Parth Puri
Ms. North
Honors IB MYP English II
23 March 2023
Atticus’s Virtue
One of the most distinguished and well-respected characters in Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is Atticus Finch. Atticus is a wise, candid lawyer who believes in justice for all. Throughout the novel, Atticus is portrayed as a man of virtue and honor who stands up for what he considers proper, even when it goes against the norms of his society. Atticus Finch is a character who embodies integrity, principality, and exemplary parenting skills, as demonstrated through his commitment to justice and his children seeing him as a role model as the novel progresses
An example of Atticus showing integrity is seen when he defends Tom Robinson, a black man who is falsely condescended of an awful crime. Atticus accepts the case of Tom Robinson despite the town’s racial prejudices during this era. When his children ask him why he is defending Tom, he explains, "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win" (Lee 87). Atticus understood the flaws in the justice system and knew the odds were against him even though he believed his defendant was innocent. However, this does not affect Atticus’s determination to fight for what is right.
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He is a patient and understanding father, who encourages his children to develop their own edifications. He teaches them to respect others but still stand up for their beliefs, even if it means they are going against the norm. For example, when Scout comes home from school upset because her teacher told her not to read with her father anymore, Atticus makes a compromise with Scout stating that if she “concede the necessity of going to school, they can read every night” (Lee 35). Even though Atticus acknowledges Ms. Caroline’s opinion on Scout’s reading ability, he knows that scout learning to read would be a benefit in her