Atticus Rationality In To Kill A Mockingbird

Atticus was a very patient and understanding man, yet he was very stubborn when he knew what was right. Many times throughout “To Kill a Mockingbird” he demonstrated his ability to stay rational and see others’ points of views. One intense instance he was able to stay rational in was in front of the jailhouse when the group of men came to attempt to kill Tom Robinson, Scout depicted his actions by saying, “We saw Atticus look up from his newspaper. He closed it, folded it deliberately, dropped it in his lap, and pushed his hat to the back of his head” (Lee 201). Scout did not understand at the moment why the men were there, but her father knew full well that if he did not stop them someone would be murdered. Atticus was able to confront the men calmly, and because of his rationality, he was able to save a man’s life.

The poem “If” describes this characteristic as one of the virtues that will build you up by stating, “If you can keep your head when all about you// Are losing theirs and blaming it on you” (Kipling). If Atticus did not spend the night at the jail waiting for the men, Tom Robinson might have died. If Atticus did not do his best in the trial to save an innocent man, he would have lost his values. If he could not keep his temper and rationality, there could have been so many instances that would have turned out very different. As a role model for Scout and Jem, Atticus showed them how to remain reasonable in the heat of the moment, and always try to look from the other person’s perspective. He taught them that each person is allowed their own opinion, and they should be