How Does Lee Show Morality In To Kill A Mockingbird

Lincoln G. Donner

Mrs. Hirtz

English 10

16 May 2023

Morality and Mockingbird The Oxford Language Dictionary defines morality as the “principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.” Morality plays a huge role in our society. It determines a person’s character—how one acts, treats people, and what they fight for. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a book that takes place in the South during the Great Depression, racism is a very current topic that—when combined with morality—creates one of the central conflicts of the book; This conflict being the trial of Tom Robinson, in which Atticus Finch is Tom’s lawyer. Atticus is often characterized as a very moral person. He does not believe people should

In this novel, characterization and conflict are used to develop the theme that although humans are born with an innate understanding of acting morally, only courageous people do so. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Haper Lee uses conflict to demonstrate that only courageous people act morally, despite humans having an innate understanding of morality. Lee creates conflict through Atticus’ encounter at the jailhouse. Through this conflict, Lee shows that to act morally; one has to be courageous. At the jailhouse where Tom Robinson is being held, Atticus encounters a group of men who want to lynch Tom, “’He in there, Mr. Finch?’ a man said. ‘He is,’ we heard Atticus answer… ‘You know what we want,’ another man said. ‘Get aside from the door, Mr. Finch.’ ‘You can turn around and go home again, Walter,’ Atticus said pleasantly” (Lee 171-172). Atticus believes Tom Robinson is innocent and a

One way this is shown is through Atticus’ willingness to speak out about racism and prejudice in front of the people of Maycomb is one way he is characterized as courageous and moral. As Atticus is addressing the court, Atticus says, “‘some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men cannot be trusted around women – black or white… There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire’” (Lee 232). Atticus is speaking to a court filled with Southerners while stating this. He’s accusing them of being racist and prejudiced. He tells them they are immoral; they do not treat people equally. That takes courage. And through Atticus’ acknowledgment of the difficulties of defending Tom, Lee characterizes Atticus as courageous and willing to stand for his morals. As Scout is questioning Atticus about defending Tom Robinson, Atticus states that “‘every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine, I guess’” (Lee 86). As previously stated, Atticus has solid morals and believes everyone deserves a fair trial. In this quote, Atticus acknowledges that by giving Tom a fair trial, he will get some severe backlash from many, yet he is still