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Atticus Finch Justice

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“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.
Atticus Finch sees the unjust ways of his town Maycomb and works to find justice. Tradition is not always right, fair, or just and Atticus teaches his children just that in order for them to see what is right. "Simply because we were licked …show more content…

Although there is a promise of failure Atticus will not stop on his fight for justice. In order for his children to see the difference in how the world is and how it should be Atticus is constantly teaching them about the unfairness and unjust ways around them. Using your higher status in society to belittle and discriminate against those below you is an appalling act that according to Atticus Finch makes you trash. ‘“As you grow older, you 'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don 't you forget it -- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash”’ The metaphor “that white man is trash” is used when Atticus is explaining to his son the unjust racist ways of their small town. Comparing a white man to trash when he is cheating a black man shows that Atticus does not accept the the racism and narcissistic ways in his town, and seeks for his son to not accept them either. Atticus teaches his children to strive for justice not only for others lives, but also in their own lives. Atticus makes it clear to his family and the sheriff that justice will not stop at the front door of his home.‘“But, nobody 's

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1664 Words | 7 Pages

In Maycomb County, the Negroes are viewed as inferior, and in addition, the Jim Crow laws are enforced to ensure segregation. As a result, they do not have equal rights as the other citizens. When Atticus is asked to defend Tom Robinson, a Negro man accused of raping a white girl, he accepts. To the community this was improper. The community’s disgust at Atticus’ decision is expressed when Scout is irked by Cecil Jacobs, a boy in her class, when he announces that, “Scout Finch’s daddy defended niggers.”

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916 Words | 4 Pages

In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus believes Maycomb is unjust because the town is inconsiderate of other people’s view, which is shown when Atticus gets targeted for defending a black man, worries that his kids will become bitter and catch Maycomb’s disease, and Aunt Alexandra advising Atticus that he is raising his kids wrong. To begin with, Mrs Dubose addresses to Scout and her family about how Atticus is disgracing his race and his color by defending Tom Robinson on the alleged rape case. Mrs Dubose says, “Your father’s no better than the ni**ers and trash he works for” (135). Atticus views Maycomb as an injustice town because during this time period black people were seen as a lower class. Atticus is mark as an overall victim because in the trial the county is shocked that Atticus is

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520 Words | 3 Pages

“To Kill a Mockingbird” also highlights the truth towards the whole society can alter the definition of justice. Here, Atticus defends a black man for his words for the right to have a voice within society and not to be misjudged due to racism. Hence, Harper Lee uses the novel to convey the

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1119 Words | 5 Pages

“Grandma says it’s bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again. He’s ruinin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin’” (94), even Atticus’ family does not support his decision on taking the case. Atticus’ family shames him because they believe his case will cripple the family’s reputation and taint the family name. This reveals how racist people get when it involves black people, that if a white person has anything to do with a black person, they receive the nickname “nigger-lover”. Atticus and his family struggles with the racism as everyone talks about how personally involved Atticus is.

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1008 Words | 5 Pages

(Lee 144). Another example in chapter 23 is when Atticus tells everyone that even though the jury was filled with ordinarily reasonable men, sometimes things get in the way of that reason. African-Americans have had struggles when compared with whites. Atticus says, “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men everyday of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t forget it. Whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is “trash” (Lee 295).

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747 Words | 3 Pages

King uses pathos in this statement, ”I have a dream this afternoon that my four little children, that my four little children will not come up in the same young days that I came up within.” By saying this, King reminds his audience that small children are affected by racism. The audience receives a reminder that the innocent and harmless are being victims to prejudice. In Atticus’s closing argument, he says, “There is not one person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire.” Finch points out that these stereotypes, which are usually applied to the African Americans, can be applied to everyone.

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436 Words | 2 Pages

Why did Atticus defend a black man? Justice and being given the chance of a fair trial. Atticus Finch believed that everyone, black or white should be given the chance, to be proven not guilty. Even though some people thought Atticus was wrong in defending Tom Robinson, Atticus knew it was right to defend Tom because he knew everyone deserved a fair trial.

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1166 Words | 5 Pages

Despite racial inequalities in the South, Atticus sticks to his own morals and agrees to be the defending lawyer for Tom Robinson, a black man being accused of raping a white woman. Although Atticus’ defense in court was thorough and clearly proved Tom’s innocence, the jury was prejudiced towards black folks and convicted Tom as guilty. Nonetheless, Atticus is still a hero despite losing the case. He has the courage to stand up for what he believes in, fights with reason rather than guns, and has utmost determination, making him a hero despite being just an average human being. Ultimately, his thoughts and actions set the stage for major changes in the meaning of equality throughout Maycomb County, changing lives of numerous people.

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738 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the book people talk about how wrong it is for Atticus, one of the main characters, to defend an African American in court. The children in the book are told that their father is a disgrace and that he is ruining other people’s lives. For example, “‘...now he’s turned out a nigger-lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He’s ruinin’ the family, that’s what he’s doin’.’” (Lee 110).

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949 Words | 4 Pages

“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.

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1033 Words | 5 Pages

To Kill A Mockingbird Themes “‘You never really understand a person until you consider his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it’” (Lee 39). This quote from the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee includes many characters who suffer from the Great Depression and other conflicts that break out in the town of Maycomb. Racism, poverty, and domestic violence attend in the book and continue their way through to create rising conflict between the people of Maycomb county. Atticus Finch is a lawyer of Maycomb and a father of two children, Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout, and Jem Finch.

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693 Words | 3 Pages

Atticus Finch was a lawyer that had to be exploitive if he wanted to win cases. When he gave a closing argument for the case of Tom Robinson, he had to find a way to persuade his audience. Instead of making his speech specifically about Tom Robinson, Atticus stated that some people of a race may lie, but that is true for all humans, no matter what the color of their skin is. Atticus said that, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” (Lee, 30). He believed that you shouldn’t judge someone’s actions until

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1163 Words | 5 Pages

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”(Lee 30). These are the words of Atticus Finch, the wisest character in the famous novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. He is a fictional man that embodies human traits that all people should strive to emulate. In the novel; narrated by Atticus’ daughter Jean Louise Finch, more often referred to as Scout; Atticus defends a black man, Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white female, Mayella Ewell. The main message of the text is the prominence of racial injustice, specifically in the 1930’s, the era the novel takes place in.

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1240 Words | 5 Pages

A famous Prevention example is the 2003 invasion of Iraq, though claimed to be a preemptive war by former President George W Bush it is hard to determine which to classify the attack under. The United States of America “could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Iraq posed an imminent threat, or that its motives in deposing Saddam Hussein were just”(Andrew 2011). This means that the United States attacked the Iraqi’s without authorization from the United Nations. However this does not include the threat of terrorism. Whether or not this attack is classified as a Prevention or Preemption attack is still being debated.

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1108 Words | 5 Pages

Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird famously said in his closing arguments: "You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some negro men are not to be trusted around women- black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and no particular race of men." (pg 232) What Atticus is trying to convey is a foreign concept to most people in Maycomb county. Atticus is trying to convey a point of equality and no prejudice in a world of social inequality which, as one can imagine, didn 't go over so well.

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