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The Importance Of Morality In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Morality is something that everyone has, and it is important to one’s everyday life. It helps one to grow as a person and leaves an impression on every person one will meet. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, multiple characters learn lessons that affect their morality throughout the story as they experience new things. In the novel Scout and Jem learn about having respect for everyone from Atticus’ actions, Scout and Jem also learn that they have to be able to relate to someone before they can fully understand them, and they learn to never follow the crowd and to not let others people’s opinions influence them because Atticus did so himself. First of all, Scout and Jem learn the importance of respecting others no matter what race, class, or age when Atticus exhibits respect to people even if it made his children unhappy. In the novel it states,”Son, …show more content…

In the novel it states,”’Scout," said Atticus, "nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything—like snot-nose. It's hard to explain—ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves’” (104). This quote shows that Atticus does not follow what everyone else in Maycomb believes and isn’t embarrassed about telling Scout about it. It is important for him to teach this to Scout and Scout learns immensely from it by taking it into her own life and not judging others based on their skin just because all of her friends do. Also, Atticus showed Scout and Jem that it was important to do what one wants to do and not what others wants one to do.Atticus shows the children this by not “living on the land” of Finch’s Landing like the rest of his family members but rather becoming a lawyer. This showed Scout and Jem to not follow in the footsteps in others if they do not

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On July 11, 1960 Harper Lee published her first novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. To date over 40 million copies of this chart topper have been sold to the public. The story is told from a child’s point of view and how she survives the challenges of racism and growing up. To Kill a Mockingbird also illustrates that challenging the opinions of others can aid in one’s moral improvement; Jem Finch experiences the most developmental progress through expanding his moral ideas and beliefs. Coming from a strong moral figure like Atticus, Jem is expected to become a respectable young adult.

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Ultimately, Atticus is trying to teach his children the importance of understanding the impact their actions have, and instead of making fun of someone, they should put themselves in their position and wonder what it might be like to be

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Scout learns that courage doesn't just happen, it takes real life lessons. Atticus played a big role on showing her to have courage. One example is in chapter 9 when Atticus puts himself in the middle of the conflict with Tom Robinson. His brother compares him to Christ by making the comment, “let this cup pass from you, eh?”(Lee 88) The children see that, especially Scout, and when Atticus is standing between the mob and Tom Robinson, the children stand with him.

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He shows this by not following the majority conscience, for example, he took on a “coloured” persons case, which shows how he opposes racism despite the hate he will receive from the people in Maycomb. He not only teaches Jem and Scout but he also teaches us, the reader, our principles, for example, “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”. The word sin in this quotation shows a religious point of view, which emphasises the word. Miss Maudie states “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy”, this links into many events taking place in the novel, for example, Tom Robinsons case. This particular event focuses on Tom Robinson, the mockingbird of the novel, he is the mockingbird because he is being judged by the people in Macomb for “raping” a white girl, which he didn’t do, this also shows Atticus’s integrity as he is the only person supporting

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1102 Words | 5 Pages

When Atticus is explaining to Scout the possibility of outcomes associating the case, he tells Scout that he wishes that she and Jem will learn a valuable lesson. “‘All I can say is, when you and Jem are grown, maybe you’ll look back on this with some compassion and some feeling that I didn’t let you down.’” (Lee 139). What this quote demonstrates, is how Atticus wants his children, and the people of Maycomb to learn the importance of this case and the moral lesson it teaches. In chapter three, Atticus teaches Scout, how to view things from another person’s perspective.

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637 Words | 3 Pages

One of the first examples of Atticus’ teachings to his children occurs on page 79 when Atticus tells his daughter Scout, “Of course I do. Don’t say nigger, Scout. That’s common.” Atticus is demonstrating that he wants his daughter to be a polite lady of God. He shows

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794 Words | 4 Pages

Personal values and morals are instilled into children by their parents . Jem and Scout Finch, characters from Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, are open minded, educated, young children that have a father named Atticus Finch who tries to teach his children to have sound morals and personal values . The children have not been sheltered from life's hardships due to their father Atticus's views on parenting instead they have learned right from wrong. Atticus Finch believes that not sheltering his kids from the world allows them to form strong morals and values. Atticus Finch does what he believes will help make his children into strong citizens with outstanding values and morals.

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Landon Bennett Mrs. Alfaro English 3 May 22, 2023 To Kill a Mockingbird In Harper Lee's timeless novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the character of Atticus Finch serves as a moral compass and a pillar of righteousness. Through his actions, words, and unwavering principles, Atticus demonstrates the qualities of a compassionate and just individual, whose beliefs are deeply rooted in fairness, equality, and respect for all individuals. Atticus's commitment to justice and equality is evident throughout the novel. He consistently upholds the belief that every person deserves to be treated fairly and without prejudice. Atticus imparts this wisdom to his children, Scout and Jem, when he tells them, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”.

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Scout shows these values in To Kill a Mockingbird, and provides a unique way of looking at people differently. This was probably Harper Lee’s doing, Scout is used by Lee to illustrate many ideals. Such ideals include courteousness when she defends Atticus to stand up for what she believes in, and how Scout can step into someone else’s shoes to see their point of view. By putting these ideals in a kid’s perspective, Lee is able to convey these ideas with more ease because people can follow along with Scout and remember the importance of these ideals as she is learning them for the first time. Many people can forget these basic values, and Lee emphasizes through her characters and novel that they are important and reminds people that even the simplest of values can make the biggest

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336 Words | 2 Pages

Atticus lives by a code: let your conscience be your guide. That’s why he takes on the case at the heart of the story, the defense of a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Scout tells Atticus that most people in the town think it’s wrong to defend the accused man. But Atticus explains that “they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions. But before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself.

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1399 Words | 6 Pages

As the book goes on and the characters change, ethical dilemmas about fear, and racism are seen. Additionally, what the book has to say about moral values and how things are done is mentioned in this essay. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee depicts the crude reality of Ethical Dilemmas in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1950s. One of the first Ethical Dilemmas presented in the book is what are the morals of the people in Maycomb. It is clear that Maycomb has differences in how people act, but that is different on what their moral values are.

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1593 Words | 7 Pages

To Kill a Mockingbird is a book written by Harper Lee about racism and justice during the Great Depression. In Maycomb County, most people still aren’t over the confederate days, but Atticus Finch, a very ethical lawyer, and his family have to undergo a case over a black man. The thematic statement found in this book is,”A person’s surroundings will affects their choices and disregard morals.” This tells how the people in this book disregard some base morals and make choices. In To Kill a MockingBird there are examples of people disregarding their morals in mob mentality and letting society influence them, but keeping to a strict line they wouldn’t cross like Atticus defending Tom.

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691 Words | 3 Pages

Harper Lee once wrote that “Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what”. Moral courage means doing the right thing despite the risk of any consequences. Anyone can have moral courage, no matter who you are. Many authors often use different literary elements to develop themes in their writings. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the literary elements mood and imagery to teach her audience about doing the right thing or moral courage.

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852 Words | 4 Pages

While school may teach lessons, they are certainly not valuable life lessons. Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird repeatedly shows the ineffectiveness of the education system in a child’s morals. To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in the Great Depression era in Alabama, where education was not the best. Teachers would only seek to teach their classes average, everyday lessons rather than valuable life teachings.

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He knows the rest of the town will disapprove, but he believes in the innocence of this man and does not care of his complexion. In this moment, Scout and Jem only see how everyone will downgrade them and see them differently. Atticus shows, it does not matter what others think, all that matters is that you support what you believe in. This shows how Atticus is a strong character who contributes a lot to the overall lesson

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