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Defending Tom Robinson Quotes

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By defending Tom Robinson in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus demonstrates that morality overlooks social prejudices. Atticus defends Tom Robinson in spite of the criticism and opposition he and his children encounter from society. His awareness that a person's color should not determine their behavior shows that he sees African Americans as having the same values as white people. It may seem like Atticus is only defending Tom Robinson because of his sense of duty, but he is also doing it because he exhibits morality by overlooking prejudices and understands how all people deserve justice, no matter what race they are. By neglecting the fact that black people shouldn't be defended, Atticus causes people to disapprove of him. Atticus …show more content…

When Atticus was at the courthouse, a few of the attentive critics of the courthouse business were talking about the case, and one of them said, “Atticus aims to defend Tom Robinson, [because] that’s what I don't like about” him, and when Scout overheard their conversation that Atticus didn’t have to defend Tom Robinson, she “could have used it many times in defending him” and herself because people fussed and bullied when they learned that Atticus was defending Tom Robinson, so if he fussing” (Lee 186). Atticus defends Tom Robinson even though he and his children are both bothered by how Atticus is defending him, because Atticus is omitting social norms which shows how passionate Atticus is about supporting Tom …show more content…

Atticus motivates people to get past their prejudices and to point out that all people make mistakes, it is human nature, so white people shouldn’t be favored over black people because race doesn’t determine anyone’s actions which shows Atticus's morality he understands, unlike the society, that there is more to people than their race. Scout is bullied at school because her father is defending a black person she is confused why When Scout asked why Atticus was defending Tom Robinson, he replied, “If I didn't, I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, and I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again” because he wouldn’t be doing his duty (Lee

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Atticus is a guy who once won a case for a black man in a rape trial, but now he attends the local Citizens ' Council, a patriarchal white organization dedicated to talking about the dangers of black people. These are the men who today would counter #blacklivesmatter with #whitelivesmatter, the men blind to their own privilege, the men threatened by anyone who isn 't a white male. It was also shocking for his daughter see his behavior , Scout states in Go Set A Watchman : “The one human being she had ever fully and wholeheartedly trusted had failed her , had betrayed her, publicly, grossly, and shamelessly”. Jean Louise immediately writes him off as a racist.

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Atticus is not reflected as a racist man, and a common person for this place in time. Atticus preaches to his kids to be different and stand out in the crowd, don't be the average folk and Atticus leads by example. In chapter 9, To kill a Mockingbird Atticus and Scout were talking about the racial slur and Scout asks Atticus about the trail that Atticus is taking on, “Do you defend ----, Atticus?” I asked him that evening” “Of course I do. Don’t say ---, Scout.

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Despite setbacks of his own family, Atticus Finch, in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, was wise in defending Tom Robinson. In taking on the case, Atticus was able to teach his children the wrongs of segregation, alter the dynamic of his town and gain the respect from African Americans throughout Maycomb County. Despite the loss of respect from racist colleagues, Atticus was able to maintain his social status while helping the people of Maycomb grow to become more accepting of people of other races and backgrounds. When Atticus accepted Tom Robinson’s case, Scout, Jem and even Dill were taught the negative impact of segregation on the lives of others, and eventually learned to view segregation as an unjust separation of human beings.

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Atticus had always tried to teach me through his actions that I had to look from other people’s perspectives before I judged them. I remember that when I first heard the news of what Mr. Ewell did to my father after the trial, I was shocked that he would do such a cruel act towards an innocent man. At the time, this incident only reinforced my belief that all the Ewells were white trash, since I looked at this only through my point of view. On the other hand, Atticus looked from Mr. Ewell’s perspective and realized that almost anyone would react similarly under those circumstances. Atticus always wanted to understand the reasoning behind a person’s actions, because he believed that everyone had some “good” in them.

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905 Words | 4 Pages

By taking this case and simply because the accused man is African-American, Atticus Finch is subjected to the towns negative supposed slander such as Mrs Dubose’s deplorable comments for example; “Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the court-house lawing for niggers”. Atticus accepts this case not because Tom Robinson is African American but because he believes that he is innocent and therefore defends Tom as best he can as an innocent man rather than a man of colour. During the trial Atticus expresses how he stands for truth and believes in justice and the justice system however he doesn’t agree with criminal law.

