How Does Atticus Use Racial Discrimination In To Kill A Mockingbird

Have you ever treated someone poorly based on thier looks or skin color? Racial discrimination was a significant problem in Maycomb County in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Atticus, a single father who is raising two kids in Maycomb that has a code to treat blacks of a less worth than whites.Atticus being a knowledgeable, courageous, and understanding man breaks the code of racial discrimination and he influences his children to become stong willed, and understanding adults. Atticus’s aptitude to be understanding is shown in all conflicts he is faced with. He lives by a quote he teaches his children,”...you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them...”(374). In other words, he means the best method

Atticus teachesJem that courage is not a man with a gun it’s,”when you know you’re licked but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what”(149). In deeper meaning, Atticus uses hes real courage in the Tom Robinson’s trial though the whites shamed him. It was against society’s code to like the blacks but Atticus risked his life numerous times in order to persue his morals of equality like the night a mob threatened Atticus to give Tom to them so they could murder him. Again he demonstrates his courage while staying calm when his life was threatened by Bob Ewell. Ewell spat on him and threatened to kill him but Atticus responded,”If spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell an extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take”(292-293). It took courage to stay tranquill while a drunken man was losing his temper but Atticus undertood his point of view and took the threat with courage to possibly save Mayella’s life. Moreover, everytime he shows his courage Jem and Scout learn to act more like thier father. Atticus not only uses his real courage to challenge society’s code and create equality, he also fights with is brain to pursuade others to understand all

Scout wants to fight physically for her father’s pride but Atticus tells her,”No matter what anybody says to you, don’t let them get to your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change...”(101). Atticus guides hid children away from violent solutions; for example Mrs Dubose, Bob Ewell, and Tom Robinson’s trial. When Jem and Scout were little, they fought with thier fists but Atticus taught them to keep thier heads up no matter the situtation. He told Scout to learn a trick to get along with all different people, “consider things from thier point of view”(39). In further understanding, he used his head to have respect and tolerance for others which his children learned as they grew up. Additionally, Atticus uses his knowledge from life experiences to teach Jem and Scout how to equally treat and understand