat them with disdain and indifference. He demonstrates his striving love toward even the hardest of folk in his statement about Mrs. Dubose, “I certainly am [a nigger-lover]. I do my best to love everybody . . . I’m hard to put, sometimes--baby, it’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you.
Henry Lafayette Dubose a very persnickety woman, made a big hissy fit while talking to Atticus’s kin about his actions. She says “Yes indeed, what has this world come to when a Finch goes against his raising?” (Harper pg. 105) She believes that Atticus has done a major crime. Mrs. Dubose doesn’t understand why a white man like Atticus would stand for a black man when he could stand for a white man like himself.
Through To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee teaches us the righteousness of empathy. Harper Lee 's technique of writing and coinciding Christian beliefs weaved through emphasizes the importance of the story 's moral and themes. It is through Scout, the young dynamic and protagonist, that Lee opens the reader 's eyes to a realistic world of prejudice and inequality during the 1930s. Though introducing many characters throughout the novel, it is through Lee 's wise father character, Atticus Finch, that she further helps teach her readers life lessons, one being empathy. While narrating in first person, Lee further details her novel with the setting and use of style and diction.