Atticus Finch Hero Quotes

A hero is a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. While anyone could be considered a hero depending on the circumstance, in the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, one character stands out for his achievements and additions to the greater good of the society he lives in. Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the 1930s who was tasked with defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of assaulting a young girl in a society that was pitted against him. Atticus demonstrates the qualities of a hero throughout the conviction and trial of Tom Robinson by taking on his case and defending him even though he knew he wouldn’t win it, standing up to those who wanted to intimidate him, and trying to better the legal system

To illustrate, “Tom Robinson is a colored man, Jem. No jury in the world is going to say, ’We think you are guilty, but not very,’ on a charge like that.” (Lee, 251). This quote shows how little faith Atticus had in Tom’s freedom. He knew that he would not win Tom’s trial, no matter how hard he tried, because no jury in 1930s Alabama would take the word of a black man over that of a white man, no matter how much evidence there was to prove the black man’s innocence. However, throughout the trial, Atticus acted courageously, standing up for what he believed to be the greater good, not allowing the fear of people hurting him and his family or damaging his reputation as a lawyer to get in the way of doing what he had to. For example, “We don’t know, but there is some circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left….he swore out a warrant, no doubt signing it with his left hand, and Tom Robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses- his right hand.” (Lee, 232-233.) This quote shows us a good representation of how Atticus demonstrates the qualities of someone described as a hero. He put aside his safety and that of his family to win the case. He didn’t just try his best to defend his client using as much evidence as he could find, but he also accused the prosecutor of the crime, something that could have put his life and the life of his family in danger, as the opposition to this trial was immense. Many people wanted him to either not attend the trial or not defend Tom against the crimes he was on trial