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Atticus Takes A Stand Analysis

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Atticus Takes a Stand “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” ( Lee 101). To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, takes place in a town called Maycomb, where coloreds are looked down upon. Atticus, one of the main characters, is a father of a boy and a girl, Scout and Jem. He is assigned a case where a colored man, Tom Robinson, is accused of raping a white girl. “Fair” cases are usually only for white people, so the town gets upset when Atticus is handed the case. Atticus is a man that believes in equality, so he does not only fight for Tom’s freedom but also equality and fairness. By doing so he sets a good example for his kids. Atticus’s view on the world and wanting him to set …show more content…

He aims to defend Tom Robinson the best he can and give him a fair case just like the whites would get. “Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That’s what I don’t like about it” (Lee 218). People in Maycomb get upset and believe he should not defend him because of his race. Atticus tries his best because he wants to show his kids that everyone gets a fair chance no matter what color they are. Earlier on in the book, Atticus forces the kids to read to a grumpy, elder lady who never listened when they read because she wanted to leave the world beholden to nothing. They read so she could have a distraction. “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’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do” (Lee 148). The elder lady won, he believes that courage is doing what is right, even if you think you are going to fail, which is what he wanted his kids to understand. Simple sentence > He also constantly told his kids to not judge someone until you looked at things in their perspective. “Jem, see if you can stand in Mr.Ewell’s shoes for a minute. I destroyed his last shred for a minute of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with… So if spitting in my

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Ms. Maudie tells them, ‘“I think maybe he put his gun down when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things”’(130). This displays his fairness as he doesn’t want to hurt anything that won't hurt him. Furthermore, Atticus models fairness when he defends a Negro, Tom Robinson. The city of Maycomb is an extremely racist town and the thought of helping is a black man is unheard of. Atticus believes it is unfair to not help someone in court just because of their race.

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604 Words | 3 Pages

He wants Jem and Scout to realize how wrong the people of Maycomb are for thinking the way they do. Since Atticus doesn’t want Jem and Scout to listen to the town, I can infer that he believes their way of thinking is unfair. He said it himself that people go mad when anything with an African American man comes up because of their Southern ways of thinking. Therefore Atticus believes that Maycomb is unjust because he is a man of absolute

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438 Words | 2 Pages

Showing courage is taking risks, knowing the outcome might not be what you want. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, courage is displayed by many characters. The importance of showing courage is letting the audience of the book know anyone can have courage. For example, Atticus was able to defend a black man, not knowing what people would to him. While Scout stands up for herself, having no idea how Aunt Alexandra will react.

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1083 Words | 5 Pages

Symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird Like Martin Luther King Jr. expresses, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character” (BrainyQuote). To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a story about how a little boy breaks his arm and the racism the town of Maycomb, Alabama experiences. The children of a lawyer named Atticus Finch experience love, hate, and courage. At the start, Scout and Jem obsess over their neighbor, Boo Radley, who never comes outside of his house. However, the novel takes a turn when Atticus decides to defend an African American man accused of raping a white woman.

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338 Words | 2 Pages

At the time of Tom Robinson’s trial, Atticus Finch was audacious and did something almost no-one else would be willing to do, which was properly defend Tom. While his decision caused controversy in the town of Maycomb, Atticus still had to ensure that his children were not being affected. When he learns of the things Scout's classmates are saying, Atticus shows his children how to be truly courageous and teaches them of equality. Firstly, he demonstrates a lesson in equality when he decides to defend Tom in the first place. Atticus says "The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any colour of the rainbow," (295).

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Within the novel, Atticus is defending a black man by the name of Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a young woman. How Atticus handled this trial is widely considered to be fair. He asked just and equal questions to all the witnesses along with Tom and Mayella, the girl who cried rape. Why does Atticus do this instead of just giving up on Tom? It is simply explained with “if I didn’t

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568 Words | 3 Pages

Atticus is a calm and caring person in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Atticus is Scout’s (the narrator) father. He is a lawyer and is in a trial with Tom Robinson (a black man) who was accused of raping Bob Ewell’s daughter, Mayella. Should Atticus take this stand?

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602 Words | 3 Pages

Atticus faces criticism because he is representing a black person on the court. The townspeople do not think that Atticus should represent Tom because according to them, a black person is already guilty before going on trial. Because Atticus believes in having equal rights, he continues to represent Tom. Bob tries to get Atticus to give up the case, but Atticus is firm in what he believes in. Atticus’s children have to face comment comments from family and friends because Atticus is defending a black man.

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The right’s of Atticus choosings In my opinion Atticus did do the right thing in fighting for Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was against the word of two white people with a heavy case; but Atticus did it all out of the kindness of his heart. Atticus wanted to change the way people thought about the colored people “simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” (lee. 101). Atticus knew it would be tough because of the heatless town of Maycomb; but he knew all the facts, and was willing to give it all he had to try, and get Tom Robinson out of this mess. He believed that if he didn't defend Tom Robinson he could not hold his head up to the town and he certainly couldn't tell Jem and Scout what to do anymore.

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1831 Words | 8 Pages

Words of truth are not always positive in fortifying a child 's self-esteem, nor for seeing the world in a positive light. Atticus’ children have lost their innocence earlier than they should have, as their eyes have been opened up (by Atticus and his truths) to the macabre and inherently racist world that surrounds them. Additionally, Atticus imprints his version of the truth into his children and their principles. Whereas, hearing multiples and different recantations could promote a more objective view of the world. Furthermore, Atticus actions can have fatal repercussions on the lives of his children, exemplified in the following quotation: "Scout," said Atticus, "when summer comes you 'll have to keep your head about far worse things...

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1201 Words | 5 Pages

Atticus believes that courage is doing what you think is right, even if you think you will fail. He

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1202 Words | 5 Pages

Despite the heavily racist town he lived in, he being a white man still defended Tom Robinson, a black male in court. Tom was accused of raping a women. Usually cases involving a person of color were handed off to a lawyer with less experience because the cases were a lost cause. Atticus had een given this case and decided he wanted to go through with it and fight as hard as if it were any other case, if not harder. He did this even while knowing that the town was not going to support him or his family, resulting in them getting constantly mis treated or rude comments concerning the case.

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1317 Words | 6 Pages

Furthermore he defends a black man in court. At the time (and maybe still even now) Maycomb, Alabama, is from our perspective a really racist county, and in this culture it takes a lot of courage to go against the tide and not to judge a black man merely of his skin colour or origin, but instead to put his worries before ones own. Most people in Maycomb, who believe black Tom Robinson is innocent, also believe that there is no chance of winning the case and they lack the courage to risk getting a bad reputation with nothing to gain from it. Atticus is probably the only one whose moral views forbid him to look

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1334 Words | 6 Pages

He is not only doing it for Tom Robinson, he is doing it for himself as well. Secondly, Atticus stands up for what is right because the moment he is asked to take Tom Robinson’s case he doesn’t think twice. He knew that someone who is innocent should not have to go to trial for something they did not do. He thinks racism should have an end. By taking this case he not only opens the eyes for his children, he opens the eyes of his peers and community members.

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1027 Words | 5 Pages

So don’t let Mrs. Dubose get you down. She has enough troubles of her own” (pg. 124). Consequently, this short sentiment displays Atticus’ unfailing desire to find everyone agreeable despite the circumstances and does well as an example for his growing children. Furthermore, he presents his unconditional love by following, possibly unconsciously, the commandments of the Bible where it lies said, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Not once in the pages of the To Kill a Mockingbird novel does Atticus result into severe and unfair disciple toward Jem and Scout, rather he determinedly instructs them in the ways of tenderness.

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