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Picture yourself a lawyer in 1930s Alabama, chosen to defend a black man accused of raping a white woman. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus the father of Jem and Scout is chosen to defend Tom Robinson Accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Atticus wants to set a good example for his children and the prejudice town that he lives in. He also lives his life by the golden rule which is why it makes sense for him to defend Robinson.

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This case, Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience- Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man.” Atticus is sensible to the situation his defendant is put in and is very understanding that people have different opinions from him but he knows he’s not in the wrong and it's the right thing to do to defend

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201 Words | 1 Pages

People were not treated equally, and were mistreated because they had colored skin. In the book, Atticus is trying to defend a black man who was blamed for something he didn't do. Because he was black, it made it easier for him to go to jail. Just because he did not look the same as other people he had

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1016 Words | 5 Pages

By striking down the very notion of taking a stance to change the law, Atticus is proving that he is not entirely invested in his fight against racism, instead taking a defeatist attitude. His reply also demonstrates another instance of hypocrisy in the matter of combating prejudice: he turns his back on his belief in persevering regardless of the odds in this instance, acting apathetic towards change when it seems clear to him it will take too long a time to pay off. The cause he outwardly supports still benefits him in a way, of course, which is clear after the trial in which Atticus fails to keep Tom Robinson from being found guilty, when the blacks sitting in the colored section of the courtroom stand up to pay respect to him: “All around us and in the balcony on the opposite wall, the Negroes were getting to their feet”(211). Regardless of his failure, the black community admires Atticus for his efforts, but is portrayed meanwhile as unable to help themselves. That Atticus is depended on by the entire community for help, without any in-story hints that the African Americans are also contributing to their own cause, reveals that yet again he is considered the only “competent” person in the

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2444 Words | 10 Pages

Atticus understands that there is prejudice and inequality within their own time period which is why he wants his children to not be affected by it: “And I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s usual disease. Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand” (Lee 100). Tom Robinson, the Black man Atticus defends in the case, must face more scrutiny and attention than any normal convicted person of interest further proving the systematic discrimination faced by Black people. Atticus’s efforts

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1717 Words | 7 Pages

Atticus is a representation of the growth that society has made and how much deeper our understanding of each other has become. However, the great amount of prejudice overwhelms those who are moral. The severity of this problem cannot be overlooked, whether progress is being made or not. The beginning of Atticus’s entire case and the harassment of Tom Robinson was based purely on prejudice: “The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took

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541 Words | 3 Pages

Tom Robinson, an African American man, is who Atticus is supporting in a case who is accused of raping a white girl. Not only the ones connected, but all whites in the community, even children know Atticus has a great chance of losing this case. Even a child stating that Scout and Jem’s dad (Atticus’s Children) “defends negroes” (Lee, 99).this is said because he is supporting African Americans in the case.

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1033 Words | 5 Pages

While many bad things seemed to have happened to Atticus when he decided to stand against racism and inequality more positive things occurred. Atticus and many in this book show the dawn of a new era where racism and prejudice are not openly celebrated, but rather is frowned upon. Atticus did the impossible he brought the black community and the white community together, in many ways. The first interaction between the two peoples was when Calpurnia took Jem and Scout with her to the black church, because Atticus was too busy working on the trial. The two little white kids got to experience a black service and came to the conclusion that it was not much different than theirs.

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579 Words | 3 Pages

Atticus is accepted by his society, however he does not seem to care that some people in town find it wrong to defend Tom Robinson because he is black, Atticus believes it is right so he does not let society skew his

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(107), Scout’s father, Atticus, teaches her that no matter what race you are, you should never be treated unequally. He demonstrates this in his everyday life so this idea is implemented in his children’s lives. He is respectful, responsible and intelligent which allows him to have a great perspective on the lives of others. It also is what aids him in raising his kids. Atticus

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