Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird is characterized in the same way that is described in the poem “If” written by Rudyard Kipling. The poem “If” describes the virtues which the poet finds necessary for an acceptable human being. In both To Kill A Mockingbird and the poem the author feels that it is important for humans to take responsibility for their actions, such as Jem taking responsibility for destroying Mrs. Dubose bushes. The second stanza of the poem the author wants the reader to learn that success is not a straightforward path but rather a path that will be trying to tear you down, much like Atticus defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of rape. The first stanza of the poem “If” Kipling wants the reader to be strong enough …show more content…
Not because Tom is guilty but rather the race of the defendant compared to the race of the plaintiff. Atticus felt “he couldn’t hold up his head in town” if he hadn’t defended Tom in this case, though there may be some “ugly talk” However, Atticus felt he was responsible as the town’s legislature to defend the case though personal to him. Similarly, the poem stanzas two and four the poet wants the author to realize the same point Atticus is attempting to get across to Scout. In stanza two Kipling tells the reader “If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by the knaves to make a trap for fools” meaning that the path to success is not an easy one but rather people along the way that will try to tear you down, much like the town folks of Maycomb. Kipling in stanza four states, “If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,” this means that when aiming for success to fit in with society but also keep in mind your morality and beliefs. Atticus is accepted by his society, however he does not seem to care that some people in town find it wrong to defend Tom Robinson because he is black, Atticus believes it is right so he does not let society skew his