Character Development In To Kill A Mockingbird

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ authored by Harper Lee, is an enticing novel that depicts the value of human nature and importance of equality in humanity. Through the first-person perspective of the protagonist Jean Louise Finch (Scout), the novel portrays the character development of Scout’s perspective of others during the novel. The character Atticus, Scout’s father employed as a lawyer represents a black man, who is labelled as a rapist. The novels setting, Maycomb County is a settlement in the deep southern region of the United States. Lee utilizes various structural language to elucidate the use of courage employed through the characters. Courage defines the moral strength to persevere despite the odds and to overcome obstacles which are considered frightening. Scout

Atticus portrays courage throughout the novel to provide a positive influence on children, Jem, and Scout. This strengthens the readers perspective of Atticus as a kind-hearted man and a father figure to his children. Atticus represents courage when standing up for a black man in the era when slavery was still prevalent. He took Tom Robinsons case, knowing he would lose and that he would be neglected by the townspeople when defending a black man. Scout is perplexed as to why Atticus defends Tom when he shouldn’t be. “…if I didn’t, I couldn’t hold my head up in town…” (pg. 82) Lee’s employment of character dialogue conveys an impactful message which Atticus addresses, that if he weren’t able to attempt to defend someone that he was certain was innocent, he would live in shame. He further divulges that, “Simply because we’re licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” (Atticus Finch pg. 82). Atticus admits to scout that he knowingly took up the case, simply not because he would win, because it was the correct thing to do. The quote further interprets Atticus’s sense of moral